About Us
When you work with us we want you to know exactly what you're getting, were open and honest and definitely on your side.
Our Mission…………….
Our mission is simple: to create a space that starts with you.
The places where we live, work and play should be healthy and happy - filled with natural light and connected to your real needs. We want to make sure the space you need works. We want to design a solution that’s functional and fits its purpose.
Our Process
No two projects are the same, just as no two clients are the same. So we have tried to explain how some of the stages work, however not all may apply to your project. We will always talk you through the process your project will go through. Listing the services we provide and the processes will never give you the full story. Our role is as much about listening carefully, thinking deeply and being human as it is about jumping through hoops and getting your project to the finish line.
However …….what a clear process gives us an easy way of keeping things on track, keeping to a budget, and bringing every element of your project together to give you the final outcome.
A clear process also gives you, an easy-to-grasp handle on what’s happening right now as well as what’s going to happen next. We like to take the weight off your shoulders, but we don’t want to leave you in the dark.
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If we can’t meet you personally at this point we have a good chat over the phone or zoom and we get a brief rundown from you about your project. We get a broad overview to establish the direction we need to take. We give you an overview of us and the specific processes that would be involved in your project. If this all sound ok we set up a meeting to formally establish the brief.
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To get a real in-depth feeling for what you are after the questions get a little more personal as we dive into more gritty details.
We go through your wish list of must-haves, nice to haves and the definitely don’t wants. Your wish list can be as long or short as you like. We like to get into more gritty details about the site we are working with as well. We soak up a lot of information and bounce ideas around with you. We gauge timeframes and budgets as well. Together we formulate a plan and map out what things will look like going forward. We don’t start anything until you give us the official go-ahead, and well be excited to get into it once you do.
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Here is where we explore the site. If you are renovating we will do a site visit and complete a measure up, looking at every nook and cranny that affects the project. With every site, we check the conditions and explore its potential. We look at the services and all environmental conditions. If you are developing we talk to the planning department and explore the potential of your site.
Some sites require some accurate site details. For these sites, we suggest a surveyor and help you commission a measured survey. This gives us the millimetre perfect plans we need to be creative.
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We get really excited at this stage because from the first meeting, listening to your brief and overall assessing the site, we have already started to conjure up ideas in our head. We start sketching furiously and giving shape – on screen and on paper – to the ideas we’ve discussed.
Although we draw on our experience we look at every project with fresh eyes and focus entirely on you.
Depending on the project we map out the concepts in 2D, 3D or VR. We think about how the spaces will connect and feel. Although we are like to present to you an initial scheme in the background we’re also thinking about costs, health, safety, and sustainability, and if we need to test the waters with the council or other consultants we do that too. The concept we present is very much open for discussion.
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It’s at this point that our drawings have to start showing some detail, so we make sure every aspect of the project is buildable.
If a resource consent is required we arrange for the application for this at this stage and we help you get a planner involved to help you out.
What we produce at this stage needs to be enough for any other consultants involved to be able to do their bit off the plans we provide.
Because the plans reed to convey your vision it can be an exciting step to seeing it start to come together.
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All the technical information is now pulled together.
If your project went through a resource consent application this would have been approved and now sorted, we pull together all the technical information, coordinate the specialist input from consultants, and assemble a ‘consent package’. You can think of this as a very thorough instruction manual, and it gives a builder everything they need to know to price up, and then build the project. It has all the specifications for materials, all the technical drawings, and a ‘schedule of works’, which is basically a long and very detailed to-do list for the project.
By nailing all of these details now, we avoid any unexpected costs or unforeseen delays further down the track.
The technical drawings, along with quite a bit of explanatory detail, go into the local council for the process of obtaining a building consent.
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With an approved building consent a builder will now look at getting on-site. The builder will run the build and we watch as your project developers from the ground up. While the builder is on site we get involved when you or the builder needs us to unless you have asked us to keep an eye on the contract, then we follow the build closely and make sure everything is on track. We visit the site and give you regular updates and reports.
Real life sometimes throws the odd problem at us but because we are closely involved we are there to catch them and make sure that anything unforeseen is resolved while keeping the big picture in mind.
When the builder gets to the end of the build and everything is ticked off then the builder moves out and you get to move in.
Enjoy!
FAQs
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For us, just like for you, it’s mostly about being a good fit.
We take on all sorts of different projects – we enjoy applying sustainable design principles when renovating commercial spaces. We love creating an experience for your customers or clients through great design.
We’re always interested in working with independent businesses and developers who want to improve their workspaces or build a development.
We also enjoy helping you out with your new build or renovation.
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This is completely up to you.
We love being involved from start to finish: coming up with ideas, working out what’s possible, taking the designs through the planning process and building consent, doing the detailed drawings, designing bespoke joinery and overseeing construction.
On the other hand, you might be excited about doing it yourself once we have developed a design for you and got councils’ approvals.
Or you might want to take it slow and just go one step at a time. We can map out ideas, establish the feasibility and maybe get costings, and then you decide if you take it further.
You can see more about how we work – and the different stages – on our process section.
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We can’t tell you exactly how much we charge without first finding out about your project.
It all depends on the size and complexity of your project, and how involved we are.
All we can say for certain is that a good design is worth its weight in gold. We save you time, money and worry. We get the design right before construction starts on-site, which means a streamlined process, no costly changes, no time wasted, much less risk, and a happy builder.
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We don’t have a specific design style, and we come to your project with an open mind. It’s all about getting to know you, getting to know your site (its hidden quirks as well as its clear potential), and understanding the context.
We like buildings that make the most of light and air – buildings that make you feel good.