Concept design service.

Ready to build something treasured, but seeking clarity first?

A concept design is the ideal first step. It’s a clear and affordable way to explore your ideas with an architect, without committing to full service fees. Our design package delivers a complete, sustainable design that’s personal, functional and contemporary.

Use it with your own builder or draftsman, or continue with us through planning and detailed design. The choice is yours.

  • Start with a small, defined investment rather than a lengthy contract

    • Reduce the risk of runaway costs or designing something you can’t afford

    • Eliminate the “uncertainty factor” that builders add when a design is unclear

    • Own your concept package outright. It’s yours to use as you wish

  • Explore design options without fear of extra fees

    • Take your drawings to builders for pricing

    • Hand the package to a draftsman for approvals and documentation

    • Continue with us for approvals or even into full service architecture.

    While this last option is our preferred path to ensure quality, the concept package gives you total control over the next steps.

  • Understand what an architect can achieve on your site in clear, visual terms

    • Access passive design strategies tailored to your site, lifestyle, and climate

    • Gain independent advice that strengthens your position with builders and consultants

    • Get a second opinion before committing to full service fees

Case study 01: Concept animations

How it works.
Streamlined. Inspired. Delivered.

We begin with a briefing to understand your goals, site and priorities. From there, we provide a fixed price estimate, a clear timeline and set of deliverables. Once confirmed, we jump straight in. Develop sketch layouts, 3D visuals and indicative cost guidance. The result is a complete concept package that is personal, practical and beautifully resolved.

  • A black and white line drawing of a stylized face with two circular eyes, a small horizontal line for a nose, and a jagged line for a mouth, enclosed in a square border.

    1. Contact Us

  • Icon of a clipboard with checkboxes and a pen, representing a checklist or form.

    2. Define Objectives + Fee

  • A black and white graphic of a light bulb with orbiting electrons around it, symbolizing science and innovation.

    3. Design Development

  • Line drawing of a pen, a compass, and a ruler inside a square border.

    4. Feedback + Finetune

  • Simple black outline of a house with a gabled roof, inside a square border.

    5. Final Package Delivery

“In building, the most expensive cost is the cost of the unknown. Uncertainty inflates budgets. A clear concept design and drawing set reduces guesswork and keeps pricing fairer and more predictable.”

— Common industry knowledge

Line drawing of a house on stilts with mesh-like windmill structures nearby, all depicted with simple black lines on a white background.

Case study 01: Concept sketch

What’s included.

Every concept package is a complete drawing set. Thorough, customized, and ready to move forward. It combines the essentials of good architecture with the flexibility to add more detail where you need it. The process includes five one-on-one meetings with the architect. From briefing to final presentation, ensuring you receive direct design input and clear communication throughout.

  • ROUND 1: Brief

    • Initial briefing and Q&A session

    ROUND 2: First Thoughts

    • Site Analysis

    • Room Schedule + Budget Analysis

    • Sketch concepts with minor variations for feedback

    • Client feedback within 1 week.

    ROUND 3: Developed design

    • Developed concept design with refinements and client comments

    • Client feedback within 1 week

    ROUND 4: Final Design

    Final design presentation including:

    • Site and concept sketches

    • Passive design principles

    • 3D form studies

    • Scaled plan set and area schedule

    • 3D renders with site and materials

    • Material palette and mood board

    • Design concept summary in plain language

    • Client feedback within 1 week. (minor changes only)

    ROUND 5: Design Submission

    • Next-steps plan for approvals and documentation

  • Design extensions

    • Landscape design integration

    • Interior design concept

    • Custom feature furniture

    Technical + planning

    • Planning approval preparation and coordination

    • Engineers Assessment

    • Sustainability Assessment (energy, orientation, materials, shadow path study)

    • Cost Assessment from QS

    Presentation

    • Professional renders or Animated flythrough

    • Physical model

    Next Steps

    • We stay involved as a design consultant

    • We take your project forward through documentation and construction

Case study 01: Drawing set

Architectural concept sketch of a modern residence with a wooden deck, angular rooflines, and geometric design elements, illustrated in black ink on a white background.
Existing house floor plan with detailed notes on remodeling and renovation suggestions, including layout of rooms, garden space, and site boundary.
Proposed ground floor plan for a residential building showing layout of rooms including bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining area, bathroom, laundry, verandah, pool, lawn, outdoor entertaining space, and study, with annotations and measurements.
Architectural floor plan of a proposed upper floor for a house, including a master bedroom, master terrace, outdoor bathroom, and surrounding landscape with trees and parking area, labeled with dimensions and notes.
Proposed roof plan for a building with surrounding trees, a staircase on the left, and a master terrace at the bottom, labeled with street names Louisa St. and Laneway.
Architectural blueprint of a heritage cottage renovation project, showing two elevation views of the house's front and side, with trees, driveway, footpath, and scale.
Architectural blueprint showing the south and east elevations of a house with annotations about demolition, construction, and landscaping plans, including notes on external structures, window replacement, and garden features.
Architectural blueprint showing proposed elevations of a house on Louisa Street, including a north elevation and west elevation, with measurements and construction notes.
Architectural blueprint with proposed elevations of a building, including south, east, and interior views, with measurements, labels, and notes for construction.
Architectural design blueprint for a house with labeled sections and measurements, including views of interior and exterior spaces like the entertainment area, courtyard, pool, and front garden.
Architectural section drawings of a proposed residential building project, showing different levels and areas such as pool, courtyard, kitchen, dining, living room, garage, and rooftop terrace. Details include dimensions, labels, and construction not
Architectural drawing of a house cross-section and elevation, with labeled areas such as pool, entertaining area, stairwell, front garden, living room, bedrooms, courtyard, laneway, and a tree. Includes measurements and notes for construction.

