Creating a building can be a lengthy and complex process, so breaking it into design stages can help organise the project into more manageable steps. It’s essential for the client to understand what occurs during each stage to effectively communicate with us and understand what to expect throughout the design process.

As a  client focused design practice, we support and guide you through every stage of the design process to make your journey exciting and enjoyable. Our priority is to provide clear communication to ensure a straightforward and stress-free experience when working with us. To better understand the design process, we have outlined the project stages with descriptions of the deliverables at each stage. This is only a guide, as the stages may vary depending on the type of development proposed and the specific services required for each project.

Pre-Design

Pre-design is an information-gathering stage that will be the foundation for the design to follow. The main goal during this stage is to learn everything possible about the client’s personality, lifestyle and needs. We want to know how much space you need now and are likely to need in the future,  how that space will be used, organised and arranged and to get an idea of your expectations from the project. The primary purpose of the pre-design is to give you an overall understanding of what a project requires, who is involved and how long the process can take. We look at your site and discuss your ideas and what opportunities are available to you. We will inform you about local planning requirements and restrictions and the possible impact on the design. If you haven’t yet defined your brief, we will assist you in preparing the design brief and take you through all the options to ensure you make an informed decision.

Concept Design

Concept Design is the first phase of actually designing the project. Think of it as the preliminary drawing phase, where we will start exploring design options to find what best suits your site and brief and get a general idea of the look and feel of the building. The graphics and the illustrations are just sketches at this stage; it’s not architecture yet. We do a lot of research during this stage, including zoning, restriction and building regulations that may affect the specific development. Individual space planning is done at this time. Some simple plans and elevations are created to represent relationships among the functional arrangement of spaces, form and shape relative to the constraints and the opportunities that apply to the site. The primary goal of Concept Design is to establish the shape and size of the building. How the building is experienced is a focus of this stage. This is where we can feel how the building will look and operate. This phase has a great deal of sketching and many meetings with the client, and the option that is ultimately agreed upon during this stage becomes the foundation for the final design.

Design Development

In Design Development, we advanced the design significantly based on the floor plan and exterior concept approved in the previous stage. The graphics evolve from sketches to actual architecture. Initial ideas are further developed into drawings, including floor plans and elevations, and you can get a feel for how your new building will look. We will refine the window and door placements and adjust the building form. This phase is usually when our clients feel the project coming to life and seeing themselves in the new space becomes possible. Material options start to become part of the discussion. Some clients may have strong ideas for the materials and finishes, and some may prefer us to make suggestions.   At this stage, we start looking at the interiors as well. We will confirm all loose appliances to ensure each item has a dedicated place in the design.

By the end of the Design Development phase, the building exterior will be fully designed, the interior layout completed, and most materials selected.

At the completion of this stage, we can obtain an updated estimate before proceeding to the Town Planning Stage (if required).

We strongly advise making any significant changes at this early stage as later revisions may require complex adjustments to working drawings and may conflict with town planning permission, involving additional planning applications.

Town Planning Permit Application Process (if required)

Depending on the project type, site size, overlays, and different land restrictions, the local council may require a Town Planning permit for the project. If your project requires a Town Planning Application, Dome Design provides ongoing project management through the Town Planning process.

During the Town Planning process, we will confirm statutory authority requirements, attend pre-application meetings with relevant authorities, and prepare and lodge the application with all required documentation for the Town Planning application.

This stage may include ongoing liaisons with council town planners. If required, we will negotiate and attend meetings with relevant authorities or other relevant parties and prepare and submit additional drawings and documentation to comply with additional authority requirements.

We will liaise with the council on your behalf throughout the process and attend all meetings for you.

Documentation - Building Permit

After we have reached an agreement on the plans and appearance of the building, or when Town Planning permission has been granted, we continue to refine the design. These drawings and specifications have the details, dimensions, and notes necessary to communicate the design intent to the builder. We show how the building components should be connected and specify all materials, finishes and equipment to explain how the structure is assembled.

Detailed documentation drawings are created and coordinated with other consultants, such as structural engineers, geotechnical engineers, and building surveyors. As the project progresses, more details are added to the drawings and specifications to create a comprehensive set of plans that can be used to submit, coordinate and obtain a building permit from the Building Surveyor.

Contractor  Selection

Once drawings and associated documentation are completed, we can help you organise a selection of the Contractor. Discussions are held on the preferred tender process, and tender documents are prepared and issued to all tenderers. You have the option to get a price from just one builder or to go to a competitive tender. We recommend going to tender with a couple of builders as this allows for a fair and competitive process to get the best price. It should be noted that the cheapest builder is not necessarily the best. While price is a significant factor, timing, contract period, attention to detail, experience and reputation should all be taken into consideration.

Interior Design

Interior design is a service that we offer on request, but it is an essential and integral part of the overall design of the building. This stage provides a detailed interior layout, detailed internal fit-out drawings and specifications, including kitchen and bathroom design, custom joinery and furniture design, and all other important fit-out areas often included in the complete project documentation sets. A Schedule of finishes may also be required, specifying all surface finishes, floor and wall tiling and listing all selected fittings.

Sometimes, Interior design layouts can be provided on request as a separate service, even as post-tender, to review final pricing before resolving all finishes.

We can take care of as much or as little as you require to bring your space to life.

Contract Administration

Contract administration is a service we offer on request to ensure that the project is built to a high quality and that you have our expert advice on hand. Typically, with a project of any complexity, the architect is retained to answer questions, respond to builders’ requests for information, certify payments to the builders and review any variation requests to the contract. As well as providing a buffer between the client and the issues surrounding building sites, we visit the site periodically to observe the construction it general to ensure the proposed design is adhered to.

We can also assist with selecting all your interior finishes, appliances, plumbing fixtures and other fixtures that may not be specified at the building permit stage.

The architect acts as an independent advisor throughout this stage of the work, liaising between the client, builder and other related building professionals. We are there to protect the homeowner’s interests and the design’s integrity.