Get DesignFIT – gaining the wisdom to understand the whole ‘SHE-BANG’

We all know that being fit and prepared means we get more out of our efforts, life’s generally easier, more rewarding and more fun.

The renovating and building process is much the same. The more you prepare, and the more you anticipate, means that the whole of the journey is easier, more efficient, more effective, more enjoyable, creating a greater return on your time, money and effort.

Thats why we’ve created our DesignFIT service for women who want to create their new home more wisely, more efficiently, and more effectively. Our DesignFIT service clarifies the Factors, Ideas, and Tactics (FIT) specific to your new home or renovation.

Who is this for?

Renovation Wisdom

You may be living in a charming old terrace. Now, after a few years of living in it, it’s lost its charm. It is dark, leaky and past its prime (and now too embarrassing to bring friends around!). Your home is no longer fit for purpose – and it’s time for change.

Perhaps you’ve purchased an old house to renovate. You’ve renovated before but it didn’t go exactly to plan. This time you want to do it right. This time you want more light, more character, and good design of course, but you also want to know ”the big picture” – what’s ahead, how much it will cost, how long it will take, and what consultants to engage – and all before you start the design and the construction process.

Maybe you’ve a new site, lots of ideas and even more enthusiasm. But there are so many fabulous ideas out there and new ways to build (like Passivhouse and Prefabrication). Too many ideas lead to analysis paralysis – and that won’t get your project built!

There are many reasons to renovate. But the process of designing and building with a vision, great design and a clear strategy will make your journey (and your investment) more meaningful, more exciting, and ultimately more worthwhile.

Purpose

Get DesignFIT

No matter what your project challenge, our aim is to gather together project parameters known at the time of our Design FIT Service, including:

F – Factors affecting your project: including your aspirations of function and design outcomes, opportunities and constraints of your site, and your construction budget
I – Ideas generated as an outcome of those initial Factors in the form of: preliminary layouts, 3 dimensional sketches and/or discussion
and
T – Tactics: to articulate, accommodate, and optimise the key milestones (and hurdles) and to define a clear path from project initiation, to when you move into your new home.

How Can You Get DesignFIT?

Where?

At your existing home (that you want to renovate, extend, or demolish and rebuild) is best. This gives us immediate insight into the big picture issues at hand. If it’s a holiday home or a new site (for a new house), that’s great too – we can make that work.

When?

During regular business hours please.
We currently have limited opportunity, so its best to email studio@cathicolla.com directly, or call us on 03 9349 1454, to determine a mutually convenient time.

Who?

As this meeting is very important to the future success of your project, we like to meet with all decision makers in your household.
This means that we are able to understand each respective person’s needs and requirements and so that we can respond to all of your dreams, requirements, and perspectives equally and transparently.
This also saves you time and money in the long run.

How much?

Our DesignFIT session will cost you $1,450 (plus GST).
This cost is inclusive of our preparation time; up to 2 hours consultation time; and of course, our experience and expertise.

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Our DesignFIT Service includes

  1. A meeting at your project’s site to provide a preliminary review of your home and potential, as well as any known opportunities and limitations.
  2. A preliminary site layout to describe known opportunities and limitations of your existing home and site.
  3. Review of the relevant Planning Property Report applicable to your site (if your site is located in Victoria).
  4. Preliminary concept(s) created during our meeting. These will be in the form of a sketch plan layout and/or thumbnail sketches.
  5. Discussion on project costs of projects of similar scale, location and/or complexity.
  6. Discussion on timing of projects of similar scale, location, and/or complexity, up to and including, design stages, planning, tender, and construction stages.
  7. Initial review of potential issues that could affect project timelines such as Statutory Permits, Consultants, building methods, builders.
  8. And finally, consideration of non-conventional building considerations, including, but not limited to, Passivhaus, low carbon living, and biophilic design (if you are interested!).

Our DesignFIT Service
This process may also be known as a “Master Planning Session”. We’ve purposely using a different name (along with our unique twist to the Service) with intent to removing gendered language from our working vocabulary.

Terms and Conditions
Please read our Full Terms and Conditions of our DesignFIT Service.