FAQs

Sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. So we created this page to help.
If you’ve got questions specific to your project, feel free to contact us instead. We’d love to help.

Before Engaging a Designer

  • Our job is to balance creativity, functionality, technical expertise, and feasibility to deliver a building that you love. We support you throughout the entire process, from discussing your initial ideas right through to the day you move in. Our work includes:

    • Design & Collaborate: Develop a brief and create a project concept with you.

    • Sustainability: Incorporate passive design principles and advise on sustainability, making the building comfortable to live in, efficient to run, and environmentally friendly.

    • Technical Expertise: Provide advice on constructability and budget, produce drawings for approval and construction, and answer builder queries during the construction phase.

    • Project Management: Oversee and manage the entire project team on your behalf and coordinating all consultants' work to ensure all elements in the building fit together seamlessly.

    • Compliance: Facilitate the approvals process, ensuring the design meets building codes and laws, and administer the contract between you and the builder during construction.

  • You go to an accountant when your tax gets hard. Why? To make sure you’re getting the best return and meeting all your obligations. It’s the exact same for an architect. The value you get from working with an architect often is far more than what you could have achieved alone. Design, approvals, and construction are complex processes with significant cost implications and legal requirements. For most people, their property is their biggest asset and navigating that without the right experience can be daunting. So why run the risk of not using a professional? For most people, their home is their biggest asset, and navigating this process without experience can be daunting. Why risk your biggest asset without the help of a professional? Investing in a quality team at the beginning saves time and money in the long run, avoiding costly mistakes onsite.

    An architect is there to guide you through the process and be your representative at certain points. By allowing us to help manage the entire process for you, you save yourself time and money in what can otherwise be a stressful and costly process.

  • The initial consultation is our first meeting, where we visit the site, discuss your ideas and your project goals. We also provide guidance on your budget, timeframe and the process. It’s a great opportunity to address any questions you have or get some initial feedback on your ideas.

    The goal of the consultation is for you to meet us and see how we might work together. After the consultation, we will have enough information to prepare a fee proposal that outlines the costs involved before you commit to anything further. Ultimately, we want you to feel confident and clear about the next steps and the direction of your project.

  • Our goal is to see every client in a house they love. Whatever stage of the process you’re at, we can help. We offer feasibility services to help you determine the best direction and work through associated costs with each potential path. We can also provide advice when you're house or land hunting to weigh the pros and cons of any property you’re considering. Early involvement allows us to identify potential issues that might prevent you from achieving your goals, helping you avoid purchasing a lemon.

  • Our fees vary depending on the project size, timeframes, and amount of work required. We always begin with an initial consultation to understand the scope and your requirements, allowing us to prepare a fee proposal specific to your project.

    We provide fixed fees for each project stage and outline all costs up to construction upfront, ensuring your outlay is clear from the start. You only pay for work completed to date and can stop the project at any time if it becomes unfeasible or your circumstances change.

  • We have a no job too small policy! Typically, most of our work is in the mid to large scale residential and small commercial space, however we have experience across many different project sectors and scales. If you’re unsure if your project would be a fit, reach out and we’ll have a chat. If we’re not the right architect or feel that you would benefit from a different service we’ll let you know and put you in touch with someone who can assist.

  • It's entirely up to you! Each consultation is highly personalised so there are no specific requirements. Some clients have big ideas and others require more guidance. Generally, having an idea of your project goals, budget and timeframes are helpful. You're always welcome to share any reference imagery you like as well.

During the Design Phase

  • As part of our scope of work, we generally prefer to design all built-in interior elements, such as kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, stairs, and flooring. By working on both elements together, we can achieve a more cohesive integration of architectural and interior elements. For loose items like furniture or rugs, we can guide you to an interior designer we work with, or you can handle it yourself.

    That being said, we are completely flexible and can adjust the way we work to suit your needs. So if you have an interior designer you’d prefer to work with, or even if you’d like to take ownership over this yourself, just let us know!

  • Yes, absolutely. Budget is a critical part of any project and must be carefully considered from the beginning and revisited regularly. We keep up to date with market conditions and have over a decade of experience and previous pricing data to draw upon and offer guidance from the start.

    We engage a quantity surveyor for most projects so that we have a cost plan to refer to as the project progresses. This ensures you get independent, up-to-date pricing information specific to your design from the early phases.

  • Building is complex and specialist consultants vary project to project. Most residential projects require a surveyor, town planner, geotechnical engineer, structural engineer and certifier. Other consultants to consider might include a quantity surveyor, interior designer, or landscape architect. We can advise on which consultants you’ll need and provide fee guidance for each once we understand your project's specific needs, so that you’re aware of these costs from the start.

  • The approvals required for a project can vary, but most typically include a planning approval and building approval. Planning approval ensures compliance with local development regulations, preventing mismatches like a high-rise in a low-density residential zone. Building approval, provided by a private certifier, confirms compliance with building codes and standards. As architects, we guide you on necessary approvals and manage the process to obtain them before starting any onsite construction.

  • Absolutely! We collaborate regularly with a range of trusted builders and consultants. At various points throughout your project we will require specialists such as engineers, surveyors and builders. Typically, we present you with two or three companies along with their fee proposals or tenders and our recommendations for you to review. This process helps make sure we get the right expertise, at a fair price.

    We never work with consultants or builders that pay commissions. Acting solely in your best interest is paramount to us and accepting any commissions would be a conflict to this.

  • The process is generally split into two phases: design and construction. The overall time varies greatly based on the project size and complexity. Most residential new builds or large-scale renovations take about 6-12 months in design, which includes concept development, approvals, coordinating drawings from specialists and securing a builder. The construction phase typically takes another 12-18 months.

    If you have a project or timeframe in mind, reach out and we can discuss specific timeframes for your project in an initial consultation.

During the Construction Phase

  • Our level of involvement during construction is entirely up to you. Most clients engage us for either design advice or full contract administration during construction. It largely depends on the time you can commit and your experience with building and construction. We can discuss your needs to determine the best fit for your project, budget, and lifestyle. Even if you choose to manage the construction phase with the builder on your own, we are always just a phone call away and happy to offer any support you need.

  • Contract administration involves managing and overseeing the construction contract between our client and the builder to ensure both parties fulfil their obligations during and after construction phase. Engaging an architect for contract administration helps minimise disputes with the builder and allows us to monitor progress, quality, and payments on your behalf. Our contract administration services are particularly useful for time-poor clients or those with limited construction experience.

  • Our job first and foremost is to protect our clients and ensure they achieve a high-quality built outcome. Before working with any new builder, we meet them, view their work and assess their skills, before setting them loose on a project. If everything stacks up, we love working with new builders! If our due diligence raises concerns, we will advise you, but ultimately the builder you chose to work with is up to you. If you have concerns, we have a range of builders suited to different scales of work that we have worked with before and can put forward for your consideration.