At Archline Design Studio ...
We stitch our design to your exact value measures by moulding inspiring spaces that represent your lifestyle, beliefs, culture, traditions and whatever values enrich your lives through the way you live.
We sincerely believe in this statement that "People and the places they reside are engaged in a continuing set of exchanges; they have determinate, mutual effects upon each other because they are part of a single, interactive system."
Our mission is to shape a place that makes you feel YOU at your best.
For us, each new client and context presents an opportunity to provide unique outcomes. From building a new home to changing your existing house or developing a place for work and trade, we can help you create an exclusive customised space that reflects you and showcases your personal style while providing enough ease and comfort.
Before diving into design solutions, we first listen with so much care and curiosity to know you and your preferences. We also draw our inspiration from your site, its surroundings or a broader context and study the difference that our design can make in its environment.
We love the challenge of working with ambitious people who have a specific taste, are open-minded and unafraid of pushing the limits. We're all for establishing and maintaining an honest, transparent, straightforward and collaborative relationship with our clients. Word of mouth is a key to our business.
We love to participate in every stage of your project, help you with the big and small decisions that you might struggle to make and give you the care and attention you deserve all the way through to the end. However, if you just need a friendly companion for part of your journey, we might still be able to join in. So Let's Chat.
The first step is to get clear on exactly what you want and need from your new development. However, sometimes the number of variables is more than the known. As a result, you rightly need a tangible reassurance before diving into or even during the design and construction process :
- You may need help picking the right block of land to buy
- You may be time-poor and don't have time to carry out your own research
- You may want to make sure you are buying a property with potential for renovation or knockdown-rebuilt.
- You may try to understand if the project is worth pursuing on a given site and within a given budget
- You may have a favourite design and need assistance to find the right block to fit it in.
- You may want to know how to get the most out of your block
- You may have a very vague idea of what you want and need someone to give a face to that and send you a 3D concept
- You may require your home layout to accommodate your ethnocultural background
- You may need a report or a concept plan to be aware of your options before engaging an architect
- You may like some second opinion on your current drawings
- You may need some cost-cutting solutions to make your design and construction more affordable
- You may think having someone take a look at your house, produce some design ideas with a price tag on them
Wherever you are in your journey through the design and building process, we provide as much assistance as you need. Feel free to email us at info@archlinedesign.com.au or send a text message to 0411 307 933 to schedule a 1 to 2 hours session (face to face or virtual, as per your preference).
The minimum cost of each session is $350. You will leave the meeting confident and transparent with your decision with a concept or work plan for the next step in your hand and most probably a big smile on your face! In cases in which a liaison with planning authorities and other professionals is needed to reach a final verdict, it will take 3-5 working days for the preliminary report to get ready.
What you bring with you to this meeting is you, your passion, your questions, your wishlist for your new or changing house, any existing plans and a bunch of photographs if it's not an on-site visit.
ADVISORY SERVICES is in the form of a 1-2 hrs virtual or in-person discussion about your options and ideas and CAN include:
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quick sketches during the meeting
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a site visit
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an all-inclusive wishlist (brief)
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a written and graphic report, including a preliminary assessment of statutory and regulatory requirements
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2D and/or 3D concept design directions
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refinement of selected option based on client feedback
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report for costing by Quantity Surveyor
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review of current drawings
There are similarities between projects, but none of them is the same. Therefore, each project demands a one of a kind approach. That said, what comes next can give you some insight into our process of getting your project to the finish line.
STAGE ONE: Two-Way Debriefing
It all starts with an honest and productive conversation virtually or in person. Through this conversation, we help you ask big questions about your requirements, concerns, expectations, time, budget and simply whatever you are hoping to achieve in your building project, and then we help you to answer them. This way, together, we end up with a list of your likes, dislikes, must-haves, good-to-haves and lets-sees.
Before any line can be drawn, we need to investigate your project location, exploring drivers, enablers and limitations. We also go through your property's existing plans and documents and obtain Council's planning certificate to leave no stone unturned. We make sure you also consider the impact of different planning approval pathways on your project. Yes, we know you are impatiently waiting to see a sketch. Still, please bear with us as all this preparation is needed to get a desirable, functional, and legally approvable outcome.
For most of the projects, we need a 'detailed survey' that gives us your land's precise measurements, contours, easements, etc. We can suggest a surveyor, explain the process (and the cost), and then on the day you just need to let them in.
This stage includes providing:
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a site visit (if required)
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an all-inclusive wishlist (brief)
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context analysis, including a preliminary assessment of statutory and regulatory requirements
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discussion with consent authority to identify town and urban planning parameters for the project as required
STAGE TWO: Catwalk of Concepts
The fun starts when we begin sketching and pour our creativity into unearthing your project. We conceptualise our ideas and communicate them with you in two and three-dimensional formats. And now is the time to review these options in the light of our conversations to date and make sure that we are still on the same page on the right track. We also have an extensive talk about time and cost issues besides sustainability and energy saving.
