Many people don't know where to start when they are thinking about renovating.
If you want to get the most out of your renovation project contact your local DesignHQ design consultant first. By discussing your needs with one of our design consultants early you will gain the benefits of their years of experience in renovation design. Often a client will spend many frustrating hours coming up with floor plans for their renovations and bring them into us, only to find that their ideas don't work, are impractical or expensive. To save you the frustration we advise that you are better off making a list of the outcomes you are trying to achieve and discuss these with your DesignHQ design consultant. They will then turn this information into some design solutions for your consideration.
The DesignHQ renovation process is outlined below;
Step 1: Get your FREE internet only renovation report ($300 value)
Contact your nearest DesignHQ studio and arrange a meeting with one of our design consultants. At your initial meeting at your home, your DesignHQ design consultant will discuss your needs and wants, take a look around your home and advise you initially of any of the more obvious implications of your renovation plans. Once we have enough information we will head back to the office to digest it, search the council property file for any relevant information held on file and check zoning requirements relating to your property. We will then prepare a renovation report (with a $300 value), providing you with some suggestions for achieving the results you are after as well as highlighting any issues you may not be aware of. This report will also include our estimate of fees for preparation of concept plans. Please note, this free report is only available for properties within 25km of their nearest DesignHQ Studio. If you live outside of this range, contact us to discuss other ways we can provide you with this free report.
Yes, I want a FREE renovation report.
Step 2: Concept Plans
Once you are happy that DesignHQ are able to provide you with a great renovation solution, return your signed
agreement for engagement and deposit along with any additional information requested by your design consultant. We will now start work on your renovation design. The first thing we will do is create a CAD (Computer Aided Design) model of your existing dwelling from existing plans and site measure as necessary. Accurate existing plans and elevations are now a requirement of any renovation building consent, and the more accurate these are the better we can address all structural issues in the design of your renovation. Once these are complete we will start the design process, either the old fashioned way with pencil and paper or directly into the CAD system. When we are happy that we have arrived at a suitable solution we will prepare a presentation version for you to view, depending on the complexity of the project this could either be a sketch or a fully developed CAD model with photo-rendered images. We then spend time with you refining the design solution until you are happy that it is what you want.
Once concept plans are complete we are able to provide you with an estimate to complete the full working drawings and building consent documentation to the level that you require.
Step 3: Pricing Plans
Once we have settled on a concept design, and you have signed off on the concept, we proceed to preparation of pricing plans. These plans will generally consist of the following;
- Floor Plans
- Elevations
- Basic Cross Sections
- Sub-Floor Plans
- Bracing Plans
- Door and Window Schedules
- Site and Drainage Plan
These plans are then provided to a builder or builders of your choice for preliminary pricing. Once the prices are received back, we then review these in relation to your budget and make any necessary alterations to the design, or if prices are within budget, proceed to full working drawings.
At this stage we will also advise of the requirement for resource consents and engineering design input. We will also provide estimates from recommended consultants for any of these services you may require before authorising any consultants to proceed.
Step 4: Contract Documentation
When you are happy that the proposal is within your budget and you are ready to get started, we need to complete full working drawings and documentation for building consent purposes and tendering (if required). Your DesignHQ draughting team will professionally and accurately prepare full working drawings and documentation for you. The full working drawing package for building consent application will include all of the drawings above plus the following;
- Fully detailed Cross Sections
- Foundation details
- Cladding details
- Flashing details
- Roofing details
- Insulation calculations
- Beam and structural calculations
- Specifications
- Building Consent Application form and checklist
- Engineer's design, producer statements, calculations and monitoring schedule
- and any other information that will be requested by the Building Consent Authority.
In addition to the information above, if you are wanting DesignHQ to manage the tendering process we will need to prepare additional information as follows;
- Joinery plans
- Electrical plans and lighting schedules
- Finishings schedules (Painting, floor and wall coverings, etc)
- Sanitaryware schedules
- Hardware schedules
- Contract Documentation
Much of this work will be done in conjunction with our DesignHQ Interiors and DesignHQ Kitchens consultants.
Now you just have to wait until all necessary consents are issued, which generally takes around 20 working days from lodgement date. Once all consents are issued you are ready to start building.
You can either manage the building process yourself or retain DesignHQ to oversee this process also. Ask your DesignHQ consultant about Project Management today, you may be surprised at how affordable it is to reduce your renovation related stress.
