Adelaide building design & construction
We design it. We build it.
New homes, extensions and renovations — designed around your site and budget, lodged for council approval, then built by the same team. Or take the plans to your own builder. Your call.
- years designing & building
- 20+years designing & building
- council-ready documentation
- 100%council-ready documentation
- SA builder
- LicensedSA builder
- direct with the director
- 1:1direct with the director
Stages
From a first sketch to the keys in your hand.
You're free to begin or end at any of our stages — there's no obligation to move through the entire process. Whether you come to us just for construction, just need help getting approvals, or want support from concept design through to construction, you can engage us at whatever point suits your project and step away whenever you choose.
Design
- Stage 01
Concept Design
Concept is as light or as thorough as your project needs: a drafting pass to confirm a layout, or a look at options. A construction estimate sits with the first sketch, so you know early what the design might cost.
Concept is iterative by design, not a single pass — we expect the drawings to develop as your thinking does. We want to understand how you actually live before we draw anything, and we want accurate levels for the block, because the whole design ends up sitting on them. Our designers hold master's degrees in architecture and decades of local experience, and they design for buildability as much as for looks — which is a good part of what keeps the estimate honest.
- Questionnaire, brief and a site visit
- A professional survey, or we'll work from yours
- Plans, elevations and 3D views of the house and the site
- A full construction estimate before you commit
- Stage 02
Planning Approval
We prepare the planning set, lodge it with council, and manage the correspondence. On complex sites we ask early — slope, bushfire, heritage, septic — so the application doesn't stall.
We work with these councils every day, so we can usually tell you which questions your site will attract and which referrals — Country Fire Service, Native Vegetation Council, a heritage assessor — are likely, well before they arrive as a delay. Timeframes vary by council and by how complex the application is, and we'll tell you what's typical for yours rather than leave you guessing. If you're renovating internally and nothing changes outside, you may not need this stage at all.
- Site plan, stormwater, floor plans and elevations
- Wastewater assessment and design where there's no sewer
- Lodgement and council correspondence handled for you
- Likely referrals flagged before you lodge
- Stage 03
Building Approval
The design gets its technical detail — engineering, timber framing, energy compliance — and a drawing set ready for certification. If you're building with us, the stage ends with an itemised quote.
The soil test starts early, because the engineer needs it to size the footings and the rest of the documentation waits on it. What comes out the other end is a set a private certifier can approve — Building Rules Consent, if you run into the council term for it. Fine details can still move at this point, and deliberately so: a change here costs a redraw, while the same change once you're on site costs a variation. If you're building with us, this is also when you schedule every fixture and finish, and you can choose from any supplier you like.
- Soil test, structural and civil engineering
- Timber framing design and energy assessment report
- A complete set lodged with a private certifier
- Selections scheduled and an itemised quote to build
Build
- Stage 04
Construction
A dedicated site supervisor, regular updates with photos, and the drawings you approved as the drawings on site. It ends at handover with keys, warranties and certificates.
The significant decisions are already made by the time we break ground, which is why variations are rare on our jobs. Work runs in a predictable order — footings, frame, roof and cladding, lock-up, services, then fit-out — and we check workmanship against the approved drawings as we go rather than all at the end. If something unexpected does turn up, and on older houses it sometimes does, you hear about it early and with options rather than as a line on an invoice.
- Scope, price and timeline agreed before work starts
- One site supervisor from footings to handover
- Photo updates and milestone walkthroughs
- Handover with keys, warranties and certificates
Why Lumea
Drafted around you, not a template.
Every plan starts with your brief, your site and your budget. We draft what suits the way you live — then document it to the standard your builder and your council both need.
Meet the studio →
Selected work
Recent projects.
What clients say
Trusted across South Australia.
- ★★★★★
“Lucas understood the brief immediately and the plans came back better than we'd pictured.”
Sarah & TomNew home, Blackwood - ★★★★★
“Council approval went through without a single query. That alone was worth it.”
Michael R.Extension, Prospect - ★★★★★
“Honest advice about what our budget could actually achieve. No surprises later.”
Jenna K.New home, Seaton
“Creating exciting, practical and aesthetically pleasing spaces that not only meet the client's desires but also their budget.”
Common questions
What does a building designer do?
A building designer plans and documents homes, renovations and extensions. We work out what will fit on your site and suit how you live, then produce the drawings your council needs to approve the build and your builder needs to price it.
How much does building design cost?
It depends on the size and complexity of the project and how much documentation you need. We don't quote before we understand the job. Once we've talked through your project, your site and your budget, we'll set out what the work involves and what it will cost, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.
How long does the design and approval process take?
Most projects run six to ten weeks from first concept to lodgement. How fast concepts get signed off is usually the biggest variable, followed by whether engineering or energy ratings are involved. Council assessment time sits on top of that and is outside our control.
Do you handle council approvals?
Yes. We prepare the full documentation set and lodge it through the PlanSA portal on your behalf, then manage any requests for further information that come back. Chasing approval is our job, not yours.
Do I need approval for a renovation or extension?
Usually yes. Most structural work, extensions and changes to the building footprint need consent, and some smaller work is exempt. Rather than guess, send us what you're planning and we'll tell you what approvals it triggers before you spend anything.
What drawings do I actually receive?
A typical set includes a site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections and construction details, plus specifications if you're going to tender. We draft to the level of detail your builder needs to quote accurately, because vague drawings are where variations and budget blowouts start.
Will I need an engineer or an energy rating too?
Most construction documentation does need both. We coordinate those consultants alongside the design so you deal with one point of contact instead of three, and so compliance is resolved as we go rather than forcing a redesign late.
Can you design for a sloping or difficult block?
Yes. Slope, orientation, access and council setbacks all shape what's possible, and working that out early is far cheaper than discovering it after a builder prices the job. Difficult sites are usually where thoughtful design earns its keep.
Can you work with my builder, or help me choose one?
Both. If you have a builder, we document to suit the way they work and stay available through construction. If you don't, our construction specification and tender service prepares a detailed spec and runs the tender, so you're comparing like-for-like quotes instead of three different scopes.
Can I change my mind after seeing the concept?
That's what the concept stage is for. Concepts exist so you can react to something real and refine it before it becomes a full documentation set. Changes are far cheaper on paper than once drawings are complete or construction has started.
What areas do you service?
We're based in Adelaide and work across the metropolitan area and greater South Australia, including the Hills and regional areas.
How do I get started?
Book a consultation. Call 0490 682 329 or email hello@lumeagroup.com.au and we'll talk through your project, your site and your budget — no obligation.
Have a site and an idea?
A short call is usually enough to tell you what's possible.