tips, tricks and trade secrets
Do you work with small budgets?
Yes! We enjoy the challenge of working with (and staying within) modest budgets. From a $20k bathroom renovation to a $200k studio home - we appreciate how these smaller projects can make a big improvement to daily life.
How do you charge for your services?
Traditionally architects charge fees as a percentage (often 5-15%) of the construction cost, or at an hourly rate (more than a gardener, a lot less than a lawyer). Both of these fee methods can be worrying for clients as you never know how much the next invoice will be for, or what the total fee will be. That’s why we offer fixed fees upfront to provide certainty. Our fees are tailored to suit each client's individual needs, and are broken down into each stage of the design, consent, and construction process.
How much does an architect cost?
For a new home up to and including Building Consent application our fees usually range from $40k - $80k. We start with a Project Workshop to help match our level of service and resulting fees to your individual needs.
Don't architects just make things more expensive?
Whilst we have an appreciation for quality, we’re not interested in making things flashy for the sake of it. When it comes to designing your home our main focus is creating spaces that work for you within your budget. We work closely with a Quantity Surveyor and/or builder to ensure our work gets built and not thrown in the ‘too expensive’ pile.
Whilst architects take a small portion of your project budget, we know we’ll more than offset these over the course of the project; increasing the value of your home, solving problems creatively to stretch every dollar further, improving efficiencies, protecting your interests through the build, and providing quality documentation reducing mistakes or delays during construction.
At what point should I involve an architect?
Whether you’re on the hunt for land, have recently purchased a section, or own a home in need of a transformation - it's never too early to involve an architect. We can help you explore the potential within the constraints of your home or site, offer solutions you may not have considered, and avoid costly missteps.
How long will it take?
As a rough guide for a new home you should allow at least 6 months for design, a minimum of 2 months for consent, and 9-12 months for the build. This depends on the scale and complexity of the project, and availability of any consultants required such as surveyors or engineers, as well as the builder. If you have real time constraints we’re happy to discuss how we can squeeze this up, but generally our advice is that it’s worth taking the time to get things right.
Who submits the Building Consent application?
Building Consent applications are usually submitted by an Architect or Design LBP (Licensed Building Practitioner) on behalf of the owner. Under the restricted work provisions of the Building Act 2004, only an Architect or Design LBP can be granted a building consent for the design of a house. Whilst a homeowner or builder can submit an application for alteration work, a thorough understanding of the District Plan, Building Code, and compliance pathways is required.
I’m not in Christchurch, can we still work together?
Of course! Whilst most of our projects are based in Christchurch, we’re also working on homes across Canterbury (including Cass Bay and Governors Bay on the Banks Peninsula; and Rolleston and Prebbleton in Selwyn), and up in Wellington. It’s important we visit your site to gain a proper understanding of the constraints and potential, but beyond this our digitally based workflow is well suited to working remotely; meaning we can easily collaborate on drawings and documentation via email and video calls.
Can you recommend a builder?
Yes, we have several excellent builders in Christchurch and beyond that we enjoy working with and can highly recommend. We’re also happy to work with any builders that you may have been recommended by friends or family. Finding a good builder that you can trust is crucial to the success of your project.
Why do architects always wear black?
Countless blog posts, articles, and even a whole book have been dedicated to answering this question. Architect Zaha Hadid responded with a simple “I like Black”, but no one knows for certain why our wardrobes only range from black to very dark charcoal. Perhaps it’s a tradition passed down by the previous generations of architects who wore black to hide the graphite and ink stains from the drafting process. Or perhaps we want to achieve the effortless cool of the ‘Man In Black’ Johnny Cash. Our own pick would be simply to limit decision making fatigue, like Steve Jobs did, by not having to make wardrobe colour matching decisions before the morning coffee has kicked in. Architect Lee Calisti explains “as architects we make thousands of decisions daily for ourselves and for our clients. We are not the type to simply pick something without a laborious, borderline annoying process of considering every alternative and winnowing down a selection for the comfort of knowing we’ve chosen the best solution.”
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