Design and build builders Melbourne
One team from the first sketch to handover, so the design gets tested against a real build budget instead of becoming a drawing nobody can afford.
- Concept to completion
- Permits managed
- Single contract
One contract
Design and construction under one roof
The usual split is that an architect designs, a builder prices, and the number comes back too high. Months get spent cutting the design back to a budget it was never tested against. Design and build removes that loop by pricing as the design develops.
You get one contract and one point of contact from concept through to handover, which also means nothing falls between your architect, your engineer and your builder.
- Concept design developed against a real construction budget
- Single contract covering design and construction
- One point of contact for the whole project
- Engineering and consultants coordinated for you
- No gap between who drew it and who builds it
Approvals
Documentation, permits and approvals
Between a concept everyone likes and a site you can start on sits the documentation, the engineering and the permits. It is the least visible part of a project and the most common place for months to disappear.
We manage town planning where it is required, building permits, soil and site testing, and the consultant reports that go with them, and we keep the drawings resolved enough that the build is not being designed on site.
- Town planning applications and council liaison
- Building permit applications and documentation
- Structural engineering and soil testing
- Energy rating and compliance reports
- Construction drawings resolved before trades start
Certainty
A fixed price you can rely on
Because the design is priced as it develops, the fixed price at the end of it is based on drawings that are actually resolved rather than assumptions and allowances that get corrected later as variations.
That is the real value of design and build. Cost surprises are least likely when the people pricing the job are the same people who decided how it would be built.
- Budget tested at every design stage
- Fixed price contract on resolved documentation
- Fewer allowances, so fewer variations
- Itemised pricing you can actually read
- Programme with milestone dates from day one
Why choose us
Why choose design and build
Priced as it is drawn
Cost gets tested at every stage, so you are not redesigning a project you have already fallen in love with.
Faster to site
Design, documentation and early procurement overlap rather than running strictly one after the other.
Nobody to blame
One contract means no argument about whether a problem is a design issue or a construction issue. It is ours either way.
Buildable detailing
Details are drawn by people who have to build them, which shows up in the finished quality and in the price.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between design and build and hiring an architect?
With an architect you hold two separate contracts, one for design and one for construction, and the design is usually priced only once it is finished. With design and build you hold one contract and the cost is tested as the design develops, which is why fewer projects need cutting back late.
Can I still use my own architect?
Yes. Plenty of our work is built from a client's architect's documentation, and we are happy to come in early to price and advise while they are still designing. Design and build is the option when you would rather not run two contracts at all.
When do I get a fixed price?
Once the documentation is resolved enough to price properly, typically at the end of design development and before the building permit is issued. You get indicative budgets before that at each design stage, so there are no surprises about the order of magnitude.
How long does the design and approvals stage take?
For a custom home, commonly 4 to 8 months from first concept to a building permit, longer where town planning is required or the site sits in an overlay. It is worth allowing for properly, because rushing documentation is what causes variations later.
Do you handle the engineering and consultants?
Yes. Structural engineering, soil testing, energy rating and surveying are all coordinated by us as part of the process, and you deal with one team rather than briefing each consultant yourself.
Other services
What else we build
Let’s talk
Get a price on your design and build project.
Come to us with finished plans, or just a site and an idea. Either way you get an honest read on what it takes to build it.
- 0421 258 240
- stefan@santalana.com.au
- 12 Nelson Place, South Melbourne VIC
Request a consultation
One business day response, every time.