Your design and build consultant - What to expect at your first meeting

Your design and build consultant - What to expect at your first meeting

When you’ve done your research and settled on design and build as the best process for turning that new home vision you have into a reality, your mind can fill with a multitude of questions. What’s on your dream list and what is a must have? What will the experts come up with to enhance your own ideas? How do you even get the project started? It can all be a little overwhelming.

That’s why the initial meeting with your design and build consultant is so vital. One of the key advantages of building a bespoke home is that there is no set plan to start with. It is always useful for you to bring along some drawings of plans and designs you may have in your head, to initiate discussions and help us see your vision; even the simplest sketch can highlight priorities and gives us a good understanding of what is most important to you. Then we can ensure those features are given priority in the design process.

At that first meeting we’ll also be gathering lots of information from you. Along with fundamental questions on everything from budget to house style, special features, claddings and indoor/outdoor flow, we’ll also be getting to know you and your family, so we can understand your lifestyle. Do you regularly entertain large groups or do you like curling up in cosy corners? Do you spend lots of time in the kitchen with a plethora of small appliances that all require their own plugs? Perhaps you’re an outdoorsy family that needs a big storage room for all their bicycles and sporting equipment? Some questions may sound irrelevant at the time, but the more we know about you, the better we can customise your house to suit you – that’s the beauty of building bespoke. The meeting is fun and dynamic, with clients often enjoying the opportunity to review and reflect on their lifestyle.

Our consultant carefully evaluates the information you provide and offers professional advice on what is financially achievable. They are the specialist who works on getting you your must haves and ticking off as many items on your wish list as possible.

There are many online platforms that can help you prepare for this initial meeting. Pinterest is one option. NZ-based Archipro is also a good one to start with, where you can create your own design boards to share.

Every home has a story to tell and we can’t wait to hear yours.