What to expect when you hire an architect

The first call

Most projects start with a 45-minute call with a partner. We ask about the site, the budget and how you want to live or work, and you ask about us. There is no fee and no obligation.

Four stages

After that, a project moves through four stages: Discover, Concept, Development and Execution. Each stage ends with a meeting where you approve the work before we move on.

For a new house, design and approvals usually take seven to ten months, and building takes about the same again. A renovation is often quicker to design but slower on site, because old buildings hold surprises.

The decisions that are yours

You make three big decisions: the brief, the design direction at the end of Concept, and the builder. Each time we give you clear options and a recommendation, with what each option adds in cost and time.

Between those points we handle the detail, and we send a short written update every Friday, so you always know where the project stands.