Design Services for Development Approval
Drawings and technical design are where most applications either succeed or generate a request for further information. We prepare and coordinate the design documentation a DA or CDC requires - architectural drawings, stormwater and drainage design, BASIX and NatHERS certificates - and we do it alongside the planning argument so the two do not contradict each other at lodgement.
Free consultation
- BASIX 3–5 business days · stormwater design 1–2 weeks · drawing sets 2–4 weeks
- BASIX from $450 + GST · stormwater design from $1,600 + GST
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
What we prepare
Architectural documentation for lodgement, site and survey-based plans, stormwater and drainage design, sediment and erosion control, BASIX certificates, NatHERS thermal modelling, and waste management plans.
Why design and planning should not be separated
BASIX and NatHERS, done early
BASIX commitments become conditions of consent, and they constrain glazing, insulation, shading and water fixtures. Obtaining the certificate after the design is fixed is the wrong order - it either forces a redesign or produces commitments that are awkward to build. We run it early, as an input to the design rather than a certificate at the end.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Architectural documentation to lodgement standard
- Stormwater and drainage concept and detailed design
- BASIX certificates and NatHERS thermal modelling
- Coordination between the drawings and the planning case
What you don't have to deal with
- A drawing set that does not match what the planning report describes
- A BASIX certificate obtained late and forcing a design change
Choose your situation
BASIX & NatHERS
BASIX is the mandatory sustainability assessment for new dwellings, alterations and additions above a cost threshold, and pools above a volume threshold.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need BASIX for my project?
BASIX applies to new dwellings, alterations and additions above a cost threshold, and swimming pools above a volume threshold. It is required at lodgement, not afterwards, and the commitments on the certificate become conditions of consent. It is quick to obtain but it can force a design change if left to the end, which is why we do it early.
What is the difference between BASIX and NatHERS?
BASIX is the overall sustainability assessment covering water, thermal comfort and energy. NatHERS is the thermal performance modelling that can be used to satisfy the thermal comfort component, and is required where the simpler DIY method will not achieve a pass. Many projects need both.
Can you work from my architect's drawings?
Yes, and that is the more common arrangement. We take the architectural set as issued and prepare the technical and planning documentation around it, flagging early any element that will not survive assessment as drawn.
Related services
Planning Reports
A Development Application is only as strong as the planning argument attached to it.
Specialist Reports
Most applications of any size need reports from specialists outside town planning.
Residential Council Approval
Most residential developments do not need a full Development Application.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 14
- 1
Not sure which approval you need?
Tell us the address and what you want to do. We'll help identify the appropriate planning pathway, whether it is exempt development, complying development or a full DA. Your first conversation is free.