BEFORE YOU BUY, OR BEFORE YOU RENOVATE — call Jeremy on 0402 952 810
When you need an expert opinion at minimal cost
Some of the best money you can spend on a Surf Coast property is one hour, before you commit to anything. Whether you're weighing up a purchase or wondering what your own home could become, Jeremy Ham walks the property with you, reads the site, and tells you plainly what's possible. Thirty years designing on this coast. No jargon, no obligation.
Call Jeremy directly on 0402 952 810, or book a time below.
You don't need to commit to a full set of architectural drawings to find out what your house could become. Most people who call Jeremy are somewhere in the "we've been thinking about it for years" stage, and what they really want first is an expert opinion they can trust.
Jeremy spends an hour on site with you and walks through the house and garden. He points out where the genuine opportunities are: where to open the plan up, where the light, sun and views are being wasted, what the structure will happily allow and what it won't, how the planning overlays affect what you can do, and roughly what's worth spending money on versus what isn't. Three decades of renovating houses on the Surf Coast means he reads a house quickly and tells you what an experienced architect actually sees when he walks in the door.
You get his thinking out loud as you go, which is where most of the value is, followed by a short written summary of the key points so nothing's lost. Most people leave the hour knowing exactly what their next move is, whether that's engaging an architect to take it further or deciding the timing isn't right yet.
This is for you if:
You're thinking about a renovation or extension and want an expert opinion before you spend on full plans.
You have a rough idea in mind and want to know if it's worth pursuing, and what it might cost.
You've had conflicting advice and want one clear, independent read from someone who designs on this coast every week.
You'd like to work with an architect but aren't ready to commit to a full engagement yet.
Fee: $450 + GST within 30 minutes of Torquay, $550 + GST from Lorne to Apollo Bay. Credited against your first invoice if you proceed.
Floor Plan Review
Engaged a builder or draftie to design your dream home, but have some concerns? Whilst builders and drafties offer design for free or at a minimal cost, you actually get exactly what you pay for. If you have gone this way but are looking for a second opinion, Jeremy can meet with you on site and discuss ways of modifying the plan to better suit your needs. (***The reason architects charge a significant amount of money for their services is because we spend as much time as it takes to get things right and work hard in consultation with our clients to exceed their expectations***). If you are committed to your current process, but are able to make changes, give Jeremy a call.
Thinking of buying? Book a pre-purchase inspection
Buying on the Surf Coast is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make, and one of the most complex. Coastal and bushfire overlays, vegetation controls, overlooking rules, steep sites and strict council requirements all change what you can build, what it will cost, and what a property is genuinely worth, both now and after any future work.
Most buyers find this out after they've signed. By then it's too late to negotiate and too late to walk away without penalty.
A pre-purchase inspection with Jeremy gives you something almost no one else on the Surf Coast offers: a registered architect who is also a licensed real estate agent's representative and property developer, assessing the same property from both a design and a market perspective, at the same time.
What it covers:
A site visit where you walk the property together, inside and out, assessing orientation, access, views, slope, vegetation and the character of the site.
The planning overlays that apply. On the Surf Coast, overlays are the rule, not the exception. A Bushfire Management Overlay can add $30,000 to $80,000 to construction; a Coastal Hazard Overlay can limit development entirely.
An honest read on what could realistically be built or renovated, in what timeframe, at roughly what cost.
Whether the asking price reflects the property's real potential, drawing on Jeremy's real estate experience, and whether the constraints give you grounds to negotiate.
A verbal debrief on the day, and a short written summary within three business days you can share with your solicitor or broker.
Fee: $450 + GST within 30 minutes of Torquay, $550 + GST from Aireys to Apollo Bay. Credited against your first invoice if you proceed.
Common questions
Is this a feasibility study? No. A feasibility study is a long formal report. This is an hour on site with an experienced architect, with the real value in what Jeremy tells you in person, backed by a short written summary. It's faster, cheaper, and for most people more useful.
Do I need to be there? It's strongly recommended, in person or by video call. Walking the site together means Jeremy can show you exactly what he's seeing, and you can ask the questions a report would never anticipate.
Is this the same as a building and pest inspection? No, and you may want both. A building inspector checks the physical condition of a structure. Jeremy assesses design potential, planning constraints and, for buyers, market implications.
What if I've already signed a contract? In Victoria, residential contracts include a three-business-day cooling-off period. An inspection in that window gives you the information to proceed, renegotiate, or withdraw. Don't wait; call the day you sign.
I'm buying from Melbourne, can you inspect without me? Yes. Jeremy can inspect independently and brief you by phone or video. Many clients buy on the Surf Coast without being on site.
Your assessor: Jeremy Ham — registered architect, Certified Real Estate Agent Representative and property developer.
Jeremy Ham (PhD) is a registered architect with the ARBV since 1997 and holds a Certificate IV in Real Estate Practice. As director of Forest Edge Living P/L, he designed, project managed and developed two residential subdivisions of 45 lots. He has lived and worked on the Surf Coast since 1995, giving him an intimate knowledge of local planning schemes, council requirements, coastal construction conditions, and the real estate market across the Surf Coast Shire from Geelong to Apollo Bay.
As an architect, Jeremy has designed new homes, extensions and renovations across the region for nearly thirty years — navigating the same planning overlays and council requirements that affect the properties he assesses. As a licensed real estate agent's representative, he understands how property constraints translate into market value, negotiating positions, and contractual rights.
When you walk a property with Jeremy, you're not getting a generalist's checklist. You're getting three decades of site-specific coastal experience, professional design judgement, and property market knowledge — working exclusively in your interest, with no stake in whether you buy or not.
How it works
Get in touch. Call or email Jeremy with the address and anything you already have (a listing, a plan, a contract).
We arrange the visit. Jeremy coordinates a time to walk the property, ideally with you there so you can ask questions as they come up. Melbourne-based and can't attend? He can inspect and brief you by phone or video, weekends included.
The inspection. An hour on site. Jeremy reads the house or block, checks the overlays and constraints, and gives you his assessment as he goes.
Debrief and summary. A verbal debrief on the day, then a short written summary of the key points within three business days.