How we work.
The unsexy version — timelines, deliverables, decision gates, and the moments where things tend to go wrong.
Phase 1 · Listen + frame
Discovery + site walk
We meet on the site, walk every floor, talk constraints — budget, schedule, family pattern, neighbours, existing problems we should know about. We take photos. We listen more than we talk.
Read more→Programming brief
We write a 1,500–3,000-word memo back to you. What we heard, what the constraints actually mean, three or four candidate directions. The memo is the artefact — not a Figma file.
Read more→Phase 2 · Schematic design
Massing + site
Block diagrams, massing studies, code envelope analysis, basic structural feasibility. Output: 3–5 schematic options to choose between, with rough cost ranges per option.
Read more→Selected scheme + DD
We develop the chosen scheme to design-development level. Plans, sections, elevations, key details, finish strategy. Engineers (structural, MEP) come in. First serious cost estimate.
Read more→Phase 3 · Permits + CDs
Construction documents
Full CD package coordinated with engineering: drawings, specifications, schedules, joinery details. Reviewed internally + with you before filing.
Read more→DOB + Landmarks filing
We file in-house. We’ll never tell you a permit timeline we don’t believe. Plan-check usually 8–14 weeks for residential, 14–22 for commercial. Landmarks adds 6–12.
Read more→Phase 4 · Build
Site mobilisation + structure
Demo (if applicable), excavation, foundation, framing. The phase where you can see the building grow week-by-week. We send weekly photo updates and a one-page progress note.
Read more→Rough-in + finishes
MEP rough-in, drywall, millwork, finishes. The longest phase by elapsed time, where most surprises surface. We pre-order long-lead items at the start of CD to stay ahead.
Read more→Punch + handover
Final inspections, CofO, owner walk-through. We do a 30-day, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up after handover — included in fee. Snags get fixed.
Read more→12 months later
We come back for a one-year walk-through. Settling cracks, hardware adjustments, anything you’ve noticed. Most clients have a list of small things; we work through it.
Read more→Common questions about how we work
Got a project ready for the first call?
Send the brief, the address, the budget range. We respond within five business days.