Don't stress, you're in safe hands.

The first step is simply getting in touch and starting the conversation.

If you'd like to do some homework, start having a think about; what is it you want to achieve? (your brief), what is your ideal move in date? (your programme) and how much money do you have to spend? (your budget).

That said, we have a briefing document we provide to all clients that will help you answer all these questions and more.

Using an architect gives you peace of mind.

For most people, building or reno­vating is an unfamiliar endeavour and it can be confusing to know where to start. Our job is to make sure your needs are looked after and to guide you through the entire process of building or renovating so you don’t have to face it alone.

This role goes far beyond simply drawing up plans for your new home, business or renovation. We work with you to understand what you want and need out of your project and determine how to achieve all this within a budget you can afford. This involves careful analysis of how you like to live and work and the daily rituals that bring you the most joy then holding your hand every step along the way to make sure the finished building aligns with or exceeds your expectations.

This might seem a foreign concept now, but we see the fruit of this labour when our clients move in and are constantly surprised by the moments of joy, meaning and beauty we have imparted in the space. We hear the words 'wow!', 'it's so cool that...' and 'I had no idea...' a lot!

A lot of people don't realise that a draftsperson and an architect provide a completely different service.

If you have a sketch and want someone to simply draw it up, then you might be better off going to a draftsperson. But if you have complex spatial and building problems that need solving (most people do!) you will be better off using an architect.

Some other items to consider:

1. An architect provides more bang for your buck. A recent study revealed Architect-led house renovations deliver greater value for money, with a capital return on investment of $11.40 for every dollar spent on an architect.

   “Architects are frequently dismissed as being an expensive luxury rather than a critical part of a successful renovation. Architects and design-savvy home-owners have always innately understood the value of design, but have rarely had evidence to support it,” said ArchiTeam CEO Phoebe LaGerche-Wijsman.

2. Where as a draftsperson's business model is based on doing multiple projects as quickly as possible, our business model is based on doing fewer projects at a sensible pace. This stems from the fact that good design takes time and this is time most draftees simply don't spend and most clients simply don't have. We do what we do best by juggling the myriad balls of competing interests required for every project so you don't have to, allowing you time to do what it is that you do best at work and at home.

3. The big one for us is to protect your mental health. There is no one other person in the whole construction process who will be fighting for your wellbeing the whole way through what is an inherently complex undertaking. Most builders won’t be doing that, the engineer won’t be doing that, the draftsperson won’t do that because their business model and training doesn’t allow for it. We've been called in to rescue multiple projects after a building designer got the design wrong or produced designs that were ‘undercooked’ which led to innumerable variations from builders, months of uncertainty, stress, heartache and broken dreams. At Maxwell & Page we care deeply about your wellbeing through every step along the journey.

Every project is unique and as such our fees are carefully calculated to correspond to the right amount of time and work required to bring your project of specific size and complexity to completion.

Roughly this equates to up to 18% of a construction budget of $250k or down to 8% of a construction budget of over $1.5M.

Because most of our clients don't have a clear understanding of how much their project is going to cost at the outset, if you have some clarity around your brief we provide a bite-sized fixed-fee stage at the start of the project to help you clarify how much that brief might cost.

Once we have clarified your construction budget and turned your brief into a workable concept design we provide a fixed fee to undertake the known remainder of work to bring your project to fruition.

All measurable costs are explained up front, work completed ahead of payment and invoiced monthly.

Beyond architectural and construction costs there are a few other costs that you should be aware of when building a home.

Consultants fees typically equate to about 3-5% of your overall construction cost. (Note that consultant fees will vary with location, project complexity and individual site constraints and the actual expenses will vary).

Additionally you will need to allow for fees associated with Planning Approval and Construction Approval. Fees vary between states, however as a rule of thumb we recommend you allow for 3-5% of the overall construction cost.

It is not uncommon for you to be unsure of what you might expect to pay for the project you are envisioning, it is our job to help you gain an understanding of the costs and to manage your expectations with reality.

We believe in designing something you can afford, and whilst we don't set construction costs (we'd love to make everything A LOT cheaper!), we work hard at educating you on the financial implications of your choices so that you can make informed decisions.

Before we start designing we provide a fixed fee pre-design service that helps you get a better understanding of whether your budget is aligning with your brief. (We would rather disappoint you early then take you along for a ride).

Then along the way we are constantly reviewing the budget with several checkpoints in place at which ‘Budget Heath Checks’ are carried out to ensure the expectations established at the beginning of the project can be continually met and realised. At these checkpoints we are helping you:

• Work out where to splurge and when to pull back;

• Adjust your budget to suit your brief (spending more);

• Adjust your brief (scaling it back) to suit your budget and/or

• Staging your build, spend what you are comfortable spending now and we can masterplan your design for the subsequent stages to follow.

Depending on the scale of your project, it usually takes us around six to nine months for us to fully develop your project from first concept design through to fully detailed design, specification, and documentation as suitable for a builder to price and build the works.

The time it takes for council approvals varies greatly across councils but we recommend allowing for a minimum of three months.

ABSOLUTELY! Sustainability doesn't just mean using energy efficient materials and adding solar panels to your building (although they are both important considerations). To us it encompasses:

• Building small, but better.

• Using careful observation to respond to the natural assets and constraints of your site - maximising natural light, capturing breezes, reducing the amount of earthworks your home requires.

• Respecting what already exists on the site, retaining what has value and re-purposing what can be re-used in the new works.

• Listening intently to what is most important to you so that we are directing energy and resources to realising those goals. And,

• Consideration of longevity, adaptability and healthy building practices, Ensuring your home performs well for many years to come.

We can!

Finding the right builder is almost as important as finding the right architect (wink wink).

We have established relationships with a range of local builders in Newcastle and in other regional areas and we look to engage them early to reduce risk, gain feedback and manage budgets.

Our aim is to surround you with a team of professionals at the top of their field that you can trust to bring your project from dreams to built reality.