The Architectural Design 'Process'
Architecture
Are you considering using an Architectural designer for your next project, but do not know what sorts of services are provided - read on...
I’m consistently asked, “How much do you charge for designing a house?” This question is typically difficult to answer unless we consider what your wants or needs are. I could easily respond by “a ball park figure for designing a new house is somewhere in the order of 10% of the construction budget…that’s for full service of course” “Well what’s full service?” is the typical response and then it’s into a steep learning curve for anyone who is unfamiliar with what we do - architecture. Let’s look at the process further.
Imagine you wanted a space rocket built. Can you imagine all the different skills that would be required to make this happen? You have the designers, engineers, project managers, builders…the list goes on. Designing a house is not rocket science, but how it is communicated throughout the approval process to council can come close these days! Gone are the days when you could submit your house plans scratched on the back of one of your kid’s school assignments. The process has become very onerous from the architectural designers perspective and will only get more litigious with the proposed licensed building practitioners scheme. To get through this minefield we break down the design process into stages. If you use some of the stages, we call this ‘partial service’ and if you use all the stages, we call this ‘full service’.
1.Initial Meeting
“We want a house, with…um…ah…just surprise us”
Believe it or not, most people don’t really know what they want, and to be quite honest, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. So, what is right for them? That’s we come in. During the initial meeting we discuss wants, needs, budget, site, fees, scope of architectural service required etc, but most importantly, we listen. What comes out the other end is a ‘preliminary brief’ and a set of expectations related to the project. This meeting is on us as it gives us an opportunity to convince you that we are the right designers for the job.
Do you have a construction budget? Building a new, individually designed house is not cheep. The current going rate starts around $2000 per square metre plus GST. High end construction costs can be over $4000 per square metre. How big is a house? - A 4 bedroom house, depending on the ‘options’ is likely to be around 200-250 square metres.
If you are comfortable with us we will send you a fee proposal that outlines our roles and responsibilities related to the project. Once the fee proposal has been agreed and signed, we start getting our teeth into the project. Firstly we will send you a ‘return brief’ that starts to formalise your wants and needs and then it’s on to the fun stuff.
2.Site Analysis
Every site is different and every site has its opportunities and constraints. Access, sun, wind, outlook, privacy and legal constraints are analysed and tested. To help us with this it is important to get a typographical survey undertaken that shows existing ground slope, vegetation and in ground services. A plan diagram is then produced by us that summarises all these influencing factors that will profoundly assist with our design process. This is why you didn’t get that ‘off the shelf’ house design, remember.
Site Analysis Plan
Site Analysis Plan - Showing Overshadowing
3.Sketch Design
Architecture can’t be copied from job to job. We don’t simply take a set of existing house plans and pull here, prod there and hay presto, here’s your new house design. It takes design prowess and time to distil a concept into a visual form communicated on paper that you can understand.
This stage is the ‘soft line’ drawings that ultimately mould into a design. At the end of it, your project will be ‘visible’. You will understand how it works conceptually and spatially.
Depending on the design process, this could be in the form of 2 dimensional drawings or 3 dimensional computer generated views or both. We can even, depending on the scale of project, sit you down at our computers and literally walk you through your project in 3 dimensions. Remember, we are not trying to wow you with technology, just help you interpret the design. In fact, using computers too early during sketch design can sometimes stifle a good design process, while other times improving it.
Different design options may become evident at this stage. We will try to give you as much information as practical so you are involved and informed.
We will potentially get other members of the design team involved early, and for some, the earlier the better. If the design is becoming structurally complicated and requires the services of a structural engineer, it is definitely an advantage to get this advice at an early stage. Getting an early cost estimate based on the sketch design from a quantity surveyor or builder ensures the project is financially on track too.
For a relatively small percentage of the fee, the sketch design is great value for money as this is where your individual design becomes like no other.
At the end of this stage you will need to sign off on the sketch design so we can move into the design development stage.
4.Design Development
We use this stage as an important transition from sketch design to the very technical architectural drawings that are given to the council and builders. This is a time when we can ensure all design concepts can work, physically from a building and cost perspective and legally from a district plan building envelope perspective.
We incorporate all the pieces of the brief that you bring to the project, some of which that may have come out of the sketch design stage. Remember that huge fridge you wanted incorporated into the kitchen - this is the stage when we make sure it fits.
We also start incorporating preliminary information from other members of the design team like the structural engineer for example. The more information we can get during this stage, the better the final outcome will be.
Drawings are produced that solidify the sketch design into a real project. A presentation is made to you that will adequately explain the design. This will be in the form of drawings and can include physical and computer generated models, depending on what is appropriate.
An outline architectural specification is started so we can keep a tab on the materials and methods being proposed in the project. This becomes a useful research tool for the project as well.
At the end of this stage you will need to sign off on the design development so we can move into the working drawing stage.
These drawings can be forwarded to Council for submission of Resource Consent if required.
5.Working Drawings
This is by far the most demanding of the stages, for us anyway, as it takes up the majority of the time in the overall architectural process. No two set of working drawings are the same as every project has it differences in design and the assembly of its parts.
