How we work
From the first visit to the keys
Almost nobody builds two houses in their life. So here is the whole process, with its waiting time and the decisions that have to be taken at each point.
- 01
A few weeks · no cost
Before a drawing exists
There are only two things to do: confirm what can be built on the plot and agree an order of magnitude for the budget.
- Technical planning feasibility report
- Visit to the plot or the house
- Budget range with its constraints
- If the range and the expectations are far apart, better to know now
- 02
3 to 6 months
Architectural design
The studio develops the concept and then the construction design. Everything that matters is defined here: siting, orientation, volume, structure, services and materials.
- We work with whichever architect you choose
- We ask to collaborate at this stage, not later
- Buildability review before the permit application
- We flag lead times and details that are expensive to execute here
- 03
6 to 12 months · the stage nobody controls
Permit
The design is submitted, fees are paid and you wait. It is administrative time: it does not shorten with higher fees or more urgency.
- Submit a complete application to avoid accumulating queries
- Depending on the municipality, other bodies may be consulted
- This is the moment to finalise the quote by measured items
- And to sign the contract, so work starts the day after approval
- 04
12 to 18 months
Construction
The sequence is always the same, and each stage closes decisions the next one can no longer change without breaking things.
- Earthworks and foundations: the stage of surprises
- Structure: the house appears at once and is seen at full size
- Envelope and roof: thermal performance is decided here
- Services: everything before ceilings and partitions are closed
- Finishes: the longest stage and the one demanding most decisions
- Outdoor areas: pool, paving, garden and lighting
- 05
2 to 4 months · overlapping
Interior design
Furniture, textiles, decorative lighting and planting. Planned alongside the finishes, the house is handed over complete.
- Material selection with physical samples
- Bespoke joinery measured against the real opening
- Left until later, trades have to come back in
- 06
And then, the guarantee
Handover
Joint walk-through, review of finishing and final documentation. And from there, the statutory guarantees.
- Joint review of the finishing
- As-built documentation, manuals and certificates
- One year on finishes, three on building elements, ten on structure
- Defect handling throughout the guarantee period
How long it all takes
Added up, two to three years from the first conversation to sleeping in the house. Most of that time is not construction: it is design and paperwork. If someone promises you a year, ask them about the permit.
The most common mistake
Starting at the end. Choosing the tiles and the taps before knowing how many square metres can be built, what the retaining structure costs, or when the permit will arrive. The decisions that determine whether a house is good are all taken at the beginning, and almost none of them is visible in a photograph.
Frequently asked questions
When do payments start?
The payment schedule follows work executed and certified monthly, not calendar dates. Paying against real progress is your main protection. The initial visit and the budget range are free of charge.
Who manages the build?
There is a professional site supervision team — architect and quantity surveyor — representing the client, and our own site management, which executes. Our site manager is on the plot and is the same person who dealt with you on day one. It is the question that best predicts how a job will end, and almost nobody asks it.
What if I want to change something mid-build?
You can, on two conditions: that it is priced in writing before being carried out, with its effect on cost and programme, and that it arrives in time. A layout change during the structural stage is feasible; the same change with the finishes in place is a new build.
Can I live in the house during a renovation?
In a full renovation, no. In phases sometimes yes, but it works out more expensive and slower: you have to protect, clean and set up again for each phase.
Let's talk about your project
Tell us what you have in mind: a plot, a house to renovate or just an idea. We will come and look at it, tell you frankly what range it falls into and what constraints we see. No cost, no obligation.