Services
Design with us. Build with us.
Or both.
With an architect and licensed builder under one roof, each with decades of experience, you choose how we help. Design only, build only, or the complete design-and-build approach.
Design and Build
Most popularWe design it, get it approved, then build it. One team, one contract, one point of contact from the first sketch to the keys.
Best if you'd rather not project-manage the gap between the drawings and the site.
Design Only
Stages 01–03We design your home or renovation and document it properly: concepts, working drawings, council approval. The plans are yours.
Best if you already have a builder, or want to tender the job and compare real quotes.
Build Only
Stage 04Bring us a documented set from another designer or architect. We price it from the drawings and construct it.
Best if you already have approved plans and want a licensed builder to take them to site.
Flexibility you control
Design & build process.
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.
- Stage 01
Concept Design
Including a feasibility cost estimate.
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. If you'd like to see how much ground we cover before a line is drawn, it's all set out in our concept design checklist.
- 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
The full step‑by‑step — 6 steps
Consultation
We begin with a detailed questionnaire and conversation to ensure we fully understand your objectives, lifestyle needs, and any early ideas.
Site visit
We visit your property to measure existing conditions and assess orientation, access, views, and any site-specific opportunities or constraints.
Survey
We arrange a professional survey of your site (or you can provide one if already completed). This forms the foundation for accurate, responsive design.
Drafting / design
If you have sketches, we draw them up professionally and provide feedback on aspects you may not have considered. Alternatively, if you're not sure where to start, you can simply describe your needs and we'll develop one or more design options. Changes are welcomed — this stage is iterative by design.
Drawings and 3D views
We prepare plans, elevations, and 3D views of the home and site so you can clearly visualise the design and understand how it sits within the landscape.
Construction estimate
Before moving to the next stage, we provide a full construction estimate so you can be confident your design aligns with your budget. No surprises at the end of the process.
- 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
- Integrated landscape design, if you'd like the garden drawn as part of the house rather than added afterwards
The full step‑by‑step — 3 steps
Planning drawing set
We prepare a complete set of Planning drawings including Site Plan, Civil / Stormwater Plan, Floor Plan and Elevations. Again, we allow for any extra tweaks you might require before lodgement.
Wastewater investigation / design
For sites without a mains sewer connection, we arrange the required wastewater assessment and design to ensure compliance with Council and environmental standards.
Planning application
We lodge the application on your behalf and manage all correspondence with Council, ensuring any questions are addressed promptly so the assessment progresses smoothly. We also advise on typical approval timeframes for each Council and outline any likely referrals (such as to the Country Fire Service, Native Vegetation Council, or Heritage Assessor) so you know what to expect during the process.
Optional extras
Landscape plan
This option ensures that interior and exterior spaces are integrated as one design. Rather than treating the landscaping as an afterthought, it is considered as an essential part of a holistic design, softening the boundary between outdoors and indoors.
Marketing renders
High-quality renders can be produced for sales, funding, or simply to help you visualise the final design with greater clarity.
- Stage 03
Building Approval
Building Rules Consent, or BRC.
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
The full step‑by‑step — 10 steps
Soil test
Usually kicked off early to minimise delays, the soil test is required by the structural engineer to ensure the appropriate level of steel for footings.
Timber framing design
Design of the timber framing to comply with the timber framing code. This includes any timber floors / decks, timber framed walls, roofs, bracing and tie-down requirements.
Structural engineering
Design of the foundation and any steel columns and beams and additional bracing.
Civil engineering
Sometimes Council require civil engineering during the planning approval stage. Otherwise it is undertaken in Stage 3 to ensure retaining walls and stormwater are appropriately considered.
Energy assessment report
This is when minimum requirements for insulation and window glazing are determined.
Complete set of architectural drawings
A full set of documents to achieve Building Approval is included. This includes a Site Plan, Demolition Plan (if relevant), Detailed Floor Plans, Roof Plan, Elevations, Window Elevations and Wet Area Details.
Additional client input
Throughout Stage 3 additional input from the client is welcomed as finer grain details are resolved.
Lodgement with private certifier
Once you're happy with the complete set of construction documents we will issue those for final certification for compliance with the Building Code.
Selections
For those proceeding to build with Lumea we will provide a schedule for all interior fixtures and finishes. Clients are free to choose from any available suppliers.
