Meet Our Consultants
We recommend and use these Consultants. The usual arrangement is – we manage their involvement, with you officially engaging them and paying their invoices. We take our role of Head Consultant quite seriously and like to ensure the best consultants are on your project. We look after them, on your behalf, as we know what needs to be done. There is a management fee of 12.5%.
We also work in conjunction with some Design Partners. These include Interior Designer, Landscape Architect and Cabinetry Designer.
Look at the Brochure for lots more information.
Peta Charles - Brisbane Town Planning
Town Planner6>
Peta Charles has worked with a diverse mix of clients, varying from first time homeowners through to larger companies such as Arnott’s and Shell.
We find Peta's advice and reports to be essential to the success of the DA's we are involved in. She helps us with mainly residential and smaller projects. DA = Development Application.
Brisbane Town Planning (BTP) is registered for RiskSMART (fast track) with Brisbane City Council (BCC). Peta has considerable experience within the BCC, plus worked in both the public and private sectors.
Having worked within Council means Peta has a valuable appreciation for the officers in Council and detailed knowledge of the DA process. She has established positive working relationships with Council staff, which benefits us and you.
Peta Dennis - pd architect
Heritage Architect6>
Peta Dennis is a registered architect with loads of experience in providing assessment and conservation management advice for heritage sites.
We use her services when we deal with heritage buildings, mainly in early advice and in preparation of Heritage Impact Statements (HIS). HIS is needed in conjunction with documetation for DA's.
Peta has worked at both State and Local Government levels, so has valuable insights and relationships. We find her advice to be spot on all the time.
Peta has won several heritage awards, and has a particular interest in 20th Century heritage, with an exhibition and book published.
Peta is a member of Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) and the Australian Institute of Architects. She is heavily involved with the National Trust of QLD.
Adrian Dine - AD.Structure
Structural Engineer6>
Adrian Dine and his staff have considerable experience in structural design of all sorts of buildings, with AD.STRUCTURE focusing on clear, simple design for residential buildings.
We have used AD.STRUCTURE for many years as they share the same ethos of high quality design and documentation. Their drawings are in the upper echelon of the industry, and ideal for builders as the information is laid out to suit the logic of erecting structure on site. They also provide advice as and when needed, which builders love.
In their words:
``AD.STRUCTURE have the expertise to handle every aspect of structural design and documentation for residential building and renovation projects — presenting economical and practical solutions to make your family home structurally safe without compromising on design aesthetic.``
Building Approvals & Advice
Certifier6>
BAAA are our expert building approvals team. Building Approvals (BA) are obtained through private certifiers. Certifiers are also Building Surveyors.
We use the whole team, but mainly deal with Michael Tyrrell. He is well respected in the industry for his honest, down to earth approach to services. He approaches certification and inspections with the attitude of practicality combined with satisfying the endless codes in this industry. Michael is used to liaising with our Town Planner.
We use BAAA for our approvals, for which they are very thorough, but where they are the best is in providing us with extensive preliminary advice. and guiding us occasionally through the myriad codes and standards.
The BAAA team are experts at dealing with the extensive paperwork that is generated as part of a BA. They also are good at dealing with things like siting relaxations and build-over services applications.
Gateway Surveys
Surveyor6>
Greg Hoonhout (owner, left) & Paul Powell run the survey arm of Gateway Survey & Planning.
They produce the best surveys for our needs, and are essential to the accuracy we depend upon when starting any of our projects.
Gateway visit the site, collect a lot of data and produce three things for us:
Detail & Contour Survey - a full record of everything on the site or underground, and when there is an existing building, its salient points in 3D. This is essential for accurate design.
NGS - Natural Ground Surface. Every council has its own way of defining this and Gateway are familiar with them all. NGS matters when keeping buildings under allowed maximum heights.
Identification Survey - On some projects we must locate boundaries and Gateway are really good at this.
Reel Planning
Town Planners - Large Projects6>
Greg Ovenden and team are a town planning firm with broad capabilities across town, urban and strategic planning, as well as legal representation.
We work with Reel Planning on multi-res and commercial projects. Their expertise in these more 'commercial' enterprises is essential for the success of the DA process.
Reel Planning provides valuable preliminary advice as we are beginning concepts, so we can ensure our design begins from correct parameters. They are also very used to dealing with the many referral agencies that can emerge in commercial projects, like main roads.
Neil Blair & Associates
Hydraulic Services Designer6>
Neil Blair provides us hydraulic services design drawings for multi-res and commercial projects, as required for DA's and BA's. He also occasionally helps us resolve residential projects with problematic roof and ground water egress.
He also liaises with council to obtain the necessary approvals.
Vince Reitano - Bellas & Reitano Engineers
Flood Engineer6>
Vince Reitano looks after our flood assessment and report matters.
He is brought in on projects where council has flagged that our subject property has a flood issue or overland flow. Above is a diagram from a report assessing the amount of overland flow that a property should experience during a 1 in 100 year rain event. These assessments, in report form, become part of a DA and BA, proving to council and certifier how the site is affected during the event including flow rates.
Bellas & Reitano deal with all aspects of engineering, not just flood, but this is our main use of their expertise.
Queensland Bushfire Planning
Bushfire Assessor6>
Bernard & team provide us with bushfire assessment reports.
These are necessary when the site has a bushfire overlay on the local authority's planning scheme. They assess the local conditions, which is a thorough process and come back with a BAL rating. BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) goes from nil right up to severe. Any site with a BAL of 12.5 and over, require some design and material responses.