Transparent Pricing.

Every project is unique, so our Concept design service adjusts to your scale, budget and level of detail.

The figures below show a typical range. After an initial, obligation-free meeting, we prepare a custom fee proposal tailored to your project.

  • Project Budget: Under $500K
    Fee: $20,000 – $25,000
    Compact dwellings up to approx. 150 m².

    Project Budget: $500K – $750K
    Fee: $25,000 – $30,000
    Mid-sized homes around 200 m² with considered proportions and detail.

    Project Budget: $750K – $1M
    Fee: $30,000 – $40,000
    Large custom homes up to 250 m² with higher material quality and refinement.

    Project Budget: $1M – $2M
    Fee: $40,000 – $80,000
    Expansive architect-designed homes up to 350 m² with elevated finishes and design ambition.

    Project Budget: Over $2M
    Fee: from $80,000+
    Premium residences above 350 m², crafted to the highest standards and complexity.

    All figures are excluding GST and VAT.
    Replace $ with € for European projects.
    Renovations typically attract a 30% surcharge due to existing conditions and documentation complexity.

  • Interior Design
    Typically an additional 1.5% of project budget, depending on scope and finishes.
    Develops the internal spaces with detailed layouts, materials, lighting, and furnishing direction for a cohesive interior concept.

    Custom Furniture
    Typically an additional 1% of the project budget, depending on scope and finishes.
    This option develops bespoke joinery and feature pieces that elevate the overall design — from staircases and kitchens to integrated storage, cabinetry and foyer elements. Each piece is designed to complement the architecture and interior, creating a cohesive and crafted result.

    Landscape Design
    Typically an additional 1% of project budget, depending on site size and level of detail.
    Extends the concept to include outdoor spaces, planting zones, pathways and site integration studies.

    Planning Approval
    Typically an additional 1 to 1.5% of project budget.
    Develops your approved concept into a complete planning submission, including refined drawings, elevations, materials and up to two rounds of revisions.

budget calculator

Case study 01: Concept animations

Why choose a fixed priced concept design?

A concept design package offers flexibility, clarity and creative direction, without committing to a full architectural service. It’s ideal for clients who want expert design thinking at an early stage, with the freedom to continue the journey in their own way.

  • Some clients simply want a clear design vision. Not a complete set of technical drawings. While full service offers great value, it’s not always essential.

    We focus on what we do best: shaping thoughtful, inspired concepts.

  • If you’ve engaged someone to manage documentation or construction, our concept design gives them a solid, well-considered foundation to build from.

  • A concept package helps you explore options early. By assessing design potential, budget, and feasibility before committing to a full build.

  • Sometimes it helps to gain a fresh perspective on a design or site. We offer an objective, creative review that can reveal new ideas or refine an existing approach.

  • Our fixed-price model makes the early stages of design simple and fast. With a clear brief, transparent fee and focused scope, we can deliver meaningful results in weeks rather than months. Helping you make confident decisions sooner.

  • A concept design gives you the big picture. How your ideas translate to space, budget and style.

    It’s a smart, low-risk way to confirm direction before engaging in detailed design and construction.

Black and white photo of a pool area with a tree, modern buildings, and a cloudy sky in the background during dusk or night.

Case Study 01 - Louisa Street Clients

“Tim Pardoe is an excellent architect. He designed the renovation of our heritage-listed house, seamlessly merging the original cottage with a modern extension. He is innovative, and creative with a fine attention to detail. He is very easy to work with, including remotely, and we highly recommend him and his work. Thank you, for helping us create such a beautiful home.”

Case Studies.

Check out the following projects that have been designed and built remotely, starting with a concept design package.

Louisa St. RESIDENCE
WILD HOP BREWERY
SOLOMON ST. RESIDENCE
Modern house with large windows, adjacent to a leafy tree, with a blue sky and some clouds in the background.
Modern open-concept kitchen and dining area with black cabinetry, wooden accents, and a view of an outdoor patio with brick flooring.
Low-angle view of a modern building with wooden exterior walls, partly obscured by a large tree with twisted branches, against a background of a partly cloudy sky.
Interior view of a modern home with a kitchen on the left side and a dining area on the right side, separated by a dividing wall.
Balcony with outdoor seating, umbrella, plants, and a wooden fence, overlooking rooftops and trees under a clear blue sky.
Modern kitchen with black cabinetry, marble countertop, bar stools, and large glass sliding doors opening to an outdoor patio with brick pavers and a tree.
Close-up image of wooden stairs viewed from above, showing the edges and texture of the wood.

Case study 01: Construction photos

Limited openings available.

Good design takes time. Our concept design service is available to a select number of projects each year.
If your design is on our drawing table, its the most important job in the office.

Book a consultation