We always recommend that our clients engage a proven builder from the early stages. Builders give insight into the constructability of your design and present up to date information on your construction costs with the going rate and materials, the different construction methods and the timeline of your project. In addition to saving you from potential troubles in the future, it helps you gain a more realistic and tangible view of what is ahead even before your project gets thoroughly documented.
This stage includes providing:
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2D and/or 3D concept design directions
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refinement of selected option based on client feedback
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report for costing by Quantity Surveyor
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material selection
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a pre-lodgement meeting with Council (if required)
STAGE THREE: Let's Get It Approved
Based on your feedback on the concept plans, we make some time to make sure you are absolutely contented. Honestly, the changes at this stage are relatively easier to apply compared to the final stages. Once we agree on one design solution to go forward, we develop the design further, add more details, and provide a package including all architectural drawings and documents needed to get the planning approval, with which you can also obtain detailed quotes from builders.
Depending on the project type, this stage includes providing:
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External Finishes Schedule & Building Specifications
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Site Plan Analysis
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Shadow Diagrams
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Notification Plan
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Erosion & Sediment Control Plan
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Waste Management Plan
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Statement of Environmental Effects Report
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All Floor Plans, Elevations, Sections, Site Plan
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Window and Door Schedule
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Landscape Plan
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Stormwater Concept Plan
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BASIX Report
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Demolition Plan
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Calculations Table
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Roof Plan
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Sydney Water Quick Search
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Design Verification Statement
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Design Criteria Consistency
The approval package for farm or rural land subdivisions differs from the above.
Proposals for small residential development in the new growth areas are mostly needed to comply with specific design guidelines and be approved by the main developer's design review panel. In cases you want to apply for construction loans, banks want you to provide them with a limited number of building plans and specifications. Helping you with both of those cases is part of our services at this stage.
The different planning approval pathways have been explained on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment website. Simply saying, with few exceptions, your proposed development has to get approved by consent authorities before you start building it. Low impact residential, commercial and industrial developments that do require planning approval may qualify for a fast track approval process known as complying development. If the application meets specific standards and land requirements, a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) can be obtained through your local Council or an accredited certifier. Otherwise, the two-step approval process of Development Application (DA) plus Construction Certificate (CC) will apply. Development Application has to go through Council, but after getting DA consent, you can apply for Construction Certificate (CC) through your local Council or an accredited certifier.
As we explain in stage one of our design process, all you need to know is which pathway matches your specific case.
Through this service, we submit the approval application(s) on your behalf and liaison with consent authorities until getting the permission for construction commencement. Our process minimises any design revisions suggested by authorities through our thorough understanding of your project and our carefully crafted, perfectly presented approval package.
As an additional note, when a site is particularly sensitive, we may use the help of an experienced town planning consultant in the process of design and approval. They are experts in this field, and many have previously worked in the council’s planning department. This knowledge, along with the personal relationships they have within the council, allows us to navigate the process efficiently and quickly. They also know from experience where the council requires certain standards to be met and where they will be more open to pushing the boundaries. This knowledge often provides a solution that isn’t possible if you assume full compliance must be achieved.
We experienced that our approval package is detailed and dimensioned enough to use for bidding, permitting and construction of a simple, straightforward project. However, there are circumstances in which the owners or builders ask for additional documents and coordination. We provide construction documents for all types of terrace houses, complex projects that need comprehensive specifications, specific construction details and bespoke joinery and projects with an owner-builder or not-experienced builders. This stage has no formal authority submission but is a crucial stage that ensures more accurate quotes from the builder and tradies, leading to less time and cost variation during construction which means a smooth construction process and less stress and drama for you as the owner. No two projects need the same level of construction documents. We will talk you through what is really needed.
As per the type of your project and constraints of your land, there are a number of consultants that are required to be involved in different stages of the process. Collaboration with these experts is key to how we work and is included in our design and documentation service on your behalf. Other than the fact that their drawings and report are always part of the requisites to get the approval(s), we try to make the most out of their knowledge, skills and valuable perspectives timely and thoroughly. Surveyors and Structural Engineers are quite usual players, but in addition to them, according to the project requirements we work with:
Arborists, Geotechnical Consultants, Hydraulic Engineers, Town Planners, Quantity Surveyors, Energy Assessors, Bushfire Consultants, Water Servicing Coordinators, Traffic Consultants, Heritage Experts, Acoustic Engineers, Civil Engineers, sign Designers and if you request us, Landscape Architects, Interior Designers and stylers.
The appropriate time to finalise who will take care of your construction work is once the approval package is done and you are waiting to receive the approval. We can flexibly assist you with all the different scenarios you are looking at:
- You may know some builders and want us to compare their fees and evaluate their performance on your behalf
- You may receive a bunch of quotes from builders, but you don't know which one to choose
- You may like to use our recommended builders and want us to get their quotes for you
- You may be introduced to us by one of the friendly builders that we are working with
- You may already decided on your builder at some point and want to know what is the next step
- You may be an owner-builder and need some help managing your construction project
We begin choosing your builder by sending out the tender package to a shortlist of potential builders so that they can understand what’s involved and give us an accurate price. Once we’ve got the quotes back, we go through them together with you, weighing each one against the others. The price might be the most important factor but not the only one. We all like to work with considerate and trustable people who care about doing a quality job. Therefore, We take all that into account in our weighing-up process. The next step is to help draw up a building contract for you and your chosen builder to sign.
