THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT STAGE

1. During this stage the architect will develop the Design and start to detail certain aspects of the project. This may include Kitchen, Bathroom, Laundry and WIR design. In addition, Finishes and selection of Fixtures and Fittings are also discussed.
2. The Architect may take you out to various suppliers to help you select Tiles, Appliances, and finishes, or if there is an inhouse Interior Designer, you may have a submission of finishes presented to you. It really depends on the Architect and the involvement that the Client wishes to have in the selection process.
3. All aspects of the house are discussed in detail, including doors ,architraves, cornices, flooring etc… as all these items will need to be specified for Tender purposes.
4. In addition, consultants such as Structural engineers, are engaged at this time to provide preliminary information for incorporation into the Design and Documentation.
5. A revised Estimate for the project cost is usually reviewed at this stage. It is often a good idea to obtain a Quantity Estimators report of the project costs to ensure selections are not causing the budget to blow out. In fact it is a good idea to maintain a Quantity Estimator right through the Design and Documentation process. It is normally at an additional cost, but money well spent and avoids costly and timely errors whereby the Design cannot be built due to budget overrun.