When you're planning a home renovation, extension, or new build, understanding what to expect from your architectural drawings can be surprisingly confusing. It’s one of the most common areas of uncertainty for homeowners — and understandably so.
Not all drawings are created equal, and what’s needed at each stage of the process changes depending on your goals. In this guide, we’ll explain what types of drawings are produced at each step of a typical residential design process, and why they matter. This will help you ask the right questions, plan more effectively, and avoid costly surprises during your build.
Concept Design: Establishing the Big Picture
Concept design is the first step in bringing your vision to life. At this stage, the focus is on possibilities — exploring layouts, massing, flow, and overall site response. This is not about technical accuracy but about testing how your needs might translate into form and space.
You might have specific priorities, like opening the living space to the backyard or adding a second storey. Here, we investigate how that could work on your site, what challenges the project may present, and how the design could respond to your lifestyle, council controls, and budget.
While it’s a creative and often enjoyable stage, it’s also where strategic thinking begins — about solar orientation, privacy, streetscape context, and site limitations.
What’s typically included at this stage:
- Simple floor plans showing approximate layouts
- Site plan with indicative building footprint
- Basic 3D massing or perspectives
- Sketch elevations to explore form and façade
Concept design isn’t for construction or even approvals yet — it’s for discussion and decision-making. Expect some back and forth as we test ideas and work toward a design that feels just right.
Developed Design: Refining and Resolving the Layout
Once a preferred concept is selected, we move into developed design. Here, the project is refined — dimensions become more precise, spaces are more resolved, and we start considering how the home will actually function and be built.
It’s where ideas move from sketches to realistic, buildable forms. We define room sizes, consider ceiling heights, examine roof forms and window placements, and start to shape how the house will look and feel in greater detail.
At this stage, we also coordinate with other consultants if needed — for example, a structural engineer may provide preliminary advice that shapes the framing layout or roof structure. This helps with both feasibility and cost planning.
What’s typically included at this stage:
- Dimensioned floor plans and sections
- External elevations with heights and proposed materials
- Roof plans and window placements
- More developed 3D perspectives or renders
These drawings are suitable for initial builder discussions and cost estimates, though they still aren’t technical construction documents. However, they’re often sufficient to move forward with a Development Application or Complying Development assessment.
DA or CDC Submission: Drawings for Approval
If you're submitting your project for council approval (via a Development Application) or through a certifier (via a Complying Development Certificate), your drawings need to clearly communicate your proposal within a specific framework.
These drawings are all about compliance — not construction detail. The goal is to demonstrate that your design aligns with planning controls like setbacks, heights, floor space ratios, and overshadowing. Each council or certifier will have a checklist, and we prepare your package to meet these requirements.
It’s crucial to note that these drawings are legally binding — any changes after approval may require a modification or re-submission. That’s why we work closely with clients to finalise key decisions before lodging.
What’s typically included in a submission package:
- Site plan, floor plans, elevations, and sections with full dimensions
- Roof plan and building heights
- Shadow diagrams, privacy diagrams, and other required analysis
- Site analysis and context drawings
- Waste management and landscaping plans
- BASIX Certificate integration
The submission process can vary depending on the complexity of your design and your local council, but we guide you through it all — from preparing documents to liaising with planners or certifiers on your behalf.
Construction Documentation: Building With Confidence
Once your project is approved, the next step is preparing for construction. While it’s tempting to think the DA or CDC drawings are all you need to hand to a builder, this can lead to miscommunication, pricing errors, and disputes during the build.
Construction documentation provides the detail needed to build your project properly. It clarifies materials, structural integration, and all the nuts and bolts that allow your builder to quote accurately, schedule trades, and execute the build confidently.
This stage can also help you secure a Construction Certificate (CC), if required, and coordinate with structural and hydraulic engineers to ensure all systems work together.
What’s typically included in a full construction set:
- Fully detailed and dimensioned plans, elevations, sections
- Wall types, materials, insulation, and weatherproofing details
- Window and door schedules
- External finishes schedule
- Wall sections, roof details, junctions, and flashings
- Integration with structural, drainage, and other consultant drawings
Choosing the Right Level of Detail
Not every client needs a full set of construction documents. Depending on your budget, builder, and procurement method, there’s flexibility. For example, some clients prefer a streamlined package that covers the essentials, leaving room to decide on internal finishes or joinery later.
In a basic construction set, we focus on the core structural details, overall finishes, and building envelope — enough for pricing and construction. Joinery drawings may be excluded if you're using a flatpack kitchen (like IKEA) or working directly with a cabinet maker or interior designer.
Others may opt for a more comprehensive package, including:
- Custom kitchen and bathroom joinery layouts
- Internal finishes and lighting layouts
- Integration of plumbing, drainage, and ventilation
- Detailed specifications for fixtures and fittings
This flexibility allows clients to save money or maintain design control. We can help you weigh up the pros and cons of each approach depending on your project and builder’s preferences.
Why Good Drawings Matter
Clear, accurate drawings reduce risk. They help prevent budget blowouts, miscommunication on site, and last-minute design changes that can add time and cost. They also give you — the client — confidence that your vision is being translated clearly into something that can be built.
The right drawings at the right time make the process smoother, more predictable, and more enjoyable. They ensure everyone — from council to builder — is on the same page, literally.
Need Guidance on What’s Right for Your Project?
Every project is different. At Banksia Building Design, we tailor the drawing packages to suit your needs, your builder, and your level of involvement. Whether you’re after a cost-effective approval set or a fully detailed construction package, we’ll walk you through your options clearly and confidently.
Get in touch to start a conversation about your renovation or new build — and get the right drawings from the start.
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