First Meeting
Our first meeting is all about you. At this meeting, we’ll discuss your block, your budget, and any concerns that you may have. We’ll provide insight into how we go about managing and co ordinating the entire design and build process for you, we’ll take you through our Display Home for you to touch and feel our award-winning standard inclusions, we’ll show you homes that we have designed and built similar to yours. So, bring along your land details as well as magazine clippings you’ve collected, ideas you’ve seen on websites such as Houzz or Pinterest and any rough plan ideas you may have sketched out.
Site Visit
Once engaged, we begin gathering information on your site and services. We will organise external consultants to have the site surveyed on your behalf for its contours and boundaries. Any issues about existing trees, power, and soil testing will also be addressed. Understanding your blocks views, its orientation and its slope usually takes place once we have received the surveys. The site visit gives us a real sense of how we might maximise the space available and to understand any challenges. Whether the block has an old home requiring demolition ie. A knockdown rebuild or is the block an awkward shape, we will assess in order to realise its potential.
The Design Brief
We’ve been to your block and now we want to hear about you and how you and your family live…. what works for you and what doesn’t…. how you entertain….. what’s your family’s routine …. is a swimming pool part of your vision etc. We’ll be revisiting all those magazine clippings and scrapbooks going into more detail. We’ll be wanting to discuss any specific requirements or special interests you may have for example: a designated space for art, the laundry must incorporate a drying cupboard, you may need the provision for a future lift etc. Every detail, no matter how small, will help us understand you and your family’s lifestyle and will be documented to form a written design brief. A thorough and concise Design Brief is a vital part of the design process. It serves as an essential point of reference for all parties throughout the design process.
Concept Design / Design Development
Our Custom Home Design Team present their initial ideas to our internal team to ensure nothing has been missed and to obtain objective feedback. We call it a ‘Peer Review’. Now comes the exciting part. This is where we send those initial conceptual ideas to you…. at this point there may be some minor tweaking before reviewing the budget and moving into the Design Development Stage where the building and its structure is ready to be developed and refined.
Stage 2 or Design Development is about bringing the building to life by resolving the facade, cladding materials, identify where those feature timber posts might work best, 3D modelling etc. This attention to detail is why all our homes make a lasting impression on their visitors and passers-by. Should Town Planning be required, now is the time for a Pre-Planning Application Meeting with Council to understand and navigate any relevant complexities of regulations, building codes and even the diplomacy of the various councils. Throughout the process, we are continually evaluating to determine the most cost-effective way to build your new custom home.
Contract Pricing Transparency
Throughout the design process, we keep you abreast of costings. Furthermore, once your floor plans, elevations, energy rating and preliminary engineering are finalised, we provide you with a comprehensive ‘fixed price’ quotation that contains everything there is to know about the price of your home including all provisional sum and prime cost allowances. This is presented prior to commencing the final working drawings and final engineering.
Working Drawings & Final Engineering
By now, we will have settled on the final design documentation and will now begin preparing all the final paperwork including final engineering, working drawings and a contract package for building permits. We will present you with your contract package and will take the time to explain all documents. Once you’re happy with everything, you can then sign the documentation and pay your 5% deposit.
Interior Design
Now it’s time to meet our fully qualified Interior Designer, who will assist you with all your interior and exterior selections. From tapware and tiles to fireplaces and cabinetry, our interior design will work with you to confirm all documented inclusions meet your expectations. This will range from your preferred colours and mood right down to considerations like if there is enough space for your shoes and hubby’s tools. Once complete and any variations are finalised, it’s around this time that your approved building permit shouldn’t be far away.
Construction
Once any necessary demolition works are complete, the meticulous task of building your new custom home begins. Throughout the project your construction supervisor will communicate with you regularly and meet with you when necessary, so that you are kept up to date on progress. During construction you will be required to make timely progress payments as per Victoria’s Building Authority legislation.
Completion / Handover
Your new Pivot Custom Home is now complete and it’s time to carry out a practical completion inspection. At this meeting, you’ll be asked to inspect your new home and any issues that need some last-minute final attention will be noted on a list that will be signed by both parties. Now is the time to settle your final account as we arrange keys and prepare for final handover. We provide a comprehensive handover package containing workings drawings, specifications, engineering, all compliance certificates, energy rating reports, soil report, warranties, manuals, keys, remote controls, cleaning products and instructions…. everything you will need to know about you’re beautiful new custom home.