Our Process

Renovating your current home or building a new one can feel overwhelming. However, by partnering with us, we break down the journey into manageable steps and handle every aspect of the process on your behalf. Below, you’ll find an overview of the design process we follow to turn your ideas and dreams into reality. Depending on the scale of your project, some steps may be combined, streamlined, or expanded to ensure the process remains clear and manageable for you.

Initial Consultation

The first step in our process is a meeting with you, either at your site or in the comfort of your home. This complimentary consultation provides us with the opportunity to discuss your project in detail, understand your vision, and explore the services we offer. It also allows us to offer guidance on any council requirements or regulations that may impact your project.

The Brief

Following the initial consultation, the next step is to develop a comprehensive project brief. This allows us to gain a clear understanding of your vision, priorities, and expectations. The more detail you provide at this stage, the better we can tailor the design to meet your needs.

Key considerations for your brief:

Space requirements – How many rooms do you need? What specific functions should they serve?
Design preferences – Are there particular styles, materials, or features you like or dislike?
Future needs – Will you require a home office? Do you anticipate changes such as a growing family?
Budget – What is your expected investment for the project?

Once we have your design brief, we will prepare a fee proposal outlining the various stages of the process and the associated costs. Depending on the design, we may also need input from external consultants such as surveyors or engineers. If required, we will inform you and obtain quotes on your behalf during this stage.

Preliminary

Once you have accepted our quote, we will set up your project file and begin the initial groundwork. This includes:

Conducting a site inspection to assess conditions, constraints, and regulatory requirements.
Reviewing territorial authority rules and compliance considerations.
Identifying any necessary secondary consultants (who will be engaged by you).
Confirming your project brief to ensure alignment with your vision.
Preparing 'as-built' drawings of the existing structure, which will require on-site measurements and photographs.
Obtaining any existing property documents from the Territorial Authority.

This thorough preparation ensures a smooth and efficient design process, setting a strong foundation for your project.

Concept Design

During this stage, we will develop a concept design based on your brief and the information gathered. This design will incorporate all relevant details about your site or property, as well as any applicable council requirements and restrictions.

We will produce proposed plans outlining possible design options, along with elevations and 3D perspectives to provide a clear visual representation of the project's direction. Once the concept design is complete, we will meet with you to review it in detail. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss what you like, any adjustments you would like to make, and refine the design to align with your vision.

Developed Design

After reviewing the preliminary design with your input, we will incorporate the discussed changes and further refine the design. This stage may involve some back-and-forth collaboration between you and the designer to ensure every detail aligns with your vision.

Once finalized, we will produce a comprehensive set of design drawings for your approval before proceeding to the next stage of the process.

Resource Consent Application

If a resource consent is required, this will be identified during the Initial Consultation or at the Concept Design stage. A resource consent is necessary when the proposed design does not comply with council regulations. While careful planning can sometimes avoid this process, there are instances where it becomes essential.

If a resource consent is needed, we will refine the developed design drawings to highlight any non-compliant aspects for council approval. Additionally, an Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) will be prepared in accordance with the Resource Management Act, alongside any other relevant documentation required for the application.

For larger development projects, we recommend engaging an independent Town Planning Consultant to draft the AEE and manage the resource consent application. If needed, we can obtain a quote for these services on your behalf.

Working drawings and Documentation

Once the developed design is confirmed and, if required, resource consent has been approved, the next step is to complete a comprehensive set of working drawings and associated documentation for your project. These plans will not only be used for building consent applications but can also serve as the basis for tendering, allowing builders to provide accurate pricing estimates.

At this stage, we may also engage an engineer for structural elements. If engineering input is required, we will have informed you of this during the developed design stage.

Typical Drawings & Documentation Include:

Site Plan
Existing & Proposed Floor Plans
Foundation Plans
Floor & Roof Framing Plans
Cross & Long Sections
Elevations
Interior Elevations (e.g., kitchen, bathroom, laundry)
Services Plans (e.g., bracing, lintels, sewer, stormwater)
Window & Door Schedules
Construction Details & Specifications
Weathertightness Risk Matrix
H1 Compliance Report or H1 Compliance Calculations
Structural Drawings & Calculations (provided by an engineer)

Additional Services We Offer:

Electrical Layout Plans (including interior and exterior lighting)
Hard Landscaping Plans & Details
Finishes, Hardware, and Fixture Schedules

Before submitting the working drawings to the council, we will present and review them with you to ensure everything aligns with your expectations.

Building Consent

Once all parties have reviewed and are satisfied with the design and documentation, the drawing set is ready for submission to the council. We will submit these documents on your behalf and work directly with the council throughout the consent process. Should any additional information be required, we will promptly supply it to ensure the process moves forward smoothly.

The council’s timeline typically follows this process:

Up to 5 working days to vet and accept the consent application.
Up to 20 working days to process the consent, or longer if additional information is needed.
Up to 5 working days for the final stamped consent to be issued.

In total, the process of obtaining consent through the council can take approximately 6 working weeks, depending on the complexity of the application and any additional requirements.

Procurement/Tendering

While we do not offer tendering services, we can recommend contractors who are best suited for your project. Additionally, we can assist in reviewing the tenders and help facilitate the signing of the contractual documents between you and the selected contractor.

Construction/Site Observation

Throughout the construction phase, your builder will maintain regular communication with the council to coordinate any necessary site inspections. We are also available should you or your builder require additional construction details or if any issues arise that require our expertise. This support is provided on a project-by-project basis, and we are always just a phone call away to assist with any queries or challenges that may arise on site.