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One of the most common questions we get asked is simple. What is your process? At Sustainable Homes Melbourne, we are a design and build firm.
One of the most common questions we get asked is simple.
What is your process?
At Sustainable Homes Melbourne, we are a design and build firm. That means we guide our clients through both the design and construction journey under one roof. While we ultimately wrap everything into what we call our Proven Process, there are two core streams inside that framework. There is the design process, and there is the construction process.
In this article, we are focusing specifically on design. The next episode will dive into construction.
Our process is tailored to Melbourne, but the structure is relevant almost anywhere in Australia and most parts of the world. So here is exactly how it works.
After someone makes an enquiry, we begin with a discovery session at our Fitzroy studio.
This session is led by our Head of Design or a senior member of our design team. We walk through our process in detail and explain what to expect from concept through to contract signing.
This meeting is project-specific. We begin by identifying potential obstacles and opportunities on your site. We talk through your goals. We clarify expectations. We answer questions about how we work.
We deliberately keep this session concise. It is easy to overwhelm people at this stage. If we start discussing kitchen finishes, tapware, or door hardware too early, decision fatigue sets in quickly. Instead, we focus on clarity, alignment, and understanding whether we are likely a good fit to work together.
If both parties feel positive, we move forward.
The next step is our design kickoff meeting, held at your property.
Before this meeting, you complete a detailed design brief. You may also arrange a land survey. For inner-city projects, especially, accurate survey information is critical. This includes site re-establishment and feature surveys to identify boundaries, levels, trees, and any constraints.
At the kickoff meeting, we review your brief and the survey in detail. We spend time walking the site. We talk through your vision and practical limitations. This meeting typically runs for over an hour.
By the end of this stage, we have a strong understanding of your site and your aspirations.
The next stage is often a feasibility plan.
This is a modest investment from the client and allows our design team to prepare layout-based working zones. These are not fully detailed architectural drawings. They are functional layouts that establish how the home could sit on the site and how space might be allocated.
For example, we define bedroom zones, living zones, garage areas, and amenities. For new homes, we place the footprint on the property and identify a likely square metre allowance.
At this stage, we use square metre rates. These are always project-specific.
Location matters. Project type matters. A terrace in inner Melbourne is very different to a suburban lot in Brunswick or Balwyn. By this stage, we also understand your expectations of finish quality.
We can apply a square metre rate that aligns with your likely finish level. Or, if you provide a fixed budget, we can work backwards and tailor the footprint accordingly.
This step gives you a clear indication of what you may achieve for your budget.
A critical note here. Square metre rates only work within a structured design and build system like ours. Builders cannot responsibly provide blanket square metre rates without context. The difference between two clients selecting different brands and finishes can vary costs by 40 percent or more. That margin becomes significant in million-dollar projects.
At SHM, our projects typically range from five thousand dollars per square metre through to twelve thousand dollars per square metre, depending on complexity and finishes.
Once you are comfortable with feasibility, we move into concept design.
This is where detailed floor plans and elevations are developed. This is where the design intent takes shape. Our architects walk you through the drawings and explain spatial flow, orientation, and architectural language.
We then enter an iteration process. You provide feedback. We refine. We move toward a concept design that you genuinely love.
At this point, estimating becomes far more detailed.
While we are talking about design, estimating remains central.
Construction costs have risen dramatically over the past five years. Accurate estimating early in the design phase is essential.
Because we are a design and build firm, we have real project data. We track our builds meticulously. Our estimating team develops a detailed specification and cost breakdown specific to your project.
We identify areas for potential upgrades. We highlight areas where value management might help. This ensures that budget and design stay aligned.
This is where our tried and tested standards come into play.
There are four key standards that set us apart:
A two-person household can generate up to eight litres of water vapour per day. In well-insulated homes, that moisture must be managed properly. Without correct vapour permeability and ventilation systems, condensation and mould risk increase significantly.
These four elements ensure a high-performance building fabric and a healthy home built for longevity.
If planning approval is required, we prepare and submit all documentation in-house and manage the council process.
If planning is not required, we move directly into design documentation.
SHM provides a full-spectrum construction documentation service covering all items required for the construction and building permit.
We manage structural engineering. Where required, we manage civil engineering. We organise energy assessments and soil tests.
Clients engage the registered building surveyor independently as required by legislation.
Interior design also occurs during this phase. We hold a dedicated selection day at our studio. Clients review materials, finishes, and fixtures. Mood boards are developed. It is detailed work, but also one of the most rewarding parts of the journey.
Depending on the project, we may also commission sewer and stormwater investigations, asbestos inspections, or arborist reports.
Our construction team becomes more heavily involved at this stage. Our project managers review documentation for buildability and practical execution.
Once documentation is complete, we return to our estimating team for the final contract estimate.
This is fully specified. All allowances are clarified. If adjustments are required, they are addressed transparently.
When both parties are comfortable, we move to contract preparation and signing.
At this point, the project transitions formally into construction.
This integrated process is what distinguishes design and build from traditional architectural routes.
With separate architects and builders, estimating often occurs at the end of a long design journey. That can result in redesign, frustration, and budget shock.
By integrating design and cost from the beginning, we reduce risk and improve clarity. We ensure that design intent aligns with construction reality from the beginning.
That is our design process in its simplest form.
