Architectural design process
Wondering how the design process works? Here’s an overview of my usual process.
- Initial meeting
We’ll start with an initial meeting (usually on-site) to talk about your ideas, requirements and budget. There’s no charge for this consultation and no obligation if you decide you don’t want to proceed.
- Brief and proposal
After our meeting, I’ll send you a brief and fee proposal. I usually charge a fixed fee for each stage of the project, so you’ll know exactly how much my services are going to cost before we move forward.
- Contract
If you’re happy with the fee proposal, I’ll prepare a contract for you to sign and request a deposit.
- Site visit
The next step is usually a site visit. During this visit, I’ll document as-built information (i.e. the infrastructure already on the property). We’ll usually engage a land surveyor to carry out a topographical survey of the site at this stage too.
- Concept drawings
From here, I’ll prepare concept drawings and present them to you. In some cases, I’ll provide several options.
- Revisions
If you have changes you’d like to make, I’ll revise the concept drawings. There’s no additional cost for revisions, unless the project shifts away from the original brief.
- Quantity surveyor
At this point, I usually suggest that we engage a quantity surveyor to prepare a preliminary estimate of building costs. If the estimate falls outside your budget, we can revise the concept drawings to bring costs down.
- Resource consent
If resource consent is required, we usually apply for it at this stage. In this instance, a planning consultant will be engaged to assess the environmental effects of your project. I’ll add further information to the concept drawings, submit them to the council with the required documentation and respond to any council queries quickly to ensure the resource consent progresses smoothly.
- Working drawings
Next, I’ll prepare detailed working drawings and specifications. We often need to get a structural engineer involved at this point too.
- Building consent
Once the working drawings are complete, I’ll submit the drawings and all documentation to the council for building consent. I’ll respond to any questions or requests for further information efficiently and oversee the building consent process to ensure it moves through council as quickly as possible.
- Final steps
Sometimes my involvement ends once the building consent has been approved, while other times I continue working with you as the build progresses.
If you’d like me to, I can manage the tendering process. I’ll prepare tender documents and send them out to three or four building companies. When I’ve received the completed tenders, I’ll assess each one and send a report to you. This process gives you peace of mind when comparing prices from different builders, as you can be confident that all materials necessary to complete the job have been allowed for. It also ensures you’ll receive pricing in a timely manner.
Some clients also ask me to manage the contractual and financial aspects of the project and carry out regular site visits to ensure that the project is built in accordance with the drawings.
Other consultants
During the design process, we often need to get other consultants involved. I’ve developed a strong network of reputable consultants throughout Auckland who I work with regularly.
I’ll ensure you have the right person on the job if you need any of the following consultants:
- Land surveyor
- Quantity surveyor
- Planning consultant
- Geotechnical engineer
- Structural engineer
- Fire engineer
- Mechanical engineer
- Electrical engineer
- Heat loss consultant
- Weathertightness consultant
When working with other consultants, I create a brief, obtain a fee proposal and liaise directly with them to ensure that your project proceeds on budget and with minimal stress.