ArchiPro has launched What I Wish I’d Known: A Guide for Homeowners Commencing Their Renovation or New Build, a comprehensive resource designed to help homeowners navigate the complexities of large-scale home builds or renovations.
This guide is packed with downloadable tips, tricks, templates, and a video series hosted by renowned architect Peter Maddison. Featuring insights from leading design and construction professionals, it offers homeowners practical advice learned from real-life experiences across Australia and New Zealand.
With expert guidance on everything from creating priority lists and managing budgets to curating your vision and collaborating with professionals, What I Wish I’d Known is the ultimate tool for anyone embarking on a home renovation or new build.
At the series launch, Peter Maddison sat down with ArchiPro founder Milot Zeqiri to share stories and lessons learned from their own renovation journeys.
Q (Peter Maddison): Milot, we’ve just worked together on the What I Wish I’d Known series, creating tools and advice for those embarking on a home build or renovation journey. Tell me about your own experience as a homeowner building or renovating a home?
A (Milot Zeqiri): I came to New Zealand as a 17-year-old refugee from Kosovo, so the concept of ‘home’ became incredibly important to me — something I deeply longed for. At 22, I purchased my first property in St Heliers, and from that moment, I developed a passion for creating beautiful homes.
While I took great pride in crafting these homes, the journey to get there was far from easy. My partner and I spent a decade living in construction zones, constantly working to renovate and transform properties. We often found ourselves spending hours on Google searching for reliable tradespeople, designers, and products. And when we did hire or purchase, the results were often disappointing, with poor-quality workmanship or low-cost products. This frequently led to projects exceeding the budget and timelines.
We quickly realised this was a common struggle for others undertaking similar projects. That’s when the idea of an all-in-one platform emerged — one that would allow people to confidently select products and hire professionals, knowing they were choosing from a curated network of the best in the country. We believed that this would not only improve the building experience but also drive innovation in the industry.
Q: And is that what inspired you to create ArchiPro?
A: Yes, the idea for ArchiPro evolved directly from our own building challenges. We found ourselves constantly searching for inspiration, saving images to folders, but struggling to gather the practical details needed to implement them in our own projects. Who was the architect? Which builder did they use? What timber was used in the cladding? Where was that beautiful couch from? We soon realised there was no central platform to easily find trusted architectural products and skilled professionals. The whole process felt like a maze with no clear path and a lot of traps along the way.
This frustration sparked the idea to revolutionise the design and build industry. Our dream was to create a platform that would simplify the entire building process, bringing together all facets of design and construction in one beautifully designed space. With our experience in both building and selling products to specifiers, builders, and homeowners, Brittany and I were in a unique position to understand and address the challenges people face when building their dream homes.
Q: Now that ArchiPro is 10 years old, you must have heard your fair share of stories from customers who’ve used your platform to run their projects. What are some of the key learnings you’ve gathered from them? Are there things they wish they’d known earlier?
A: It may sound obvious, but many people start their projects without being clear on their intentions. Just having a simple one-sentence summary of why you’re building or renovating, rather than just moving, can make a huge difference. Without that clarity at the beginning, decision-making becomes difficult because it’s easy to get lost in the details without a clear direction — you need a ‘north star’ to come back to. Something you can ask yourself: “Does this decision help me reach my intention or not?”
Another key lesson is getting crystal clear on your ‘must-haves’ and ‘nice-to-haves’ and sticking to them. This can really help reduce decision fatigue, as it allows you to make a lot of choices upfront if you have those priorities in place.
Future-proofing is also crucial. Often, it’s just about thinking about what the next 5 or 10 years might look like and how you might need to use the space differently. Alternatively, if you’re planning to sell or lease, understanding what will drive strong returns is vital. ArchiPro connects customers with expert advice from the planning stages right through to project completion.
The ArchiPro platform links home builders and renovators with leading architects and designers, such as Marshal Keen at Built by MK, Interior Designer Jillian Dinkel, and Architect Georgina Wilson, who offer invaluable insights in our series. We also provide access to a broad range of premium suppliers for everything from fixtures and fittings, lighting solutions, glass, tiles, ceramics, and furniture, to smart technology.
We spoke to one homeowner in the video series who shared her experience of building on a piece of land she hadn’t lived on before. She faced all sorts of issues with neighbours and the council, and in the end, she sold the property and started over somewhere else. Sadly, this is a common story — many people wish they had taken the time to better understand the area, its seasonality, and their neighbours before beginning the process.
To see the video series What I Wish I’d Known and to download the full guides, visit: ArchiPro
For more information
ArchiPro helps you connect with top architects, designers, and products to bring your project to life. Whether building, renovating, or seeking inspiration, ArchiPro makes it easy for you to explore, connect, and create.
