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Consulting Services

Australia

Consulting services covers the professionals that work with you when building or renovating to ensure that the home is safe and comfortable to inhabit.

Benefits of Using a Consulting Service

So why would you need to hire a consultant for your home improvement project?  Firstly, many of the professionals in this category can help you in dealing with your local council.  The local council is responsible for things such as issuing building permits and processing development applications (please see the article “Dealing with Your Local Council” for more information).  Many of the professionals in this category are able to help you negotiate and deal with the council, saving you a lot of time and confusion.

Because many home building and renovation projects are large and complicated – think installing a new kitchen or bathroom or adding an extension – there are building codes set by the government that need to be adhered to in order for the building to be deemed livable.  The consultant will have intimate knowledge of these codes and will ensure that the project meets all of the relevant standards.  The project will not be deemed complete until the relevant professional is satisfied that all of the standards have been met and that the home is safe to live in.

Many consultants can also help you with project management.  This is extremely beneficial when a large project is being undertaken and several different professionals have to be coordinated.  The consultant’s expertise will ensure that the professionals are working to the schedule and they will also be able to rectify any problems that occur along the way.  The benefit to the homeowner, of course, is knowing that everything is being taken care of – taking a lot of the stress out of completing a home improvement project.

Design professionals are also able to provide the homeowner with advice on the best way to build or implement something within their homes.  This is particularly useful if you have a vague idea of what you want but are unsure as to how to go about it.  Design professionals are trained to work with the ideas that you have in order to come up with something that you are happy with.

Feng Shui professionals work to make the home feel more comfortable and happier to live in.  This is done by improving the flow of energy to achieve a raft of positive changes and minimize any negative effects.

Design Professionals

The term design professionals cover several different categories and these are outlined below.

• Architects are university-qualified professionals that design plans for a home right through to supervising the building or renovating process.  To be able to be called an architect, they must be registered with the appropriate state or national body.  Architects are able to design a building or part of a building in order to fit your requirements and to the style that you choose, whether it is modern, traditional or even something completely unique.  As well as designing the building for functionality and aesthetics, the architect also needs to make sure that the building is structurally sound.  Architects usually work as part of a team that includes various other professionals.
  
  
• Building designers are involved in the design of buildings but they are not registered as architects.  The term is commonly used by professionals such as architectural drafts people that are registered as building designers and by professionals that have the same or similar qualifications as an architect.  They are responsible for creating extremely detailed plans that includes everything from the timber used right down to what the fittings should be.  They do this so that builders have a strict template to quote from and also so that contracts can be drawn up easier.
  
  
• Drafting services are most often used when plans are required for a renovation, extension or new home.  The services are similar to those provided by an architect and professionals will generally use computer aided design (or CAD) programs to create an exact plan.  Drafting services can provide plans for almost any style of home and they can also create extremely detailed plans of kitchens and bathrooms, which is a great way to see what the kitchen or bathroom will look like before you give the go ahead to any work.
  
  
• Interior designers make sure that the home, or a space within the home, is functional, efficient and safe.  To this end, they have knowledge and an understanding of construction, lighting, colour and furniture.  Interior designers are able to change the interior layout of the home to better suit the client’s needs, relocating rooms as necessary.  They make the home more livable.  Interior designers also decorate the inside of the home, through use of things such as paint, wallpaper, carpet and curtains, to name a few.
  
  

Inspection Services and Building Consultants

• When building, renovating or purchasing a new property, there is a strong chance that you will need some form of inspection, whether it is for the building itself or for pests.  There are four main types of building inspections.  The standard building inspection serves to let you know the condition of a property before you buy it.  They are normally carried out by building consultants and let you know what repairs are needed, as well as providing you with a potential bargaining tool.  Special purchase property reports are very similar to building inspections but they also include things such as how much the repairs are likely to cost as well as recommendations on the repair and maintenance work needed.  Strata reports are used in buildings that are operated by a body corporate and cover things such as the history of disputes in the building and the repairs undertaken.  New home inspections are carried out during the home’s construction and ensure that the workmanship and quality is of a high standard and that any potential defects are repaired.  Pest inspections should be carried out in all residential buildings as they identify both damaging pests such as termites as well as the presence of pests such as ants, spiders, cockroaches and so forth.  Termites, in particular, are a worrying problem in many areas of Australia, and the pest inspection will identify any current or past activity as well as assessing the damage (if any) and recommending ways of rectifying the problems.
  
  
• Building consultants, as a category, includes professionals such as building consultants, building inspectors, surveyors and engineers.  Their role is to ensure that your home is safe to live in and meets the council and government requirements.  Building consultants is a broad description within itself as it includes professionals such as architects, interior designers and surveyors, to name a few.  Put simply, building consultants provide advice or undertake tasks that relate to the building industry, including talking to the local council and managing home improvement projects.  Building inspectors assess the condition of your home, look for defects and estimate the cost of repairs.  They also inspect work that has been carried out by the builder to ensure that it meets legal requirements and the terms of the contract.  Surveyors ensure that buildings are safe, accessible, meet legal requirements, inspect properties and issue building permits.  They are involved with every stage of the building process.  Engineers carry out investigation, design and analysis work.  It is vital that you consult with an engineer if you are considering making any structural changes to your home as they can advise you as to whether it’s safe to do so..
  
  

Arborists and Landscape Architecture

• Arborists are professionals that work with the tree and its form and growth patterns to create a tree that is aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound.  They can provide reports and consult with the council and homeowners.  As well, they provide services such as tree pruning, tree removal, tree surgery, root management, transplantations, assess the safe life expectancy of a tree, and prepare tree surveys.
  
  
• Landscape architects determine the placement of buildings, structures and roadways within the landscape.  A lot of emphasis is placed on design and planning, with the eventual creation of detailed drawings that show exactly how the garden will be laid out.  The drawings include things such as drainage, what plants are to be used, where walkways will be and so forth.  As well as doing this, the architect will list all of the materials needed for the project.
  
  

Feng Shui

Feng Shui (pronounced Foong Schway) is literally translated as “wind and water” and it is used to create a harmonious environment in the home.  It is about maximizing positive energy while minimizing the effects of poor energy.  Feng Shui considers things such as the layout of the home and the furnishings and the best place to put lucky objects (objects that maximize positive Feng Shui).  The elements that we can see, as well as the elements that we can’t are taken into consideration by the professional.