Do I need an Architectural Designer for my Project?

It depends on your scope of works, The NZ Government in recent years has made it easier to complete building work without a building consent. Regardless of project size and whether we are needed later on. Solid Concept offer one-off consultations and these can be incredibly useful.

We can give you guidance on many aspects of your project from design and potential cost through to planning and construction. In a short space of time you can gain an enormous amount of valuable information which will help you realise your project.

How Much do you Charge?

Our fees will vary depending on the location and complexity of the project and level of service expected from us. We can either charge you on the basis of a total project cost, others on a fixed price lump sum or on a time charge basis.
If in doubt, reach out via our contact form on the home page.

Do I really need a project brief, and what’s in it?

If we know what you’re aiming for, the more likely we can hit your target. That is what a project Brief does.

The quality of your brief is a key factor for the success of your project. It is your tool for clearly describing the requirements and functions of your building and proposed methods of operation and management.

Solid Concept can help you establish a final brief. We will want to know your aims and your budget and they will also be interested in your design style.

Are you looking for a design in keeping with the existing building? Do you want a contemporary? Are there specific sustainable or ecological principles upon which you would like to base your design?

We will also want to know:
-The reasons for embarking on this building project.
- What are the intended activities?
- What are your overall expectations and what do you hope to achieve?

At the initial meetings, we do our best to listen carefully to your intentions and create a brief, addressing not only design aesthetics, but also the function of the building.

How long will it take to complete consent drawings?

This depends on the projects, But generally we allow for 6-8 weeks to complete a set of consent docs and get them ready for BC Submission. This allows for time for office workflow as well as other consultants working on the project.

How long will it take to complete a Building Consent application?

This depends on the scope and size of the project. Generally speaking you can expect your project to be in council for 6-8 weeks. Sometimes less. Legally councils have 20 working days to complete an application once it is accepted into council for processing. However in practice, we see that on the 19th day, RFIs (requests for information) are sent out by councils to applicants, which can to take a few weeks to answer. Hence we generally allow for a 6-8 week timeline.

We have a project with SC and aren’t hearing many updates on our project, what’s happening!?

Chances are, your project is in the construction drawing (detailed design phase).
Generally our contact with clients is much more frequent in the earlier stages of the project design phase.

But once the design is signed off and the project is ready for consent/construction drawings. Our draughting team gets to work over 4-8 weeks completing an extensive drawing and specification set. Generally 50 to 70% of our time and fees are for producing consent drawings.

So please do not be surprised if we go quiet during this process. We will update as we go and let you know how things are tracking as needed.