Our Process

• Figuring out where to start
• Exploring what's possible with your site and your budget
• New homes
• Renovations and extensions to make the most of what you already have
• Environmentally sustainable design
• Detailed design drawings and construction plans for Development Applications and applying for Construction Certificates
• Navigating the planning and approval process - from finding out what you can do with your property to getting an Occupation Certificate 
• Contract administration to keep help your project on track

Typically, the building design process happens in stages. You can choose to have us help you with all of them, or just one or two.

Each stage is separate, so if you need to, you can pause your project at any time.

We can talk you through the building and renovation process and explain how to get started, what's involved at each stage, the likely costs and what consultants you might need. Please feel free to ask questions - we're happy to help.

If you'd like to give us an outline of your project, we can discuss what you want to achieve and how we could help you. We can give you a quote for our design services that's specific to your project and your site - you'll be able to see exactly what services are included at each stage and decide what you need.

If you're not sure how much needs to be done to get the result you need, want to explore low cost solutions, or you want to explore all the possibilities, this is the service for you.

We would come to your site, assess your building and it's potential and talk to you about your lifestyle and what you and your family need.  

We can help you visualise the creative solution that's right for you.

If you've decided to build, extend or renovate your home, we can find out what planning restrictions apply to your site, including what size building you can have, any bushfire or flood threats and gather important information such as underground services, climate and weather patterns.

We'll also need to take measurements and photos of your site and your existing building if it's a renovation project.

We'll explain any other information you might need and help you get it.

We would meet with you and take the time to talk through your needs, your hopes for the project and chat about your family and lifestyle and how your site and your building could accomodate those things. 

Ideally we would meet at your current home so we can talk about what works and doesn't work for you about your existing home, any structural or technical concerns you might have for renovations and discuss potential design solutions.

Meeting you at your site means we can talk about the ways you can make the most of it's potential.

You can choose to have one or several optional sketch designs done at this point. These would be drawn to scale so that you could discuss them with a builder to get an idea of potential costs.

We can work with you and your builder to get the most out of your budget.

This is the exciting part where we take the sketch design and turn it into a 3D virtual model and detailled building plans. You'll be able to see images of what your building would look like, including being able to take a virtual "walk-through" of the 3D model.

Once you're happy with the design, we can prepare the documents you need for Development Approval and help you arrange any specialist reports or consultants you might need.

For simple projects it's often possible to prepare the Construction Certificate documents at the same time.

Extra details are usually needed for construction.

We can help you arrange any structural engineering or other consultants you might need and take you through the process to get permission to start building, including getting a builder if you don't have one already.

Once building starts, there are often lots of decisions to be made.

You can choose to have us help you through this process, from the first soil being turned over, to getting your occupation certificate so that you can move in.