Services 

Designing Your Building in Stages

Designers by Nature are able to provide you with everything you will need to bring your project to life. Offering tailored services and packages, we can meet the most basic plan for building requirements right through to an all inclusive package that provides Interior Design, Tender Documents and Project Management. Let’s break the process down into the stages that we offer.

Initial Briefing and Consultation

This meet and greet stage is where we explore and understand your ideas and dreams, as well as more practical considerations like budget and project scope. It will involve broad scale design briefing and provides an opportunity to get an understanding of what your architect requires from you and vice versa. A fee proposal will provide you with all the information that you will need to undertake further services including a description of deliverables within each stage of your project.

Sketch Design

The early stages of your project make up some of the most important work in the entire project, your site will be thoroughly analysed by our professional team to identify opportunities and restrictions from both an environmental and regulatory perspective.

Preliminary sketches are produced to facilitate discussions about the building layout, spatial arrangement, functionality and core ideals of the proposal as well as initial responses and considerations around budget.

Design Development

During this stage, the sketch design meshes with your feedback and insight to be transformed into a virtual three-dimensional model.  The developed design allows you to get the feel for your project and from here we can develop the design intent, consider specific materials and required functions.  Ideas can be tested and implemented into the design as your dream starts to become more tangible. Preliminary consultant (engineering, heritage, planning) advice is usually engaged at this stage as and higher level budget analysis is advisable at this point to ensure the design solution is achievable from a financial perspective.

Town Planning

Your building designer will fully coordinate and submit development applications, general planning and construction permits. Their  thorough understanding of local council requirements, building codes and applicable regulatory frameworks combined with their network of consultants, including town planners, landscape architects and environmental specialists will ensure best-case practice for your unique project.

Working Drawings

Following initial development or planning approval, drawings are developed into high quality construction documents featuring detailed sections and details for construction methodologies, services, fixtures and fittings, and joinery - all illustrating the continuity and refinement of the design. Usually requiring higher level collaboration with external consultants, during this phase the architect will produce technical specifications and schedules for fixtures, finishes, doors and windows to satisfy requirements for a construction certificate and to ultimately achieve a set of documents to which the builder can accurately price and build the design.

Interior Design

Interior Design gives rise to the unique personality of your project, it is important not to overlook the harmony that high quality, cohesive interior design provides. The service can be provided in house or referred to external designers to produce a detailed package including, but not limited to, high-quality and detailed design solutions for kitchens, bathrooms and built-in cabinetry through to internal colours, finishes and fixtures for a completely integrated design solution.

Tendering

When you choose to tender a project you can ensure greater competitiveness when compared to a design and construct outfit or a preferred builder. We provide a clear and concise set of high quality documentation to facilitate consistent interpretation, leaving little room for guesswork by the builder or subcontractor. The tender process will usually run over a 4 week period and can include the architects recommendations as well as client referred invitees.

Project Management

Project Management by the architect improves the communication and management of the construction process, ensuring the specification and design intent is implemented completely and accurately. Contract administrators act impartially to assess the conditions of the contract fairly and collaboratively – most administered contracts will have terms in place which protect the owner against time delay costs and defective works, hence providing greater peace of mind for the owner.