How We Work

Our architectural design process is about approaching each design as a bespoke individual project.

 

Our step-by-step process allows us to create highly customised and individual designs for our clients, with your goals in mind. 

 

Our team is ready to guide you from concept design to planning approval, contractor selection, and contract administration. 

 

We can negotiate the planning and execution of your project, collaborating to create a project tailored to your vision. When you design with us, you choose a union of creative disciplines and can-do expertise with proven experience.

Our client-centric design approach offers a seamless and stress-free experience from the initial consultation to project completion.

Here’s how we work:

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1. Preconcept Consultation

The foundation of a successful project lies in thoughtful planning and research. 

We start with an in-depth consultation (1.5 hours) where we learn about your needs, goals and specific project objectives. We’ll ask questions about preferences, target audience, lifestyle and what you need from the design, whether a new or existing business, a family home or an investment.

 

We aim to explore and identify the project's possibilities and determine any potential challenges. This lets us have an honest conversation with you about what to expect throughout the project. This consultation also gives you a clear understanding of what a major renovation, total rebuild, or new construction entails. 

 

This preconcept consult also ensures we consider potential constraints before the conceptual design phase to ensure our designs are achievable and meet planning regulations.

It also provides a realistic perspective on costs, timelines, and what's achievable for your unique project. Additional consultations can be arranged and are charged at an hourly rate.

Cost: $650

What’s Included:

• Client brief development: We collaborate with you to understand your vision, needs, and goals.

• Site selection assistance: Helping you choose the perfect site based on zoning, access, and environmental factors.

• Preliminary layout sketches: Initial concepts that outline the site’s potential and constraints.

• Indicative budget preparation: Estimating initial project costs to ensure feasibility.

• Preliminary feasibility study: Assessing project viability in terms of design, budget, and timeline.

2. Site Analysis and Existing Conditions

A thorough understanding of the site is critical to the success of any project. It also allows us to identify any project constraints or liaise with local authorities if necessary, as early as possible - to overcome any issues that could delay or derail the project down the track. 

What’s Included:

• Site visit: Travel to your site to assess its existing features, including visible services and neighbouring properties.

• Site analysis: Perform a site analysis to identify constraints and opportunities.

• Existing conditions drawings: Prepare detailed existing conditions drawings (as applicable).

• Consultations with authorities: Liaising with local councils and regulatory bodies to identify any potential challenges.

3. Concept Design and Design Development

This phase transforms your vision into a tangible design. 

We prepare fluid preliminary concept sketches that allow for fine-tuning and adjustments. Planning permission is a big consideration in this stage to ensure our designs align with building regulations for your location.

A cost analysis ensures the design falls within your budget. We’ll let you know if your budget is realistic with construction costs and if you need to make any compromises. 

 

We’ll present our conceptual design to you so you can provide us with feedback. We also discuss each element to ensure you’re comfortable with our approach. 

What’s Included:

• Concept design: Initial design concepts that balance aesthetics and functionality, tailored to your brief and vision.

• Concept refinement: Refine and update the concept design with minor modifications.

• Budget considerations: Ongoing cost assessments to ensure the design aligns with your financial goals.

• Authority consultations: Preliminary discussions with councils and other stakeholders to address potential challenges.

• Neighbour & stakeholder consultations: Engaging relevant parties to mitigate any concerns.

• Presentation Drawings & 3D Perspectives: Photo-realistic visual representations help you envision the final design - to ensure it’s right for your needs and/or get stakeholders onboard.

4. Town Planning

At EDG Projects Australia, we take care of preparing town planning drawings to ensure you secure the necessary permits to comply with all local regulations. 

 

We also lodge all the relevant application forms, complete statutory advertising requirements and negotiate with any objectors on your behalf. 

 

Should it be required, we can also work with you to assist with any town planning appeals.

What’s Included:

• Town planning drawings: Creating detailed town planning drawings, schedules, and site context plans. These include neighbourhood description plans, site setbacks, built form, vehicle and pedestrian routes, easements, elevations, and sections.