We produce all the architectural drawings, schedules and specifications that are required for building consent and, if required, to get accurate prices from builders. Often, hundred of individual drawings are produced that adequately describe the building in a 2d and more commonly 3d format depending on the complexity of the project.
Plans, sections, elevations, details, schedules and specifications make up this set and along with the other consultants documents create the ‘blue-prints’ for the builder to work off. All our architectural drawings during this stage are produced using the latest computer aided design and draughting software, so we can ensure accuracy and consistency in our drawings is paramount to achieving a quality product. Typically the other consultants, the engineer for example, use similar software so we can easily coordinate their information into ours.
These drawings must conform to all the latest building standards to enable the council to provide a building consent, so it’s important to get it right. Remember the leaky building syndrome. A comprehensive set of architectural drawings takes away the guess work from the builder’s perspective.
When these drawings are completed, they can be submitted to the council for a building consent and also to the builders for pricing.
Like previous stages, you will need to sign off on the working drawings so we can proceed to the next stage.
6.Tender Process
There is only one way to get a competitive price for your new home and that’s by getting several builders to provide a price based on the same set of working drawings.
Typically a ‘lump sum’ price is submitted by the builders using a tender process. We can assist with this process to ensure all parties are treated equally and fairly. Once the builder’s prices have been lodged we review them and provide you with a tender report so you can make an informed decision on your preferred builder based on time, cost and quality.
After you have decided on your builder, we prepare a contract between you and the builder using one of the standard construction contracts like NZS 3910, for example. This binds both parties to a legal agreement - the builder to build and you to pay the builder to build. Its pretty scary, black and white stuff, but extremely important. Most good builders are quite use to using these type of contracts as it protects them as well and ensures they get paid in a timely, fair manner.
7.Contract Administration
Just get it built!
Finally the builders are on site, after all the design and approval processes that have gone into getting to this stage.
This stage is important as it allows us to check the builders work is in accordance with the drawings and specifications and we can also
ensure an acceptable level of quality is achieved throughout the building phase.
We do this by regular site attendance, good communication with the builder, timely processing of the builder’s progress claims and keeping all parties happy in a fair manner in strict accordance with the building contract.
That’s it. Enjoy your new home. Just remember you design and build a new home the same way as you eat an elephant - one piece at a time!
Costs
If you require a detailed breakdown of the costs of our architectural services related to your project, click here to send us an email. Please include a brief description of your upcomming project and if you require a full or partial architectural service.
.
Architecture
Are you considering using an Architectural designer for your next project, but do not know what sorts of services are provided - read on...
I’m consistently asked, “How much do you charge for designing a house?” This question is typically difficult to answer unless we consider what your wants or needs are. I could easily respond by “a ball park figure for designing a new house is somewhere in the order of 10% of the construction budget…that’s for full service of course” “Well what’s full service?” is the typical response and then it’s into a steep learning curve for anyone who is unfamiliar with what we do - architecture. Let’s look at the process further.
Imagine you wanted a space rocket built. Can you imagine all the different skills that would be required to make this happen? You have the designers, engineers, project managers, builders…the list goes on. Designing a house is not rocket science, but how it is communicated throughout the approval process to council can come close these days! Gone are the days when you could submit your house plans scratched on the back of one of your kid’s school assignments. The process has become very onerous from the architectural designers perspective and will only get more litigious with the proposed licensed building practitioners scheme. To get through this minefield we break down the design process into stages. If you use some of the stages, we call this ‘partial service’ and if you use all the stages, we call this ‘full service’.
1.Initial Meeting
“We want a house, with…um…ah…just surprise us”
Believe it or not, most people don’t really know what they want, and to be quite honest, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. So, what is right for them? That’s we come in. During the initial meeting we discuss wants, needs, budget, site, fees, scope of architectural service required etc, but most importantly, we listen. What comes out the other end is a ‘preliminary brief’ and a set of expectations related to the project. This meeting is on us as it gives us an opportunity to convince you that we are the right designers for the job.
Do you have a construction budget? Building a new, individually designed house is not cheep. The current going rate starts around $2000 per square metre plus GST. High end construction costs can be over $4000 per square metre. How big is a house? - A 4 bedroom house, depending on the ‘options’ is likely to be around 200-250 square metres.
If you are comfortable with us we will send you a fee proposal that outlines our roles and responsibilities related to the project. Once the fee proposal has been agreed and signed, we start getting our teeth into the project. Firstly we will send you a ‘return brief’ that starts to formalise your wants and needs and then it’s on to the fun stuff.
2.Site Analysis
Every site is different and every site has its opportunities and constraints. Access, sun, wind, outlook, privacy and legal constraints are analysed and tested. To help us with this it is important to get a typographical survey undertaken that shows existing ground slope, vegetation and in ground services. A plan diagram is then produced by us that summarises all these influencing factors that will profoundly assist with our design process. This is why you didn’t get that ‘off the shelf’ house design, remember.
