From first idea to detailed drawings
Our Building Design Process
A clear, considered process connecting your project goals, property, design decisions and the documentation needed to move towards approvals and construction.
A clearer path forward
Good projects begin before the drawings
A successful building project begins with understanding the property and what you want the completed building to achieve. Early decisions about layout, access, orientation, scale and project scope can influence the later design, approval and construction stages.
Holland Building Design uses a structured process to turn your requirements into a practical design response. The exact stages and documentation vary according to the project, but each step builds on the decisions made before it.
We keep the design connected to the site, intended use and information required by the consultants, building surveyors, authorities and construction professionals involved.
Process overview
Four connected stages
From the first conversation to completed documentation, each stage provides a clearer foundation for the next.
Understand
Discuss the property, requirements, priorities and intended outcome.
Explore
Review the site and develop a concept responding to the project brief.
Refine
Review feedback and develop the preferred design direction.
Document
Prepare the drawings required for planning, permits and construction.
Initial project discussion
The first stage is about understanding why you are considering the project and what you need the finished property to achieve. Your ideas may be detailed, or you may only know that the current home, site or commercial space no longer meets your needs.
Topics we may discuss
- Property and project location
- Existing buildings and site use
- Rooms, spaces and practical needs
- Style and appearance preferences
- Future plans for the property
- Available plans and site information
This conversation helps establish an appropriate starting point and identifies information that may be needed before the design progresses.
Early discussions are useful precisely because they help organise your priorities and identify the questions that need to be resolved.
Property and site review
The site provides the physical context for the design. We consider the information relevant to the project so the proposed work responds to the block and its relationship with existing buildings.
- Site dimensions and orientation
- Existing structures and access
- Natural light and outdoor areas
- Vehicle and pedestrian movement
- Neighbouring properties
- Known site constraints
Depending on the project, existing drawings, site information, measurements or input from other consultants may be required. The necessary information is identified according to the scope rather than assumed to be the same for every property.
Defining the project brief
The project brief brings together your priorities, the intended use and the information identified during the early review. It provides a reference point for evaluating design decisions as the project develops.
For a home, the brief may address family requirements, room relationships, storage, privacy and indoor-outdoor living. For a commercial project, it may focus on staff, customers, equipment, stock, deliveries, vehicle access and operational flow.
Understanding how the finished space needs to work often creates better design direction than starting with a fixed arrangement of rooms.
Concept design
The concept stage translates the project brief into an initial design response. It explores the arrangement of spaces, circulation, form and relationship between the proposed work and the site.
- Overall layout and spatial planning
- Room and functional relationships
- Building form and appearance
- Indoor and outdoor connections
- Access and vehicle movement
- Response to existing buildings
The purpose of concept design is to establish a strong overall direction before progressing into detailed documentation.
Feedback and design refinement
The initial design is reviewed against your priorities and the practical requirements of the project. Feedback is considered and the preferred direction is refined so the design becomes clearer and more resolved.
Changes are most effective when feedback explains the result you want to improve. This allows individual requests to be considered in relation to the project as a whole rather than making isolated changes that may create new conflicts elsewhere.
A change to one area can influence circulation, elevations, structure, rooflines or other spaces. We review changes in the context of the complete design.
Town planning pathway
Some projects require town planning approval before a building permit can be considered. Where applicable, the design and supporting drawings are developed with the relevant planning pathway in mind.
Planning requirements depend on the property, proposed use, applicable controls and scope of work. Additional reports or specialist advice may also be required depending on the project.
Holland Building Design can prepare relevant design documentation for a town planning application. Approval decisions remain with the responsible authority, so fixed approval outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Construction drawings and documentation
Once the design direction is established and any required planning stage has been addressed, the project can move into more detailed documentation.
- Detailed plans and elevations
- Relevant sections and dimensions
- Construction-related design information
- Existing and proposed work
- Coordination of available consultant information
- Documentation for the building permit pathway
The exact drawing set depends on the project. The goal is to clearly communicate the proposed work and provide appropriate documentation for the next stage.
Permits and moving towards construction
The completed documentation can be used as part of the building permit process and to communicate the design to the professionals involved in construction. Additional consultant information may be needed according to the project.
Building permit assessment and approval are undertaken by the relevant building surveyor. Once the necessary approvals and project arrangements are in place, the project can move towards construction.
Builders, consultants and surveyors rely on coordinated information to understand the proposed work and their role in the project.
Before we begin
What to bring to the first discussion
Provide whatever information you already have. It is fine if some details are unavailable or your ideas are still developing.
Common questions
Building design process FAQs
Answers to common questions about design stages, revisions, permits and construction documentation.
How long does the building design process take?
Can I request changes to the concept design?
Does every project need town planning approval?
Is a town planning permit the same as a building permit?
Do I need to choose a builder before design begins?
Can you coordinate information from other consultants?
Begin your project
Start with a clear conversation
Tell Holland Building Design about your property, ideas and priorities. We will discuss the appropriate design and documentation pathway for your project.