• Town planning report: Provide a comprehensive planning report addressing relevant planning scheme clauses.

• Application lodgement: Submitting applications and handling all correspondence with local authorities.

• Negotiation with objectors: Addressing concerns from stakeholders or neighbours.

• Assistance with appeals: Guiding you through town planning appeals if required.

5. Working Drawings

We refine the approved concept into detailed drawings and specifications and prepare it for construction.

These detailed workings mean your builder, electrician, plumber or any other contractor understands exactly where specific elements need to go to match the design. 

 

We also prepare the thermal performance assessment, which determines the building's ability to maintain a comfortable temperature all year round. The assessment measures the cooling and heating loads of each conditioned area within the property. 

 

This stage includes the preparation of your schedule of finishes. We can also assist with interior design, including selecting and coordinating finishes, colours, and furnishing where necessary. Based on our experience, selecting the right finishes for your design is critical to ensure you end up with a design that you not only love - but that meets your needs.

What’s Included:

• Client consultation: One hour meeting to review working drawings and seek feedback.

• Advanced design development: Refining the design to align with client feedback and regulatory requirements.

• Working drawings: Preparing comprehensive construction documents, including detailed floor plans, elevations, and sections.

• Internal detail drawings: Highlighting key interior elements.

• Electrical layouts & plumbing plans: Ensuring seamless integration of essential systems.

• Thermal performance assessments: Ensuring energy efficiency and compliance with building standards.

• Project specifications & finishes schedule: Detailed documentation of materials, finishes, and fixtures.

6. Tendering & Contract Negotiation

We assist in selecting the right builder and ensuring that all contracts meet your project’s needs.

We’ll help you to complete tender documents and call for tenders on your behalf.  We have a list of trusted, skilled contractors suitable for each specific part of your project. We’ve worked with all of the secondary consultants we recommend for many years, and we can vouch for their performance, reliability and capacity to deliver.

 

Depending on how hands-on you wish to be throughout your project, we can liaise with builders and consultants on your behalf and attend contract signing.

 

Our aim is to make the tender process as stress-free, manageable, and straightforward as possible. We look after every part of the tendering process to give you peace of mind that the construction of your property aligns with your design, budget, and timeline.

What’s Included:

• Tender document preparation: Comprehensive documentation to solicit bids from qualified contractors.

• Tenderer selection: Identifying and inviting suitable builders.

• Tender analysis: Reviewing bids for compliance and value.

• Negotiation with tenderers: Ensuring the best possible terms and pricing for you.

• Contract documentation: Drafting agreements between the client, builder, and consultants.

• Liaison with contractors & consultants: Ensuring all parties are aligned before any construction begins.

7. Contract Administration

 

Contract administration is an essential step to ensure compliance with all regulatory statutes. It also helps to maintain communication with all relevant stakeholders. 

 

With a dedicated contract administrator on hand, we’re confident that every architectural detail in your contract, including intended outcomes, legalities, specifications, and budget, is covered. 

 

Throughout the project, we’ll oversee each term and condition outlined in the contract, from procuring the right building materials to managing contractors and quality control. 

 

We also regularly attend the site to monitor the progress of each project and ensure it’s consistent with the design requirements. 

 

The final step is completion and handover. This is where we make sure each aspect of the new building aligns with the contract terms. Only when we’re completely satisfied will we confirm completion and sign off the project. 

What’s Included:

• Site visits: Regular inspections to monitor progress and address any on-site issues, including checking claims, issuing certificates and monitoring progress for consistency with contract documents.

• Contract administration: Managing contracts and ensuring compliance with terms and specifications.

• Monthly statements: We provide monthly value statements of all completed work so you can monitor progress.

• Site meetings: In addition to site visits, we also chair and record up to nine site visits for each project.

• Quality assurance: Verifying that all work meets the design intent and quality standards, including negotiating variations, managing claims and preparing defect lists.

• Final Handover: Ensuring all documentation, warranties, and maintenance guidelines are provided upon project completion. Includes inspecting rectifications and issuing practical and final completion certificates.

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