FAQs
Are you licensed?
SmartHaus Group is licensed to provide building design services in Queensland, Victoria, and New Zealand. At this time, other states and territories (with the exception of Tasmania) do not have licensing schemes for design work although we do provide our services in these locations. We also carry relevant Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance for your peace of mind.
How do I start?
Send us an email (our address is at the bottom of all pages on this website) and let’s get the conversation started! We allow for an initial consultation to discuss your requirements and see if you feel we are right for you. At this stage we will discuss your preliminary ideas and concepts to begin scoping out your project.
How much are your fees?
Our fee structure is typically based on a fixed fee, with an option for hourly charge out rates where appropriate. We no longer provide fees based on percentage of value or square meter rates, as we feel this creates a conflict of interest. The best designs are efficient and cost effective, and we believe our fees reflect that value you receive.
Each project is different in scope, so please contact us for a quote.
Do I need additional consultants?
Any additional consultants will depend on your project. A standalone house may need minimal additional consultants whereas larger projects often require the services of many specialists due to their scale.
Some, but not all, of the consultants we can arrange (if needed) are:
Engineers, including Civil, Structural, Acoustic, Fire, Services, and Façade
Building Certifier (required in Australia only)
Town Planner
Traffic Consultant
We can advise you early on of any consultants you will require, and can recommend from our network of professionals or work with your existing team.
How far will you travel?
We undertake work all over Australia and New Zealand. We’ve delivered projects in all states and territories of Australia and across all of New Zealand for over 15 years. Distance is not an issue to us.
Are there projects that you consider too small?
No project is too big or too small, and often smaller more intimate projects are the most creatively satisfying. Whether you want a granny flat or high rise building, the most important thing to us is good design and exceptional outcomes for you.
How much will my project will cost to build?
We can give you a rough indication, but once preliminary drawings and details are complete, we always recommend engaging an independent Quantity Surveyor to review costs. This helps to ensure that you get an impartial assessment of what you can expect during construction.
If we feel that requests are starting to affect the budget, we’ll let you know as soon as possible and work with you to find that balance between aspirations and budget.
What’s different about you?
Here at SmartHaus Group we aim to stay at the forefront of building science. Industry knowledge of building physics has come a long way since the days of non-insulated breezy workers cottages, and our ability to regulate our personal environment has allowed for some truly amazing spaces.
We design to not only meet Australian or New Zealand building codes and regulations but also, where practical, exceed them. We have a physics consultant on our team, and where required we have a network of engineers who specialise in the science of building enclosures.