About.
thedesignstudio is a flexi-service architectural practice…
Philosophy.
Our design philosophy is as much about function as aesthetics...
What we do.
Residential, commercial, and construction management…
Process.
We offer an initial, no obligation, on-site consultation within the greater Dunedin area…
about
Established in 1995 by respected Dunedin designer, Brent Alexander, thedesignstudio is a flexi-service architectural practice. We are professional members of ADNZ, and licensed building practitioners.
If you are looking to create a stylish and functional home that suits your needs, while having broad market appeal, then we could work together.
Driven by a passion for architecture, and a desire to ‘create joy through smart design’ , we wanted to reject the mediocrity of the houses that litter our urban landscape by creating well-considered, durable and energy efficient homes and buildings that reflect the character of the people who live in them.
design philosophy
Our design philosophy is as much about function as aesthetics. Every project centres around stylish and practical design, and creating value for our clients.
Our houses and buildings are eco-sensitive incorporating first principles of passive solar and energy efficient design that cost less to heat, and are warmer and healthier. They are highly functional, cost-effective, and well thought out to maximise sun and views while being a joy to live or work in.
Generic design and cheap construction is not what we do. And we know that well designed homes and buildings last longer, sell faster and are worth more.
we listen
Our clients understand the benefits of working with a skilled designer. They tell us they appreciate our easy to deal with approach and the way we listen to them so they get what they want, and not necessarily what we want them to have.
fees
Our aim to provide a quality design service for a fair price is genuine; one that bridges the gap between low-end volume housing and crazy-expensive high-end homes. We are up front about our charges so you know what you are in for early on.
Our fees are competitive and we provide estimates for all stages. For new building projects we will fix our fee.
experience
We work hard to streamline the complex process of design, consent and construction. Our extensive experience in designing and managing a wide variety of projects ranging from small bathroom refurbishments to multi-million-dollar commercial buildings means you will have peace of mind while achieving the finished result you’re looking for.
And we stand by our work. In the event that there is a problem (it happens) we’ll do what we can to sort it. We only work with the best engineers, builders and consultants who we know can provide the level of quality, service, reliability and value required to help you achieve excellent results.
continuous learning
We are continuously training to keep ourselves up to date with modern building materials and construction best practices. Our documents are thorough and well detailed – good plans reduce pricing uncertainties and ensure a high standard of construction and finish.
consider this:
Your new home, alteration or building project will cost pretty much the same whether it’s well designed or not. So for the same money why wouldn’t you get some expert advice from thedesignstudio at the start to make sure you get the best finished result?
thedesignstudio has successfully completed hundreds of both residential and commercial projects, and built a reputation for creativity, reliability and professionalism.
what we do
residential design
quality new homes and holiday houses
sympathetic alterations to existing homes
custom design kitchens & bathrooms
built-in joinery, interior finishes and lighting design
commercial design
retrofitted & repurposed buildings
apartments, offices and mixed use spaces
bar fitouts and café design
commercial and industrial buildings; big and small
construction management
applications for building consent and resource consent – dealing with Councils
project administration and site observation
and here’s what our clients say about us…
…”Clever buggers…” F. Alexander, Dunedin
…”We love our fantastic new kitchen. We never thought about doing that…You earned your fee in the first 10 seconds of the consultation…” J Hollows, Dunedin
…“Boy, you really hit a home run with the design of our house alterations…” R Oldfield, Dunedin
our design process
1: initial consultation
We offer an initial, no obligation, on-site consultation within the greater Dunedin area to discuss your needs and gain an understanding of your project. We will send you a ‘preliminary offer of service’ for the concept design phase, outlining the proposal, the expected timeframes and estimated design fees so you know roughly what our costs will be at the earliest possible time.
2: concept design and development
We come back to measure your house or building, or to investigate your site so that we can prepare accurate preliminary design drawings. Together we will review the scheme and make some changes before settling on a concept design. We recommend seeking estimates from a nominated builder, or independent quantity surveyor, at this stage to give you an indication of likely construction costs. We can then revise the design to fit the budget as required.
3: final drawings and specifications
Our final drawings and specifications are thorough and sufficiently detailed to meet building consent requirements and for the calling of competitive tenders. At this stage we often need to engage a consulting engineer for structural design of foundations, beams and bracing. We’re also happy to work with other advisers of your own choosing such as interior designers and landscape architects to complement the design team.
4: consents and tendering
We will submit the building consent application and associated compliance paperwork. By maintaining direct contact with the Council we can help minimise the processing time and avert unnecessary delays caused by requests for more information. We can also prepare and submit simple land use resource consent applications.
If required, we can also seek competitive tenders from our database of trusted contractors, removing the risk of poor quality workmanship. Alternatively, you are free to negotiate with your own preferred contractors. Either way, we will help you with the contract documentation and steer you through the tender process to make it as easy as possible.
5: construction management
Construction monitoring is crucial to a successful project. As a minimum we will liaise directly with the builder and prepare variations to our drawings to capture changes as they occur during construction. Having us involved at this stage can help nip potential problems in the bud, resolve complex issues and coordinate owner supplied items. We will also check compliance with the plans and specifications so you know you are getting what you are paying for.
We also offer the option of a more comprehensive construction management service where we run site meetings, certify the builder’s accounts and process variations.
Our management service is flexible and can be tailored to suit your needs and budget.
BRENT ALEXANDER design studio ltd trading as thedesignstudio
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