design diagnosis + master planning

You know you need a new home or renovation; an extra room or three, a functional kitchen, a layout that doesn’t feel cramped and crowded and, for the love of god, MORE STORAGE. But you also know that a new home or renovation is a huge investment.

In time, in energy and, of course, in money.

So how do you ensure you’re making the best decisions? How do you prioritise your budget so it makes the biggest possible impact? How do you work out where to start and how to invest your time and energy wisely?

You’d be foolish to start thinking about building or renovating without understanding the opportunities and constraints beforehand.

That’s why, before pulling out our sketchpads and pens, we undertake a design diagnosis to identify the possibilities and any potential problems first. Then, we prepare a series of master plan options which solve your problems and future-proof your home. This way you can easily plan and budget for your project and work towards your ideal home.

Undertaking a design diagnosis and master plan will:

• Ensure you are clear about what is possible now and into the future based on your budget

• Help you understand the likely associated costs of a range of scenarios

• Offer a realistic timeline for the project and, if relevant, a plan to stage the project

• Help you make decisions with confidence

• Help you understand the project process before getting started

• Give your project the best opportunity for success

• Leave you with a clear path foward a master plan you love that you can implement immediately, or stage over a period of time to suit your life stage and budget

Here’s how it works, we’ll:

• Visit your home or site and conduct a thorough investigation and analysis of the existing conditions

• Conduct a briefing workshop with you so we’re all on the same page about your ideal lifestyle and goals for your new home or renovation

• Prepare a project brief for you, so you have a document which outlines your must-haves, your nice-to-haves and your someday/maybes

• Get to work researching your local council’s planning requirements and applicable building codes, to understand what’s possible

• Once we’re clear on what you want to achieve with your new home or renovation and what’s possible, we’ll develop several master plan options for you to discuss

• Once you’ve settled on your favourite master plan option (or a combination of one or more options),

You’ll get our Design Diagnosis + Masterplan report which includes:

• Your project brief

• Applicable local planning requirements

• Relevant building codes and requirements

• Any legal requirements you should be aware of

• Site analysis that identifies the key constraints and opportunities

• Our opinion of probable costs

• Your preferred master plan to work towards

• A plan of attack for your next steps

Your Design Diagnosis and Master Plan Report is yours to keep. If you decide to move ahead, we’ll use this as the basis for the next steps in the design phase and beyond. You can continue on with us or any other architect or work directly with a builder to realise your project. Either way, you’ll have a greater understanding of what’s possible with your home and how much it will cost to achieve so you can move forward with confidence.