Got questions? You may find the answer here...
What is the difference between an Architect and a Building Designer?
Architects and Building Designers differ in a few ways, such as tertiary education requirements, licensing, design philosophy (sometimes) and cost. However, both produce building plans for construction and council approval for new homes, renovations and commercial projects. Click to find out more in one of our recent blog articles.
What does it cost to have house plans drafted for my project?
We quote each project individually. Please contact us for a chat to make sure we are a good fit for your project, and we will send you a complete proposal package for your project. (As a guide, our design fees generally start at around $3000 and can extend upwards of $10,000 for full service packages.)
WHAT OTHER CONSULTANTS WILL BE NEEDED FOR MY PROJECT?
There are usually a few other consultants that will be required to provide plans or documentation before you start building. It can differ for each type of project, but in most cases, you will generally always need - a Building Designer or an Architect (to draw the design plans), a Structural Engineer (to detail the foundation and structure of the project), a Building Certifier (to approve the plans and issue a building approval) at minimum. Click here to learn more.
Can you recommend or coordinate the other consultants?
Yes - we certainly can. When you design your home with us, you get complete access to our list of reliable external consultants that may be required for your project such as: engineers, town planners, building certifiers, specialists consultants, builders and more. We can recommend them for you to engage, or we can arrange their services on your behalf and coordinate them for you, as a part of our Consultant Coordination service.
can you help us decide between a renovation, knock-down rebuild or move?
Yes. When we meet with you, we can provide some definitive guidance on the various considerations that will help you to decide what is best for you. We can meet you in person, over the phone, or via videoconference. Click here for our contact details or book an online appointment here.
Do you offer free design consultations?
Yes. We offer 15min design consultations over the phone of videoconference (book here). If this is not enough time to fully discuss the depth of your project, we offer 1hr paid consultations (book here).
What is the your design process?
Our design process has been refined down to the last detail over our many years of experience. There are generally 4 Stages in our design process - Predesign, Concept & Design Development, Approvals Documentation, Construction Documentation. We guide you through each phase, at your own pace, answering all your questions along the way. Click here for more info.
How long does it take until we can start BUILDING?
The timeframe for each project can be different, and often depends on how quickly clients come back to us with their thoughts and information on the latest plans we send them. Most projects take between 2-6 months from the start of the design process to when construction work starts, but can be more depending on a variety of project-specific factors.
Do you have standard house plans that we can choose from?
No. All our home design plans are bespoke, custom designs to suit individual clients needs. However, if you describe to us the type of home design that you would prefer, chances are we will be able to find some examples of vast library of previous designs that may meet your criteria. We can then tailor the home design to best suit your family, and your design goals.
We have a house design we like from a project builder (or another architect or designer), but it is not quite right. Can you copy the design and just change it A BIT?
It depends. Intellectual and design copyright laws prevent us from copying a design in its entirity, unless we receive a copyright release directly from the copyright holder. However, we may be able to draw inspiration from the home design to create an original design that suits your unique needs. Contact us for more details.
Got more questions? Feel free to contact us, and we will do our best to answer them for you.