Construction is about to start, and it is time you decide whether you want us to accompany you all the way through to the end. As your contract administrator, we:
- help you to dim down your stress and take less time out of your day to day life
- keep a close eye on the contract to make sure everything is in place
- visits the site periodically
- check on the progress and quality, monitors cost and time
- hold progress meetings and gives you regular updates
- review and certify payments to the builder's payment requests
- ensure that the project is built according to the design intent
- help out when uncontrollable things go wrong in the building process
- provide advice, details and answer any questions from you and your builder
- provide support through communication with the builder
- discuss proposed changes or variations and resolve them
- confirm the completion of the work and final payment when everything ticked off to our satisfaction
Above is the full-service contract administration. However, if it suits you, we can limit our service to attending the site and providing advice for you and your builder informally on quality, progress, construction details and compliance with the design.
We offer architecturally designed, fully engineered and thermally assessed home, ready-to-build home plans. The package will be adjusted to your land and chosen specifications, with a pre-quoted, verified build price and the freedom to have that home built by anyone.
+ You pick the design that best suits your land and needs from our collection.
+ We assess your site for suitability and show you a basic floorplan of how our design would work on your site. (Free of charge). We need two pieces of information to formally assess your land for suitability and then design your home on it – a Land Survey completed by a registered land surveyor and, in some cases, a Soil Report completed by a Geotechnical Engineer. We can help if you need help finding trusted professionals in your area.
+ Once we have completed a preliminary assessment of your land for the suitability, you’ll be asked to pay a 50% deposit. Then we have a full day meeting with you to discuss your needs, answer all your questions and concerns, and talk about the other non-structural changes you would like to make. We are open to discussing any changes you would like to make, and, if necessary, we can seek a quote from our associated structural engineer to facilitate those changes.
+ Once you have confirmed all the changes and choices you would like to see in your design, we draw up plans ready for pricing and provide all documents you need to apply for a building permit.
Our packages are 80% pre-designed for speed with 20% ready to be adjusted to our client’s land and brief. Your changes could be from preferences like additional rooms or spaces to adjustments for existing site conditions such as vehicle crossovers, orientations or sloping sites.
With this option, you view the immediate build price and get out of the ground way sooner.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Learn all about our work - and why we’re the right Architecture Firm for you! We understand you have many questions about the design process and you’re not alone. Here are a few of our most frequently asked questions and answers. If you still feel you’d like to ask us something, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to provide answers to all your inquiries.
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Where do you work?Greater Sydney area
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Do we have to sign up for your full services from the outset, or can we take it one step at a time?No and yes
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Can you explain the design process?Some clients have very detailed briefs prior to meeting with us, others have a very limited understanding of what they want. We spend time with every client to extract the most important information. We’re not just interested in how many bedrooms you want, but also how each space is to be used at different times of the day. We ask how the family is likely to change over the next 5, 10 or 20 years and how we can design a home that can adapt to different circumstances. We learn which spaces require the best light and views and which spaces need to be interconnected. We capture all this information and more to provide a detailed return brief. This document typically forms part of our agreement moving forward but often evolves over time as new ideas emerge. There are multiple steps that can vary depending on your project. Please refer to our architectural design services section for more information.
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How involved will I be?the way we go about evaluating a site start
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What is your design style?I believe that I am educated, trained and experienced in a way that allows me to solve spatial and aesthetic problems systematically
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We already have designs. Can you work with them?We have previously taken on projects which have been designed by other architects.
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Do you use 3D design software?Yes, we model every part of your project in 3D. It’s an important tool in showing our clients what the building is going to look like, but it’s also more related to how we as architects think. By drawing in 3D we can overlay each building component (e.g. structure, services, materials) and ensure that they all fit together prior to going to construction. Accurate coordination of these elements during the design stages helps eliminate errors which can potentially be very costly during the construction stage. 3D design can also help councils understand how the building fits into its context and helps builders understand critical junctions, ensuring they firstly cost the building accurately and then have the information to construct it.
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How much do you charge and what is exactly included?Fairly
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What other costs should I allow for in addition to the Architect’s fees?There are a number of consultants and services
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How much will my project cost and can you save me money?From our first discussions, we’ll have a good idea if your budget and brief align.
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How long would it take to get my project to the construction stage?We put a great deal of effort into the design process and our buildings are finely honed.
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Does my extension need planning permission?It depends on several factors, all of which can usually be quickly assessed and understood.
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What is the difference between planning permissions and how long will usually take to get one?Da CC CDC
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Will we need any other professionals on our project?yes
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Do you have builders you can recommend?yes
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What role do you play during the construction stage?It depends on your knowledge, confidence, and skills.
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How long do you think the construction stage might take?For a new house without a basement, we normally expect a 12 month
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What potential delay could there be on-site that I should be aware of?Construction is very technical and notoriously difficult to predict.
