We offer a range of services from just a little help to a lot of help.
Services
Consultations
We offer an obligation free meeting with you to establish the scope of work. We’ll discuss the all-important details of your project, such as site conditions, budget, likes and dislikes and give you a quotation of our fees.
If you accept our quote, we are good to get started! We will visit the site to gather measurements, take photographs, check out surrounding properties and familiarize ourselves with the lay of the land.
Design Phase
We do the design work as a distinct phase of the project so that you’re not committing to the expense of construction drawings until you’re confident we have a design that suits your needs and makes the best use of your property.
Concept sketches
A concept design sketch is prepared that considers the following:
- Your design ideas, family needs and budget limitations.
- The site benefits and constraints together with council requirements and restrictions.
- Area calculations and preliminary costing.
- Preliminary consideration of suitable building materials and finishes.
Quite often the project will require a site feature and contour survey. This is a job best completed by a registered land surveyor.
Following the site survey, we will begin to develop a concept design tailored to suit your individual needs. We understand and appreciate the fact that no two projects are ever the same.
Emphasis is placed on resolving the project through discussion of the concept design before moving forward. We want and welcome the input of our clients, and believe it’s important for you to be involved in the design process.
Preliminary design
After reviewing the concept design, your comments are incorporated into the plan and the project is further refined into the preliminary design.
The preliminary design stage includes the following:
Exterior and interior perspective images of the project.
Preliminary floor plans.
Area calculations and external dimensions.
Preliminary BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) analysis.
Liaison with council staff as required.
The great benefit of our interactive preliminary design process is our 3D architectural visualisation that lets you see your home the way you will live in it. When we model the home, we can show you a variety of 3D views from outside and inside, so you don’t have to be able to “read” plans and elevations to understand the design. We can adjust the colors and wall types and even show furniture items that approximate your furniture.
We work with you either in our office or online via google hangout, so you can give us immediate feedback. Sessions can be longer, like in the beginning, or shorter for quick decisions. Where traditional architectural practice has the architect making many decisions for you, if we hit a decision point that involves priorities that should be yours to set, we’re going to discuss them with you, and if necessary show it to you in 3D.
Our interactive preliminary design empowers you as the owner. You set the priorities and participate in design decisions. Throughout the design process, we will contribute all our creativity and experience and bring ideas to the table that you may never have thought of. We want you to fully understand the reasons behind our recommendations, so you can make informed decisions. Not only do you get the maximum design input possible, but it’s extremely cost efficient and a lot of fun.
To this we add a great attitude. It’s your home. You’re the ones that are going to pay for it, live in it and love it. Good design is independent of style. Whether humble or ambitious, a satisfying design needs to be well proportioned, well detailed and sensitive to both its surroundings and to your needs. So, no matter what your taste or budget – we’ll put equal thought into your design.
At the completion of this stage you are advised to consult with a builder or engage a cost planning consultant for an initial cost estimate. We can put you in contact with a compatible builder if required.
Construction Drawings
Once we have an approved design, we can prepare your construction drawings. These are the drawings you use to submit to the council and the builder uses for construction.
The plans and specifications will comply with and meet the standards described in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and Australian Standards.
The construction drawings usually consist of the following:
Site Plan
BASIX commitments schedule
Safety specifications
Bushfire specifications (if applicable)
Dimensioned Floor Plans
Elevations and Section(s)
Roof plan
Standard Building Specifications.
BASIX Certificate
Once we have finished the construction drawings we can complete your BASIX certificate.
You’ll need a BASIX certificate before any local council, anywhere in NSW, can approve your new home or renovations.
BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) reduces water and energy consumption in homes across NSW. These environmental outcomes also provide a long term financial saving for the homeowner – and a valuable contribution to the sustainable future of our communities.
The aim is to make developments meet the minimum performance standards by using the most economical solution in terms of thermal performance of materials/components and based on the design parameters. If needed, adjustments of materials/components will be recommended in order to achieve the desirable results.
A typical BASIX certificate for a single dwelling includes commitments that certain items will be included in the construction. For example some commitments could be R2.5 ceiling insulation, a 3000 litre rain water tank and a solar hot water system.
As the commitments made in the BASIX Certificate will be checked by the certifier before an occupation certificate is issued, it is very important that the right options are selected. We will focus on determining the most cost effective measures for your BASIX Assessment.