Are you registered to work in Victoria?
Yes, I am a registered building practitioner. My registration number is DP-AD 36447.
Are you an architect?
No I am not an architect. In New Zealand I would use Architectural Designer. In Victoria, Architectural Draftsman is the appropriate terminology.
Are you an architect?
No I am not an architect. In New Zealand I would use Architectural Designer. In Victoria, Architectural Draftsman is the appropriate terminology.
What are your design fees?
This is probably the most common question and one that is very difficult to answer at an early stage.
I aim to provide a fixed fee wherever possible. I do so because then you know exactly what the cost of my fees will be. There are no 'hidden' charges. The fee is broken down into the different stages:
- Initial and developed sketch design - 40% of the design fee
- Town planning - 10% of the design fee
- Working drawings - 50% of the design fee
As a general rule my fees will be somewhere between 6 and 9% of the budget sum (not the builder's quoted sum as this can sometimes be greater than the original budgeted sum.)
I need to know the total scope of a project before being able to provide a fee proposal as there are many factors which can affect my fee. I can usually give you a clear indication of the fees at our first meeting.
Do you charge a deposit?
Yes, a deposit of 1.5% of the budget sum is required at the time of signing the contract documents. The deposit is held for the duration of the design process and becomes the final claim/invoice (at the end of the design process).
What if I terminate the contract?
If I have started on your project and you decide to terminate the contract for any reason during the design process I will charge (in addition to any money owing at the time) a cancellation fee of 1.5% of the budgeted sum.
You can appreciate that I am committed to your project and have programmed your work in. Any unexpected cancellation can really affect my work flow.
I see you live in New Zealand but your client base is in Melbourne, how could this affect me?
Yes, all my work is in Melbourne. I visit (as a general rule) every 5 weeks. To date none of my clients have found me working from New Zealand to be a problem. Because I work from New Zealand you automatically save 10% as I cannot charge you GST!
How much does it cost for an initial consultation?
I charge $155.00 which gives you up to 1.5 hours on site. I charge a small fee because I regard my time as your investment. I provide you with as much information as possible including design options. This fee is given back to you if you engage me for your project.
