Managing the Full Process,
From Design Concept to Approval
We coordinate design, planning, consultant coordination, and lodgement, managing approvals under one roof to bring clarity and set projects up to build properly.
Design - Planning - Approvals - Construction - Delivery
Licensed Builder & Registered NSW Building Practitioner Class 2 (Medium Rise)
Why the Design & Approvals Stage Carries Significant Risk
Most projects fail or stall long before construction begins.
Why This Stage Is Commonly Misunderstood
Design and approvals are complex and often underestimated.
Many clients assume an architect and a town planner are enough, without realising how many technical, regulatory, and cost critical decisions sit beneath the surface.
Without experienced guidance, designs are developed in isolation, approval pathways are unclear, and key constraints are only discovered after significant time and money have already been spent.
The Risk of Getting It Wrong
We regularly see projects delayed for years due to poor upfront strategy.
Designs are produced that exceed budget, fail compliance, or cannot be approved under council controls, forcing costly redesign or complete resets.
When this stage is not properly led, clients lose time, money, and confidence, long before construction even begins.
How We Get Projects Approved with Confidence
We manage design, planning, consultant coordination, and lodgement under one clear lead.
Our role is to align approval strategy, design, cost, buildability, and compliance from the outset, using the right consultants for the specific project, not just whoever is available.
This removes unknowns early, gives clarity on what will be approved and what it will cost, and sets projects up to move into construction with confidence.
Construction carries risk. This stage determines how much of it you’re exposed to.
Our Design & Approvals Process
We take responsibility for the full design and approvals stage, coordinating strategy, consultants, and lodgement to reduce risk early and give clients clarity on what will be approved, built, and delivered.
Stage 1
Strategy & Feasibility
Defining what is possible before design begins.
This stage defines whether a project is viable before significant time or money is committed. We provide early strategic guidance to understand what is achievable, what will be approved, and how the project should be structured from the outset.
This Stage Covers
- Early feasibility and project viability advice
- Planning pathway assessment (CDC, DA, or alternate approvals)
- High-level budget alignment and buildability considerations
- Identification of planning controls, constraints, and risks
- Clear upfront direction to avoid redesign and wasted spend
Stage 2
Consultant Selection & Coordination
The right expertise, aligned under one clear lead
Projects succeed or fail based on the quality and coordination of the consultant team. We select and manage consultants specifically suited to the project, ensuring all advice is aligned to approvals, cost, and construction realities.
This Stage Covers
- Selection of project-specific consultants, not generic appointments
- Architectural, planning, engineering, and specialist consultant coordination
- Structural, civil, and services engineering integration
- Compliance consultants including BCA, NatHERS, BASIX, heritage, and fire
- Ongoing coordination to ensure advice is aligned, not conflicting
Stage 3
Design Development & Approvals Strategy
Design decisions tested against approvals, cost, and buildability
Design is developed with a clear approvals strategy in place, not in isolation. We ensure design decisions are informed by planning controls, construction constraints, and budget considerations before lodgement.
This Stage Covers
- Concept and design development aligned to approval requirements
- Design review against planning controls, codes, and compliance
- Buildability and cost considerations tested early
- Identification and resolution of approval risks before lodgement
- Reduction of late design changes that cause delay and cost escalation
Stage 4
Lodgement, Reviews & Approval
A controlled approvals process, managed end to end
We manage the approvals process from lodgement through to determination, coordinating consultants, authorities, and certifiers to maintain momentum and reduce uncertainty.
This Stage Covers
- Preparation and management of approval documentation
- Council or certifier lodgement and ongoing liaison
- Management of RFIs, conditions, and review cycles
- Coordination with authorities, certifiers, and consultants through approval
- Clear communication on timelines, outcomes, and next steps
By leading this process from start to finish, we remove uncertainty early and ensure projects move into construction with clarity, confidence, and control.
What This Means for Our Clients
The outcome of a well led design and approvals process
When the design and approvals stage is led properly, uncertainty is removed early and decisions are made with confidence. Clients move forward with a clear understanding of what can be approved, how it will be delivered, and what it will realistically cost.
What a Structured Design & Approvals Process Delivers
When the design and approvals stage is properly structured, uncertainty is removed early and decisions are made with confidence.
Instead of guessing, reacting, or redesigning late, clients move forward with clarity on what can be approved, what it will cost, and how it will be built.
This upfront alignment sets the foundation for the entire project, not just approvals.
The Result for Your Project
This approach reduces risk across the entire delivery, not just at the start.
By aligning strategy, consultants, design, and approvals early, the transition into construction is smoother, faster, and far more predictable.
Projects progress with fewer surprises, clearer decision-making, and confidence that what has been approved can actually be delivered as intended.
This is the difference between hoping a project will work and knowing that it will. Clear strategy and structured approvals create certainty long before construction begins.
Why Engaging Early Makes the Difference
Most of the value we provide happens before decisions are locked in.
Decisions Are Shaped Before They Become Problems
Most issues that arise during approvals or construction are the result of early decisions that were never properly tested. Early engagement allows us to guide key decisions before they are locked in, reducing the need for redesign, rework, or late changes.
The Right Strategy Comes Before the Right Design
Without a clear planning and approvals strategy, design can quickly move in the wrong direction. When we’re involved early, design is shaped around what can be approved, built, and delivered, rather than corrected after the fact.
Consultants Are Selected for the Project, Not Convenience
Each project requires specific expertise. Early engagement allows us to assemble and coordinate consultants suited to the project’s scale, approval pathway, and constraints, rather than defaulting to familiar or generic appointments that may not be fit for purpose.
Cost and Buildability Are Understood Early
Engaging early provides clarity around cost, constructability, and programme before commitments are made. This allows clients to move forward with confidence, knowing the project is viable, aligned, and positioned for a smoother transition into construction.
Your Project, Led by the Right Experts
We manage specialist consultants under one coordinated strategy, ensuring design, approvals, and compliance are aligned from day one.
Architects
We work with architects whose designs are informed by planning controls, cost, and construction realities, ensuring concepts can be approved and built without major redesign.
Engineers
Structural, civil, and services engineering is coordinated early to resolve constraints upfront, reduce redesign, and ensure technical compliance supports both approvals and construction.
Certifiers
We coordinate certifiers from the outset to confirm approval pathways, manage inspections, and ensure documentation is aligned for a smooth transition to construction and Occupation Certificate.
Town Planners
Town planning advice is tailored to the specific site, controls, and council, guiding design decisions and lodgement strategy to maximise approval certainty and minimise delays.
Consultants
We engage specialist consultants only where required, including BASIX, NatHERS, BCA, heritage, acoustic, fire, and sustainability, ensuring each input is relevant, coordinated, and aligned.
Designers
Where required, design detailing and interior coordination is aligned with budget, lead times, and buildability to support smooth delivery rather than late-stage changes.
