Service
Architectural New Builds
Considered, design-led homes — more time at concept, deeper resolution at detail.
When this is the right service
Architectural new builds are for clients who want the design itself to be a deliberate part of the project — homes that respond to a particular site, work for a specific brief, and feel one-off rather than off-the-shelf.
The fee is higher than an everyday new build because the design time is higher. More time at concept resolving the form, the relationship to the site and the way the home is lived in. More rounds of revision through developed design, refining junctions, materials and detail. More coordination with engineers, geotech, landscape, and any specialist consultants the brief calls for.
How the design actually develops
Revisions on a designer brief are about *refinement*, not redesign. A strong brief at the start narrows the design space enough that revisions are about fine-tuning what's already on the page — moving a window, rebalancing a roof line, sharpening a junction — not throwing the whole thing out and starting over. The clearer the brief, the fewer redesigns; the earlier the constraints (budget, site, planning rules) are on the table, the more time gets spent developing one good idea instead of disproving three weak ones.
3D visualisation, presentation renders and a real-time 3D walkthrough are all included on this service line. Visualisation happens *after* the design is cemented post developed design — what you walk through is the home you're going to build, not a concept in motion.
How the fee runs
- Concept fee — fixed, set per project type. More revisions built in than the everyday line.
- Developed design fee — fixed, set per project type. Deeper detail resolution.
- Working drawings — a percentage of the developed design build cost. Locked at proposal.
Live numbers in the sidebar.
How a designer home project runs
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Site meeting
Site walk-through with attention to outlook, sun, approach. Brief explored at depth. Constraints and possibilities mapped together.
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Proposal
Written proposal with scope, stage fees and indicative programme. Engagement signed and concept fee invoiced.
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Concept
Site analysis, form studies in 3D from day one, plan options. Three rounds of revision built into the fee — refinement, not redesign.
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Client approval of concept
Final concept signed off in writing. Material palette established at this point so it carries through documentation into the build.
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Concept priced
Concept run through the QS software Stoak uses for an early build cost estimate.
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Developed design
Junction studies, detail studies, specification development. Four rounds of revision built into the fee. Consultants engaged where the brief needs them — structural engineer, geotech, fire engineering, landscape.
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3D walkthrough produced
Real-time fly-through of the home built from the developed-design model. You walk through the home before working drawings start.
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Developed design priced
Developed design priced through the QS software so the budget and the design land in the same place before working drawings.
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Client approval of developed design and budget
Final design and price signed off — ready for working drawings.
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Consultant quotes
Engineer and any other consultant quotes received. Working-drawings fee set as a percentage of the developed design build cost and confirmed in writing.
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Working drawings
Full consent set with designer-grade detailing — junctions, schedules, weathertightness strategy, structural coordination, services. Building Consent lodged on your behalf and RFIs handled.
Frequently asked
- What makes a designer new build different?
- More design time at every stage. The fee covers more time at concept resolving the form and the brief, more rounds of revision through developed design, deeper detailing on the consent set, and more consultant coordination. The drawings Council asks for look similar; the design behind them is more developed.
- How many rounds of revision do I get?
- Enough to land the design — within the scope of the original brief. Revisions are about refining the concept, not redesigning from scratch. A clear brief at the start is what keeps revisions to fine-tuning rather than rebuilds. If the brief itself shifts mid-project (a new room, a different structural system, a layout pivot), that's a written variation rather than a revision.
- Are 3D walkthroughs included?
- Yes — alongside renders and presentation drawings. The walkthrough is produced after developed design, once form and material decisions are settled, so what you walk through is the home that's being built.
- How is the fee priced?
- A fixed concept fee, a fixed developed-design fee, and a percentage of the developed design build cost for working drawings. Current figures are live on the calculator on this page.
Ready to talk?