Construction quote
At the completion of Stage 3, prior to signing a construction contract, we will provide you with a complete, itemised quote for construction.
Optional extras
Comprehensive interior design package
Includes multiple options, joinery design and physical sample boards.
- 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
The full step‑by‑step — 11 steps
Below is a typical process for a new house or extension. The process for a renovation is generally much simpler.
Final construction quote & review
At the end of Stage 3 you receive a final, itemised construction quote aligned with the certified drawings and your selections. This is your opportunity to review the scope and cost one last time and make any final adjustments before signing the contract.
Contract signing
Once you're satisfied with the scope, price, and timeline, we proceed with signing the construction contract. This formalises the build and allows us to schedule trades, order materials, and commence works on site.
Site establishment & footings
The site is prepared, temporary fencing installed, and footings poured. This marks the official start of your build.
Structural works
Framing, roofing, and external walls are constructed. You'll see your home take shape quickly during this phase. Clients are taken for a walk-through upon completion of framing.
Roofing and external cladding
Roof sheeting and external cladding are installed, completing the building envelope.
Lock-up
Windows and external doors are fitted so the building can be secured, allowing internal works to progress efficiently.
First-fix services
Electrical, plumbing, air-conditioning ducting, and other services are installed within the walls and ceilings before linings go on.
Internal fit-out
Plasterboard, cabinetry, tiling, flooring, and internal joinery are completed. This is where the interior character of your home begins to emerge.
External works
Rendering, driveways, decks, and landscaping (if included) are completed, tying the home into the site.
Second fix & detailing
Fixtures, appliances, tapware, lighting, and final finishes are installed. We conduct detailed quality checks to ensure everything meets our standards — and yours.
Practical completion & handover
Once the home is complete, we walk through with you to confirm every detail. You receive your keys and all warranties and certificates. Your new home is ready to enjoy.
When we do both, nothing gets handed over: the people who detailed the drawings are the same people building from them, which is a good part of why variations are rare on our jobs.Why that matters →
Design meets construction.
Most projects split design and construction into separate worlds. Designers hand over drawings, step away, and the builder is left to interpret the intent. That gap creates confusion, delays, and details that don't translate well on site.
We work differently. Our designers and construction team operate together from day one, bringing decades of combined experience into a single, integrated process. Concepts aren't developed in isolation; they're tested early for cost-effectiveness, structural efficiency and buildability, so you don't waste time exploring ideas that can't be built well or affordably.
Because the same team will build from the details, the documentation is clearer, more practical, and written for how the work will actually happen on site. There's no handover, no disconnect, and no gap in responsibility. Just one team with a shared goal, and one point of contact for you.
Meet the studio →
At a glance
What to expect.
- Stages
- Any stage, in or out — the plans are always yours
- Typical timeframe
- 4–8 weeks concept to lodgement; construction varies with scope
- Deliverables
- Site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, construction details and engineering documentation
- Consultants
- Typically structural, civil engineering, timber framing design, energy rating. Others as required.
- Lodgement
- Prepared and submitted through the PlanSA portal
- We build
- Our own designs, and documentation prepared by other designers
- Project types
- New homes, renovations and extensions, commercial fitouts
- Scope & price
- Priced from the documented set, with inclusions agreed in writing
- Service area
- Adelaide metro, the Hills and greater South Australia
Common questions
Can I take the plans to my own builder?
Yes. That's a normal way to work with us and it costs you nothing extra. We document to the level of detail a builder needs to price accurately, and we're happy to answer their questions during the tender.
Will you build a design somebody else drew?
Yes. Bring us a documented set from another designer or architect and we'll price and build it. If we spot something in the documentation that will cause trouble on site, we'll tell you before you sign, not after.
What's the advantage of having you do both?
There's no handover gap. The people who detailed the drawings are the people building from them, so questions that would normally become variations get resolved internally — and you have one team to hold accountable rather than two pointing at each other.
Do you handle the council approval?
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.
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.
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.
How much does it 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.
Do you do renovations and extensions, or only new builds?
Both. Renovations and extensions are a large part of what we do, and they're often where design and construction being under one roof matters most, because existing homes hide surprises that need decisions made quickly.
Not sure which path you need?
A short call is usually enough to tell you what's possible on your site.