FREE DESIGN SERVICE.....If you are responding to our recent advertising about our new and unique AMAZiN HOUSES / BUILDinBOXES modular construction system, we need you to still respond to the questionaire that follows. We are currently offering a free design service for your new home using this construction if you lost your home in the recent fires. If you have any questions, shoot us an email and we will respond within a couple of days.

 

For us to put a fee proposal to you and to design a house for you, we need to know a lot about who is going to live in the house and what your needs are in the way of accommodation.

To that end, we have created a questionnaire which we invite you to answer and send to us.

To further assist us to assist you, please also send us the site address, details and dimensions and any photos you have of it. Which direction is North?

Then you will get a response from us that you can completely rely on. (If you don't engage us, you will have done yourself a favour by establishing what your needs are by filling in this questionaire.)

This questionaire is needed for a brief for any kind of house... container based or conventional. Having it helps us to prepare for a "meeting" with you, whether it be in person or virtual! If you respond, please do not leave out the answers to any questions.

 

A  Who is to be the client/s? Do not write "us" or "me"

B  What is your current physical address? What is your email address?

C  What are your telephone numbers?

D  Have you ever worked with another architect? If so, who?

E  What is your real budget for the building part of the project (not including the land)? This is where you have to be really honest because everything we do from now on will be affected by that number. If that number is wrong, our advice to you has to be wrong!!! If you do not give an answer to this question, we will not respond to your inquiry.

F  What kind of construction are you keen to use?

G  What is your timeframe for the project, (when would you like to start your build or when would you like all your documents completed and all your permits ready for construction to start? When do you want to get started with the design... it is not an overnight job. It is best if you allow plenty of time for the design process. You will need to "live" in your new house design for a while to understand it, and be sure that it is right!

H  What is the address of the site and is it on Google Earth? Have you a site plan to scale with contours on it, and  any photos of the site that you can send us? Contours are important if your land is not flat. Not just for the house but transporting containers and unloading them onto the footings as economically as possible.

J  What is your occupation/s?

K  Have you any building experience? Do you want to participate physically in the construction process?

L  Are you considering container based construction because it is cheaper than conventional construction or the fact that a container based house appeals to you?

M  If we could show you that we can design and have built a house using alternative or conventional construction but costing you less than a container based house, would you consider these alternatives? Some sites are not ideal for container construction.

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We also need detailed answers to the following questions which will become the design brief if you engage us:

 

1   Do you need a planning permit or development approval for the development? If it is not a simple application, you will probably need to engage a town planning consultant.

2   Are there any guidelines that affect what you can build on the site. If so we need a copy of them.

3   Are there any covenants or restrictions on the site? Any easements?

4   Has a survey been carried out to provide contours of the site. If the site is not flat we do need contours.

5   What are the regulations regarding building distances from boundaries?

6   What is the name of the Council that has control of the site and do you have a contact telephone number and name?

7   Has the site been fire rated. A high Bal rating will increase costs and materials we can specify.

8   Is the house to be 1,2 or 3 storeys?

9   A separate entrance hall, and what to go in it?
10 Lounge to be a separate room and what furniture to go in it, or are you looking for open planned living area?

11 Dining to seat how many at what shaped table?

12 Kitchen to be a separate room or part of a family room? With a breakfast bar to seat how many?

13 What kitchen appliances?

14 Pantry or pantry cupboards? A cellar / wine store? Have you a size in mind?

15 A family room to seat how many? other furniture?

16 Is the cook left or right handed? How tall?

17 Laundry with washing machine, trough, dryer, ironing where?

18 Bedroom 1, what furniture and sizes? Is there a view you want to capture from the bedroom?

19 Dressing room, with how many metres of hanging space?

20 En-suite with what in it? A separate toilet? Bidet?

21 Bedroom 2. What furniture and built-ins?

22 Bedroom 3, 4 or 5? Please don't answer "Yes" unless you do want 5 bedrooms. We need to know how many you want because it will make a big difference in the cost and design!  What furniture and built-ins?

23 House bathroom with what in it? Separate toilet?

24 Study? Book shelves?

25 Garage for how many cars?

26 Layout of the house? do you see a particular shape?

27 Outdoor living important? BBQ?

28 Do we plan for a swimming pool? of what size? If you just want a plunge pool, we suggest using a skip bin, or you can now get pools already built in half shipping containers?.

29 Any other rooms? Home office? Library? Sewing room ? Workshop? Don't go overboard..... you have a budget!

30 Powder room with toilet and basin?

31 Garden room and tool shed?

32 What kind of windows? Timber or Aluminium?

33 Generally what kind of materials are you attracted to? Do you accept the appearance of the containers externally? We don't like to waste money on cladding because you lose the benefit of using containers, and the wqay we design and detail, the container look will look good!!

34 Is there a style of building that you like?

35 Are you planning to be an owner builder? If so , what are you capable of doing (you or your friends)?

36 Where would you like to site the house on the property?

37 Is there a view that you wish to capture?

38 Is there a cool prevailing wind? from where?

39 What are the names of the occupants and their ages and gender?

40 Any favourite colours?

41 Do you want the master bedroom to be private , away from the other bedrooms?

42 Is the house for long term living or a short term investment?

43 Are you looking for large rooms?

44 Are you looking for a discreet design or WOW?

45 What floor surfaces are you looking for?

46 How important is energy efficiency.... solar energy... it comes at a price.

47 What kind of heating and cooling?

49 Do you want maximum cross ventilation?

50 Do you like lots of natural light?

51 What is the neighbourhood like?

52 Is landscaping important to you? Vegetable gardens and fruit trees?

53 Any pets?

54 How did you get to this website?

55 Do you want to be able to rent part of the house on AirBNB?

56 What services would you like from us? There are a number of services we can provide... please be explicit so we can quote you accurately! Our work involves a number of stages.

     a. We will design your new house and give you the sketch plan and sketch elevations (undimensioned)  For this month only we are offering to design your house of up to 3 X 40 ft containers (plan and front elevation) for a very special price of $1000 +GST. This is a concept design only and without modifications.

     b. We will produce sketch plans refined and dimensioned with elevations.

     c. After consultation with you we will make all modifications required to satisfy your needs according to this brief.. this becomes the final approved developed design.

     d. Preparation of architectural documents to enable an application to be made for a town planning permit, and for other documents requested by council during the planning application process.

     e.  Preparation of working drawings , detailed drawings (around 40 sheets of drawings) and write the specification for the builder to quote from, to obtain  a building permit, and to liaise with Energy Rater, Structural Engineer, and the Fire Management Consultants. (You will probably need all these services.)

     f.  Supervision / construction guidance.during the construction period. This is something you may want to consider if you propose to be owner builders.

 

We look forward to receiving your responses to this.

 

Please send it to: thearchitect@internode.on.net