How it works

From the first phone call to the day you move in.

Every project goes through the same six stages, in the same order. We tell you up front what each stage will produce, what it will cost, and how long it should take. So there are no surprises along the way.

Week 1 · no charge

First conversation

We meet, walk the site if there is one, and talk through what you're trying to do. By the end you'll know whether we're the right studio for the project, what the realistic budget is, and what the next step looks like. No charge.

You receive

· Site visit
· Initial brief
· Fee proposal

Weeks 1–2

Concept design

We develop two or three sketch options that respond to the brief and the site. You react, we refine, and together we settle on a direction. By the end of this stage the building has a shape, a footprint and a feel.

You receive

· Sketch plans
· Massing & siting
· Visual references

2 weeks

Design development

We take the agreed concept and resolve it: room sizes, window positions, materials, levels. By the end you have a design with enough detail to be costed, drawn up for council, and presented to engineers.

You receive

· Developed plans
· Sections & elevations
· 3D visualisation

±8 weeks (council-dependent)

Council submission

We prepare and lodge the submission drawings electronically, typically over four weeks, and the municipality then takes its own time to approve, around four weeks in our experience, though it is council-dependent. We keep the file moving, answer queries, and hand you the electronically approved and stamped drawings.

You receive

· Submission drawings
· Liaison with council
· Approved plans

3 weeks

Working drawings & tender

Once the council has approved the design, we produce the drawings and specifications a builder needs to price and build from. If you want competitive quotes, we run a tender and help you compare them on like-for-like terms.

You receive

· Construction drawings
· Specifications
· Tender comparison

Build period

Construction & handover

We stay involved while the building goes up: visiting site, answering the builder's questions, coordinating with engineers, and making sure what gets built matches what was approved. At the end we walk through with you and snag.

You receive

· Site visits
· Build coordination
· Snagging & handover

A note on time

Design and approvals typically run four to five months before construction begins.

The biggest variable is council approval. Around four weeks is typical in our experience, but every municipality moves at its own pace and some take longer. Commercial and industrial projects often move faster on design but slower on approvals because more departments are involved.

We give you a realistic timeline at the fee proposal stage, not the optimistic one. So you can plan around it.

Ready to start at stage one?

The first conversation is free. Send us a few details and we'll set up a time to talk.

Begin