Our Process
Design & Documentation Services
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The Pre Design phase lays the foundations for the project through due diligence preparation and research. We gather all information relevant to you and your site. This stage includes a site visit so we can start to assess opportunities and constraints. We are also here to listen to your story and create the best environment to embrace, nurture and facilitate your future growth.
For alterations and additions projects, we create a model of the existing dwelling and include any site features and contours. We may include adjoining building context to assist with understanding constraints.
We will start our scope of works assessment which aims to provide a rough estimate of trade and construction costs, an understanding of how these impact your budget.
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The sketch or concept design deals with the big picture. We explore the potential for your site, exploring layout options through basic sketches. We will workshop our initial concepts together with you to resolve a basic layout.
We will build on our Scope of Works to ensure the entire brief is captured, whilst also reflecting on likely construction costs, bringing some tangible information based on current day construction and material costs to the conversation around your budget.
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Initial concept sketches are further refined to generate a detailed 3D model and architectural drawings that illustrate the final constructed project. The drawings will specifically define the site plan, floor plans and exterior elevations.
This stage integrates either a High Performance or Passive House Assessment, which influences the final design decisions.
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We seek to transform spaces and do things differently. The home is a 3rd skin - it is so important to us that it not only provides a beautiful and functional place of refuge but is also a healthy place to live in. We incorporate these core values into our Interior Design process so you can feel good about the ingredients within your surrounding environment.
The key Interior components of the project; materials, lighting, detailing, hardware will be brought together in a holistic way, and presented as a 3D model flythrough, visual presentations and physical materials samples. We will encapsulate the interior design and selections into a set of documents suitable for contracts and construction. The end result will be an extension of your personality and a series of practical spaces that allow flexibility and diversity across the lifetime of your home.
Altereco Design has a proud partnership with lighting consultants Lights, Lights, Lights and E&S.
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We prepare construction drawings and a Specification to enable accurate pricing and provide comprehensive construction details essential for the builder's contract. We coordinate the work of any other consultants involved in the project and incorporate this information into our documentation.
Performance Services
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We conduct an initial performance assessment of the design to ensure it meets optimal performance requirements and capacity to meet Passive House certification.
During our documentation stage we will make a final performance assessment of the design to ensure construction detailing meets the performance requirements of Passive House certification.
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At Altereco we integrate the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) into our workflow, for alterations and additions project; thermally modelling various options at each stage of the project to offer you informed choices on your building's performance. We want to work with you to go beyond the 7 Star legislated minimum to craft climate-resilient homes without compromising aesthetics or blowing the budget.
Information from our modelling is used to make meaningful choices about the cost/benefit of various layout configurations, glazing options and material choices.
Approvals, Tender & Construction Services
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We prepare drawings and a compliance assessment for use in the planning application.
Our number one goal is to ensure that your project gets built! We don’t waste time or money chasing dreams. Understanding and responding to councils policy is critical to any project, and it won’t be overlooked on yours.
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Staying on top of costs and hitting our clients construction budget is of utmost importance. For most it is make or break.
As such, in most cases we have moved away from the traditional tender path, whereby we invite 2-3 builders to competitively price on a thorough and complete set of documents - in the hope that the tender price comes back on budget. Instead, our process is to recommend and interview (with our clients) 2 to 3 builders early on in the project.
The best time to appoint a builder is when our design is resolved to a point that we have locked in the layout and we are 100% confident with the flow and connectivity of the home. Our Design Development drawings are accurate and we have enough information to brief a builder to calculate a very accurate estimate. A specialised residential custom-home builder can mitigate the risk of over design or over specification when involved in the project from an early stage. We believe that the collaborative approach with early contractor involvement will ensure budget and a satisfactory outcome for all.
Read how engaging a builder ear y can influence cost HERE.
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Once we have completed all documentation, we will liaise with your builder to resolve a fixed price contract. This process can include clarification of the builder’s scope, project briefing, assistance with the pricing of trades and products.
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A building Permit is written approval by a Registered Building Surveyor. We will liaise with the Registered Building Surveyor and other relevant consultants and administer the permit on your behalf.