You may have chosen to forgo the Architect route but still require some element of floor plan design that includes structural elements, and because of this you may find that you require council approvals for your renovations. Or you may live in an area with Conservation or Heritage requirements that may also trigger a council application for renovations. That’s where a Drafter/Building Designer can assist you.
I work closely with these professionals and have great contacts within my team that I recommend to my clients. Their job is to draw your new floor plan and exterior home design with proposed structural changes included to reflect your aspirations for your home. They then coordinate the relevant professionals such as structural engineers, Geotech specialists, Heritage consultant (if required) and any other type of report needed to meet the council application requirements. This could be Complying Development (CDC) or Development Application (DA). The drafter will advise you on which application you will require. These plans are also relevant for your builder to quote and work from when it comes time for your renovations to begin.
All good Drafters/Building Designers take care of the application process for you and manage this through the council portal.
What’s my role in this process?
I work with the Drafter through the floor plan design phase to ensure best flow, function and opportunity for features where needed. This way you get the input of your Designer and your Drafter before the application goes to council.
Once the application is in with council I then step in and work with you on the interior design aspects of the renovations:
- Kitchen, pantry, laundry design
- Bathroom design
- Joinery design outside of the above areas
- Finishes specification such as flooring, hardware, lighting, and all aspects of your interior fit-off
- Exterior and interior colour selections
I introduce you to my suppliers, I work with those suppliers to gain quotes for most aspects of your interiors selections, and I document and pull everything together into a central, easy to access location.
By the time we complete our process together your application has probably been approved. You will then have a fully approved set of plans and also a detailed design pack to send to your builder for quoting.
This is by far the most transparent, efficient and detailed process that you could follow to get the best out of both your design and building phases.
So, if you are thinking about renovating this year, and need some guidance on where to start book a call in with me to chat further and we can work out the best way forward for you and your plans for your home. Contact me here.