Work Examples
Design Process
& About Us
Our Services & The Design Process
Initial Consultation (Free)

In this meeting we’ll discuss the scope of your project and go over any ideas you have for your new home or renovation. This meeting can be at your site, your current home, in our studio or even via email or video call. We will discuss your budget, basic functional requirements, the general aesthetic you are wanting to achieve and the characteristics of your site.

After this initial meeting, if you are interested in having a custom home design perfectly suited to your block and individual taste, we can get things started! Our design process is different in that we work mostly in 3D to give you the best possible preview of how your home will look. This way we can visually represent all of the design decisions in 3D rather than just looking at black and white lines on a page. Once our fee proposal has been accepted, the following design stages can begin:

Design Stage 1: Concept Sketch Design

We talk about how you’d like your house or addition to function and look, most often with a site visit included. As an important first step, a design brief is created so everyone has a mutual understanding of the project objectives and this brief becomes the basis of all future design work. After this, work begins on your floor plans and the home starts to take shape. We will have multiple rounds of designs at this stage to fully explore all possible solutions based on your brief. Near the end of this phase, a basic 3D model of your home will be available to view. At this early stage, we also discuss time lines for construction schedules.

Design Stage 2: Design Development

We make sure that all of your spaces function exactly the way you want them to. Fitting in the doors, windows, appliances, tiles, flooring and everything else needed to make your home truly unique. Plans become quite detailed with accurate window and door types and sizes. Materials, fittings and fixtures are fully integrated into the design. We explore all of the required building systems that need to be included and make sure everything works together. Design Development plans are often detailed enough for most builders to provide indicative pricing and even engineering plans to be requested.

Approval: Development Application (DA)

Your development application to your local Council is prepared and submitted. We take care of all the forms and fuss so you don’t have to. This includes preparing a BASIX certificate and engaging all the necessary consultants and compiling their reports to accompany your DA. We oversee this process and keep track of the project’s progress in the assessment cycle.

Design Stage 3: Working Drawings

All of the required plans the builder and other trades need to get the job done. These plans become very detailed and full of highly technical info and include any detailed plans needed to properly construct the unique aspects of your home. At this stage there may be input from various specialist trades and consultants, depending on the nature of your project. Engineering plans are generally requested during this phase (or Design Development) and are coordinated with the Working Drawings.

Approval: Construction Certificate (CC)

Now that the Development Application is approved and Working Drawings and Engineering are complete, we move to obtaining your Construction Certificate so that construction with your chosen builder can start. Includes appointing a Council or Private for your project.

Engaging a Builder

Try to do this early in the project cycle! We draw on the existing industry contacts we have for our area to help you make the necessary connections, early on in the project phase. We can help with selecting the right builder for your project and give advice on contracts, pricing and inclusions to look for. It’s very important to engage a builder as soon as you can to get on their construction schedule as builders generally have work booked out over 12 months in advance. Getting in early will avoid delays to your project’s completion.

Our Design Pricing

Pricing for our services is usually based as a percentage of project budget as this most often relates to the size and complexity of a home. This percentage is generally 3.0-5.0%.

3D Renders & Virtual Walk‑Through (Optional)

We offer a unique, exciting and innovative way to experience your new home throughout the design stages. Using 3D visualisation software (Enscape) you’ll be able to see a fully furnished version of your house design complete with all the materials, colours, vegetation and even a simulation of the sun at different times of the year.