Fees

To ensure complete confidence and transparency, we provide a comprehensive breakdown of our fees in our Project Fee Proposal (PFP). Upon completion of the site meeting, we tailor our proposal that also includes the estimated fees of relevant consultants and an estimate of the construction cost, which ensures you are fully aware of the overall project budget estimate to avoid unexpected progress claims. This approach ensures you are aware of the likely costs from the very start and be reasonably confident there are no surprises at the Building Stage. We also like to invite a preferred Builder and/or an Architectural Estimator on more complex projects midway, which is highly beneficial to the overall project success. 

Our fees are calculated as a percentage of the overall project estimate and can vary greatly based on the type of project, scope and level finishes. We can only quote against what we know and make allowances for what we anticipate and flag as a concern. For carports, there is a set fee we work against as they are a lot more involved due to their regulatory nature (Please revert to the Facebook Page where I have provided an article of their typical complexities). When estimating projects, we also compare like for like and draw on our experience and continued rapport through industry sources and professional contacts. Overall, client’s demand certainty around fees and to work within their budget. This is primarily why we apply a rigorous staged approach, a limitation on options per stage and strongly advocate on an initial site meeting to avoid incorrect assumptions.

The initial consultation is a non-obligation consultation site consult, which includes travel within the Brisbane metropolitan area and a 30 minute consultation. I will also undertake a preliminary due diligence of the site before meetings:

  1. To reduce our risk against criteria that is not identified early;

  2. To bring to the client’s awareness on building compliance standards and guidelines and/or council referral triggers that maybe outside the scope of work; and

  3. I prefer to sit down with potential clients and explain the reasons behind estimates and explain the process. A better informed client always results in a better relationship from the start. A Project Fee Proposal can take 1-2 days, sometimes more and we believe our dedicated attention to open collaboration, and attention to detail are at the very heart of our core values. A Project Fee Proposal includes a full due diligence assessment against:

  • Before You Dig Investigation - which determines the incumbrances over the property for sewer and water infrastructure, telecommunications, utilities, Telstra, overhead or below the ground electricity, council easements, drainage and the like.

  • Council’s Planning Scheme - A Council induced property report will reference the specific codes and overlays that may require closer scrutiny against the site and the project scope. Sometimes sites require a preliminary discussion with a Town Planner to confirm or rule out referral triggers.

  • State Government Matters - Some sites may require State referral.

  • Early consideration to matters concerning the National Construction Code (NCC) - especially the new Liveable Housing Provisions and the Queensland Development Code (QDC) are critical and will depend on the overall Building Approval acceptance and success.

Whether you have a clear vision for your building project or require feedback, we can help you clarify and get the most out of your brief as possible with the budget you have in mind. At the initial site meeting the objective is to unwrap your scope by examining your lifestyle and seeking to understand exactly what you need and want from your home.

Serenity Building Design is a home based design practice. By staying small, we can maintain a competitive fee structure and minimise our overheads and expenses.

Whilst our Project Fee Proposal is detailed and demonstrates our calculation fee method, we can also tailor the design package to be staged if it better aligns with your plans. We collaborate with other practitioners, such as Builders and Engineers early to prevent unforeseen issues and develop a strong trustworthy rapport based on good project governance, a Standard Operation of Practice (SOP) in design methodology, and collaboration with the client at every stage throughout the project lifecycle.

Please note that our fees do not include third-party consultants, as their assessment is based on a needs and risk assessment.

All projects are staged and therefore so is our invoicing. This protects the client from over-committing or there are unknown project circumstances that cannot be avoided.

Post forwarding our Project Fee Proposal, and you have had time to absorb our approach we invite you to sit down to go through in person, whereby you can question any aspect of the approach and to understand what is required. This in turn generates discussion and adjustments can be made prior to accepting the engagement.