Frequently asked questions
Ask a Bespoke Architect.
In this series of “Ask a Bespoke Architect” Nicole Walters, director and founding partner of Bespoke Architects, answers the frequently asked questions we receive from new residential clients.
Getting Started
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Start by contacting Bespoke Architects with your site address, a brief description of your ideas and an approximate timeline. We can then arrange a site meeting to discuss your needs, budget and the property in more detail. This conversation helps us understand your priorities, consider planning requirements and begin developing a clear brief for your project.
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Your site address is the most useful starting point, as it allows us to investigate zoning and planning controls before we meet. Share a brief outline of your project, budget, preferred timeline and any initial inspiration. At our site meeting, we can explore the property, your style and how your home needs to work now and into the future.
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Yes. At Bespoke Architects, we consider projects of different sizes and budgets. What matters most is your enthusiasm, an interesting brief and the opportunity to achieve a thoughtful result together. We enjoy working with clients who are passionate about their project and open to exploring how design can make the most of it.
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The main differences are in training, qualifications and registration. Drafting and building design courses focus on producing building drawings and documentation. Architectural study includes a broader focus on design, followed by practical experience and a registration process. Nicole initially studied building design before completing her architecture degrees, bringing both documentation and design experience to her work.
Fees and Budgets
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Our fees depend on your project and the services you require. After meeting on site and discussing your brief, we prepare a fixed-fee proposal outlining the architectural stages, from existing conditions or concept design through to contract administration. You can see the fees for each stage and decide which services to engage us for.
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Start with a discussion about your brief and what you hope to achieve. Following our initial meeting, we prepare a fee proposal outlining our architectural services, the consultants your project is likely to need, and anticipated planning and building permit fees. We also discuss the likely construction cost, including a contingency, inflation and GST, to help you understand the overall project budget.
Design and approvals
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Our projects reflect the individual styles and preferences of our clients. We enjoy discovering what matters to you and understanding the spaces, materials and details you are drawn to. Through the design process, we refine those ideas into a considered, cohesive design that expresses your style and responds to your brief.
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Absolutely. Images are a useful way to communicate your ideas and help us understand what you want to achieve. We often use Pinterest to collect and share inspiration with clients. Together, we discuss what appeals to you in each image and use that understanding to develop a design that reflects your vision.
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For renovation projects, we prepare our own existing conditions drawings to establish an accurate foundation for the design and documentation. Older drawings may contain discrepancies or omit changes made to the property. Checking and documenting what is actually there helps reduce the risk of unexpected problems, additional costs and delays once construction begins.
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Existing Conditions (renovations only); Concept Design; Sketch Design; Town Planning (if required); Construction Documentation; Contractor Selection; Contract Administration.
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Concept design turns your brief into the first design options. We explore room sizes, relationships between spaces, circulation and the building’s form. This stage includes site information from the land surveyor and early council discussions where planning is required. Nicole prepares hand-drawn site plans, floor plans and elevations, which we review and refine with you before moving to sketch design.
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Sketch design develops your approved concept into a more detailed design. We model the building in 3D to review its form, proportions and scale, then prepare computer-generated site plans, floor plans, elevations and sections. We review these with you and refine the design before seeking your approval to proceed to town planning or construction documentation.
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Town planning controls how land can be used and developed. Your property’s zoning and any applicable overlays help determine whether your proposed project requires a planning permit. We investigate these requirements early and, where needed, engage with council during concept design to identify potential issues and help your project move forward with a clearer understanding of the approval process.
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Construction documentation develops the approved design into a detailed package for builders to price. We work through room layouts, joinery, finishes and other details with you, incorporating decisions into the drawings and 3D model. This is an involved stage, and taking time to make confident decisions helps ensure the package accurately reflects what you want to build.
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Interiors meetings explore how the rooms in your home will work and feel. We discuss built-in joinery, including cupboards, shelving, drawers and storage, alongside finishes such as benchtops, flooring and paint colours. Nicole sketches ideas with you using room templates and available samples. These decisions are then incorporated into the construction drawings, updated 3D model and schedule of selections, materials and finishes”.
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The consultants required depend on your site and project. These may include a land surveyor, geotechnical engineer, structural engineer and building surveyor. Some projects also need a civil engineer or landscape architect. We identify the likely requirements in our proposal and can recommend consultants we work with, while welcoming suitable consultants you already know.
Builders and construction
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The time needed before construction depends on the project’s size, complexity and planning requirements. As an initial guide, many residential projects may require around 12 months for design, approvals and documentation. This stage gives us time to resolve details and foreseeable issues, helping the build run more smoothly. We discuss a timeframe specific to your project in our proposal.
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We have worked with a range of builders across different projects and focus on matching the right builder to your particular design. If you already have a builder in mind, we welcome that discussion. We are also interested in meeting builders whose experience and portfolio could make them suitable for future Bespoke Architects projects.
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With a preferred builder, you nominate a builder and we involve them early in the documentation process. With tendering, we complete the documentation before seeking prices and selecting a suitable builder. As an owner-builder, you take on the builder’s role yourself. This approach brings additional responsibilities and insurance considerations, which need careful thought before deciding how to proceed.
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Contractor selection is the stage where we help you appoint a builder. For a tender, we coordinate submissions from your shortlisted builders, respond to queries and compare the proposals so you can make an informed choice. We also help negotiate contract terms. If you already have a preferred builder, we work through the project scope, pricing and contract terms with them.
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Contract administration supports you from preparing the building contract through construction and the defects liability period. We coordinate builder correspondence and site meetings, record decisions, and manage progress claims, variations and cost adjustments. We also prepare practical completion certification and defects lists, then help coordinate corrections. Throughout this stage, we explain your options and their implications for time and cost.
Still have a question about your project?
Watch the Answers
Getting Started
Architect or building designer - Understand the differences in training, qualifications and registration.
Is my project too small - Discover what we look for in projects of every size.
Where to Start - Take the first step towards a clear project brief.
Your first conversation - Prepare for your first conversation with an architect.
Prepare for your first conversation with an architect.
Fees and Budgets
Architectural fees - Understand how we prepare a fee proposal for your project.
Setting your project budget - Understand what to allow for in your overall project budget.
Design and Approvals
Architectural style - Discover how we develop a design that reflects your style.
Sharing insperation photos -Share the images and ideas that inspire your project.
Concept design - Explore the first design options shaped around your brief and site.
Town planning - Find out how zoning and overlays may affect your plans.
Project Consultants - Meet the specialists who may contribute to your project.
Existing plans - Learn why accurate existing conditions drawings matter for renovations.
Sketch design -See how your concept develops into a detailed, three-dimensional design.
Part 1 - Overview - Understand how your approved design becomes a detailed package for pricing.
Part 3 - Project schedule - Explore the project schedule that records your selections.
Part 2 - Interiors meetings - Work through joinery, storage, materials and finishes for your home.
Part 4 - Project Specification - Understand the specification that accompanies your construction drawings.
Builders and construction
Contract Administration - See how we support you through construction and the defects period.
Project timeframes - Explore the factors that influence your project’s timeframe.
Choosing your building approach - Compare the different approaches to appointing and working with builders.
Finding the right builder - Learn how we match builders to projects and welcome your recommendations.
Contractor Selection - Learn how we coordinate tenders, compare proposals and negotiate contract terms.
When building can begin - Understand the preparation needed before construction can start.