Before you build: Why the right team changes everything

In today’s world of AI renders, Pinterest boards and DIY ambition, it’s tempting to think you can design your dream home alone. But according to the expert panel behind ArchiPro’s Home Design Evening Canterbury + Otago, the right professional doesn’t just save you time and money... they elevate everything.

The Architect: Designing to add value

Hamish Muir of Mason & Wales carries forward one of New Zealand’s most established architectural practices. For him, good architecture is measured not in months or years, but generations.

“A home should serve to enrich peoples lives,” he says. “It can be much more than just a commodity.”

In a climate of increasing design noise, Muir’s focus is on restraint and clarity... quiet decisions that shape a home’s feeling, not just its façade.

“You’re not just hiring us to draw. We guide our clients through a process, with a different way of thinking, to deliver better build environments.”

With the rise of digital renders and visual shortcuts, Muir remains grounded in tradditional processes and the lived experience. How the light moves, how a door swings, how the house meets the land.

The Interior Designer: Beauty in the details

Jeff Merrin of Lume Design didn’t come up through the traditional interiors route. His early career was in fashion, which perhaps explains the sharpness of his eye and his refusal to separate beauty from function.

“We do it all,” he says. “Joinery, flooring, window treatments, furniture, lighting... even the cutlery. We look at everything as one complete picture. Every element should talk to the next."

For Merrin, the value of a design professional lies in their ability to edit and elevate.

“Clients come to us with screenshots and ideas but they don’t always know how to make them real. That’s where we come in. To guide, to push, and to get it right.”

The best outcomes, he says, come down to trust.

“This is a personal industry. If someone invites you to design their home, that’s a privilege. And it’s our job to honour that by getting every detail right. Even the ones they’ll never see.”

The Builder: Process is product

Richard Fantham of Radius Building brings military precision to residential construction. A former infantry officer, he’s built a business on planning, structure and open-book transparency.

“There are plenty of builders who can deliver a beautiful result,” he says. “But not many who can do it in a way that leaves the client feeling calm, confident and respected throughout the process.”

For Fantham, the build experience is as important as the outcome.

“Don’t let the process tarnish the product,” he says. “You carry that emotional memory into the home. If the build was a nightmare, no level of polish can undo that.”

From tailored client dashboards to real-time pricing and scheduling, Fantham’s system puts clarity first.

"Clients feel relaxed from the beginning because they know exactly what to expect and when.  It comes down to methodical planning and clear communication, which makes the entire journey something they’ll remember for all the right reasons."

Why it pays to bring in the Pros

Great homes aren’t just well built. They’re well considered.

Every line drawn, every material chosen, every conversation had. It all adds up to a home that not only looks beautiful, but lives beautifully too.

Whether it’s how the morning light lands across a hallway, or how seamlessly a space adapts to daily life. These aren’t accidents.

They’re the result of deep expertise, clear communication and a team you can trust.

Want to hear more?

Join us for Home Design Evening Canterbury + Otago at Te Pae, Christchurch on Thursday 8 August.

This free event is your chance to hear directly from the panel architect Hamish Muir, designer Jeff Merrin and builder Richard Fantham, as they share the insights, lessons and stories behind their most considered work.

Spaces are limited. Register now on ArchiPro.