Design Journey:
Please click on the following tabs for information on each of the three design stages and our design fees:
Stage 1 – Schematic Design Stage:
This design stage is the first design stage of our Design Process. It starts with Pre-Design, for informing the production of your three Schematic Design options, and ends with your approval of proceeding to Design Development.
Learn about Pre-Design.
Pre-Design:
During the pre-design stage we work hard to understand your needs and aspirations for your project, and gather as much information as possible to produce schematic design options for meeting your project aspirations. We also inform you of our design approaches that may interest you. These are Supportive Design, Solar Passive Design, Passivhaus Design, and Healthful Design.
During Pre-Design we can not provide you with design solutions and alternatives to your design concerns, because that requires time for careful thought and considerations of all your project needs, together with opportunities and constraints of the situation. These design solutions and alternatives are explored and addressed during the Schematic Design stage, and indeed throughout the rest of the design process.
It can take a 2-3 weeks to complete this information gathering stage and may involve more than one site visit and consultation with you.
Learn about what we do during Pre-Design.
What we do:
- Go over your Design Brief and/or help you produce one.
- Discuss your budget with you, and inform you about specialist consultants that you may need for the successful completion of your project.
- Visit your site and visually assess its conditions, opportunities, and constraints
- Commence enquiries concerning local authority regulations and requirements.
- Inform you about our design approaches including supportive design, energy efficiency (Solar Passive and Passivhaus design) and healthful design.
- Explain our design process and fee structure.
Learn about Schematic Design Options.
Schematic Design Options
The schematic design options explore ideas and deal with the building form, its scale and appearance within its context, arrangements and relationships between functional areas.
Your Three Schematic Design Options:
Our general approach to producing your three schematic design options is to:
- Initially provide you with 2 options for preliminary discussions, to get a deeper feel for your needs and meeting your budget.
- A 3rd option may be required, and may involve further refinements of your Design Brief, bringing together the earlier two options, obtaining a quote and cost estimates from your Building surveyor, and reconciling the result further with your budget and updated preferences.
Producing you 3 design options usually takes 4-6 weeks and a number of discussions with you before moving to the Design Development stage. The production of additional options will naturally require additional time, work and associated fees.
Learn about what we do in producing your Schematic Design Options
What we do:
- we are guided by your Design Brief and Budget,
- look deeper into authority regulations and requirements and confirm consistencies with your Design Brief
- prepare design briefs for other consultants as required,
- co-ordinate a preliminary forecast of the Cost of Works for each of the design options, to compare against your budget,
- produce drawings and sometimes models to communicate the design ideas with you,
- produce a selection of materials and finishes for you to consider.
Learn about what you will need to approve before progressing to Design Development.
What you need to approve:
Once you have selected your preferred design options, we will then seek your written approvals:
- of the Schematic Design Documents,
- to proceed with the Design Development stage,
- to commence preparing the application for Certificate of Likely Compliance to submit to your Building Surveyor
Each design stage requires your written approval before it begins and after its completion.
Stage 2 – Design Development:
Design Development begins after the completion of the Schematic Design stage and ends with your approval to proceed to the Construction Documentation stage.
Learn about Design Development
More about Design Development:
During Design Development, the Schematic Design option that you selected and approved, is worked out in greater detail to produce the drafted scale drawings.
These drawings will include your annotated Site Plan, Floor Plans, Exterior Elevations and Schedules.
These will form the basis of the Construction Documents that will be produced in the next design stage.
Learn about what we do in producing the developed design of your preferred schematic design option
What we do:
- arrange, attend, and record meetings with you,
- arrange, attend, and record meetings with relevant parties,
- co-ordinate the work of Specialist Consultants,
- research and put together a schedule of materials and finishes,
- prepare all documents required by the local Council for a Development Application, or Complying Development Application. In addition to your site Plan, Floor Plans, Elevations and Schedules, your local Council may require additional documents such as: Statement of Environmental Effects, Drainage Diagrams, Context Maps, Erosion and Sediment Control Plan, Concept Landscaping, and Bushfire assessment.
- review and develop the design against your budget.
- co-ordinate preparation of an updated estimate of the Cost of the Works, with the assistance of a Quantity Surveyor or your preferred Builder
This stage tends to take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
Learn about what you will need to approve before progressing to Construction Documentation.
What you need to approve:
Once we produce the developed design of your chosen design option, we will then seek your written approvals:
- of the Developed Design,
- to proceed with the Construction Documentation.
Stage 3 – Construction Documentation:
The Construction Documentation stage commences after the completion of Design Development and finishes with the production of the application for the Certificate of Likely Compliance to give to your Building Surveyor.
Learn about the purpose of Construction Documentation.
The need for detailed Construction Documentation:
The purpose of Construction Documentation is to provide Sections, Detailed Drawings and Project Specifications for guiding your Builder in the construction of your project, without the need for additional information from us.
The Construction Documentation will be part of the tender documents used by Builders for producing their quote for building your project.
Without detailed drawings and specifications the Builder will be free to chose the materials and detailing, which may not be consistent with your design’s intent.
Learn about what we do during Construction Documentation.
What we do:
- Prepare the Specifications, describing the quality of materials workmanship, and finishes for statutory approval.
- Prepare additional drawings, specifications and schedules required for the construction of your project.
- Liaise with your Building Surveyor to ensure that all drawings are compliant with the Building Codes and Australian Standards.
- Attend, arrange and record meeting with you.
- Co-ordinate and integrate the work of other specialist consultants.
- Co-ordinate the preparation of a pre-tender forecast of the Cost of Works.
- Assist you in submitting the application for the Certificate of Likely Compliance to your Building Surveyor.
Obtaining Your Building Permit in Tasmania
Your chosen Building Surveyor will provide the following to the permit authority / local Council to obtain a Building Permit:
- a copy of the Certificate of Likely Compliance
- the proposed Design
- any other relevant documentation
- an application for a Building Permit
This stage tends to take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
Learn about what you need to approve before Builder selection and Contract Administration.
What you need to approve:
Once we produce the Construction Documentation, we will then seek your written approvals:
- of all construction documents
- to submit the construction documents for statutory approval,
- to proceed with assisting you with Builder Selection and Administering Your Contract with the Builder.
Please see our post Things to Note Before Our First Meeting for information on what you need to give us during or before our first meeting, and information on services that we do not provide.
Contact Kind Building Design
To start your building design process with us please contact us.
© 2021 Wafaa Khalil