Site Analysis Plan
Site Analysis Plan - Showing Overshadowing
3.Sketch Design
Architecture can’t be copied from job to job. We don’t simply take a set of existing house plans and pull here, prod there and hay presto, here’s your new house design. It takes design prowess and time to distil a concept into a visual form communicated on paper that you can understand.
This stage is the ‘soft line’ drawings that ultimately mould into a design. At the end of it, your project will be ‘visible’. You will understand how it works conceptually and spatially.
Depending on the design process, this could be in the form of 2 dimensional drawings or 3 dimensional computer generated views or both. We can even, depending on the scale of project, sit you down at our computers and literally walk you through your project in 3 dimensions. Remember, we are not trying to wow you with technology, just help you interpret the design. In fact, using computers too early during sketch design can sometimes stifle a good design process, while other times improving it.
Different design options may become evident at this stage. We will try to give you as much information as practical so you are involved and informed.
We will potentially get other members of the design team involved early, and for some, the earlier the better. If the design is becoming structurally complicated and requires the services of a structural engineer, it is definitely an advantage to get this advice at an early stage. Getting an early cost estimate based on the sketch design from a quantity surveyor or builder ensures the project is financially on track too.
For a relatively small percentage of the fee, the sketch design is great value for money as this is where your individual design becomes like no other.
At the end of this stage you will need to sign off on the sketch design so we can move into the design development stage.
4.Design Development
We use this stage as an important transition from sketch design to the very technical architectural drawings that are given to the council and builders. This is a time when we can ensure all design concepts can work, physically from a building and cost perspective and legally from a district plan building envelope perspective.
We incorporate all the pieces of the brief that you bring to the project, some of which that may have come out of the sketch design stage. Remember that huge fridge you wanted incorporated into the kitchen - this is the stage when we make sure it fits.
We also start incorporating preliminary information from other members of the design team like the structural engineer for example. The more information we can get during this stage, the better the final outcome will be.
Drawings are produced that solidify the sketch design into a real project. A presentation is made to you that will adequately explain the design. This will be in the form of drawings and can include physical and computer generated models, depending on what is appropriate.
An outline architectural specification is started so we can keep a tab on the materials and methods being proposed in the project. This becomes a useful research tool for the project as well.
At the end of this stage you will need to sign off on the design development so we can move into the working drawing stage.
These drawings can be forwarded to Council for submission of Resource Consent if required.
5.Working Drawings
This is by far the most demanding of the stages, for us anyway, as it takes up the majority of the time in the overall architectural process. No two set of working drawings are the same as every project has it differences in design and the assembly of its parts.
We produce all the architectural drawings, schedules and specifications that are required for building consent and, if required, to get accurate prices from builders. Often, hundred of individual drawings are produced that adequately describe the building in a 2d and more commonly 3d format depending on the complexity of the project.
Plans, sections, elevations, details, schedules and specifications make up this set and along with the other consultants documents create the ‘blue-prints’ for the builder to work off. All our architectural drawings during this stage are produced using the latest computer aided design and draughting software, so we can ensure accuracy and consistency in our drawings is paramount to achieving a quality product. Typically the other consultants, the engineer for example, use similar software so we can easily coordinate their information into ours.
These drawings must conform to all the latest building standards to enable the council to provide a building consent, so it’s important to get it right. Remember the leaky building syndrome. A comprehensive set of architectural drawings takes away the guess work from the builder’s perspective.
When these drawings are completed, they can be submitted to the council for a building consent and also to the builders for pricing.
Like previous stages, you will need to sign off on the working drawings so we can proceed to the next stage.
6.Tender Process
There is only one way to get a competitive price for your new home and that’s by getting several builders to provide a price based on the same set of working drawings.
Typically a ‘lump sum’ price is submitted by the builders using a tender process. We can assist with this process to ensure all parties are treated equally and fairly. Once the builder’s prices have been lodged we review them and provide you with a tender report so you can make an informed decision on your preferred builder based on time, cost and quality.
After you have decided on your builder, we prepare a contract between you and the builder using one of the standard construction contracts like NZS 3910, for example. This binds both parties to a legal agreement - the builder to build and you to pay the builder to build. Its pretty scary, black and white stuff, but extremely important. Most good builders are quite use to using these type of contracts as it protects them as well and ensures they get paid in a timely, fair manner.
7.Contract Administration
Just get it built!
Finally the builders are on site, after all the design and approval processes that have gone into getting to this stage.
This stage is important as it allows us to check the builders work is in accordance with the drawings and specifications and we can also
ensure an acceptable level of quality is achieved throughout the building phase.
We do this by regular site attendance, good communication with the builder, timely processing of the builder’s progress claims and keeping all parties happy in a fair manner in strict accordance with the building contract.
That’s it. Enjoy your new home. Just remember you design and build a new home the same way as you eat an elephant - one piece at a time!
Costs
If you require a detailed breakdown of the costs of our architectural services related to your project, click here to send us an email. Please include a brief description of your upcomming project and if you require a full or partial architectural service.
.
