Frequently asked questions

While a draftsman or builder can provide detailed construction drawings, this is less than 50% of what an architect will generally provide.

We break the design stage into 3 phases and guide you through the whole process from start to finish, including support through construction.

Architects navigate complex regulations, coordinate with consultants, builders and engineers, and manage costs - all with a view to navigating you properly towards a beautiful end result.

However we think the main difference is that architects produce a completely different product. Whoever you choose to work with you should try and visit some of their previous work and see how it feels, not just how it looks. We believe that we can get the most joy and value out of a site, rather than the biggest floor area for the lowest price.

This is a very important part of our work. We have spent years refining the process of obtaining cost estimates at different points in the design process. It is critical to obtain this information as early as possible to help you determine your priorities. It doesn’t matter whether the budget is $1M or $5M, the process is the same. Of projects that don’t proceed to construction, a failure to properly manage the budget is almost always the reason.

We believe great design should be accessible to everyone, whether you are undertaking a modest alteration or creating a high-end new home.

So yes, we do take on smaller projects as well. From minor renovations to major builds, we meet you where you are to create something we’re all proud of.

No - while traditionally architects charge a % fee and provide a ‘full service’, what this covers is often difficult for people to determine.

We understand that this is a big commitment and offer a range of smaller services that help build trust and determine how well we are aligned with your requirements.

Fixed-fee services include a Site Visit, Home Workshop, or Design Feasibility service.

We provide the Home Workshop as a standalone service or as part of a larger commission. We undertake these for all projects - they take 2 to 3 hours and the process is designed to allow to dig deeply into what is important to you before we start designing. Very often our projects are for a couple or family - so working out where your preferences are the same as your partner’s is just as important as working out where you differ.

Depending on the size and complexity of your project for a house allow 8 - 11% for the design phases 3 - 4% for services through construction. It is better to think in terms of what the Construction Budget is (the amount you will eventually sign a contract for with the builder) and then allow for fees (for all consultants) and permits on top of that.

For a $2M project, the cost of all fees and permits will be in the order of $300k. As the cost goes up, generally the overall percentage for fees and permits will reduce. We provide detailed budgets at each stage of the work to help manage costs.

In terms of our work larger projects will usually be a percentage fee for the early design stages and a fixed fee for Design Stage 3 - Construction Documents (once the scope and budget have been fully tested). Some of our work is based on a time charge, e.g., calling for tenders/prices from builders.

An estimate of what these phases are likely to cost is provided before you approve us to do this work. Please contact us if you would like to receive more information on our processes.

This isn’t unusual. We have developed a series of briefing surveys to help guide you through your “needs” and “wants”. Generally, we all have budget constraints and, being human, often desire more than our budgets allow. It takes a lot of skill to navigate from an initial concept to a final building. Tim’s original qualification was in Civil/Structural engineering and he has devoted a lot of time over the years to developing the rigorous processes required to partner with the joys and creativity of design.

We think it is vital to start from the position of finding out what really matters to you - for this reason we recommend doing our Home Workshops.