How Much Do You Cost? Architectural fees typically range from 5–8% of the building contract value, depending on the size, complexity, site conditions, and level of service required. To prepare a fee proposal, we first need to understand your site, budget, project goals, and preferred level of performance. We tailor each project using our ‘Base, Better or Best’ Superhome standards to suit different budgets and priorities. Alternatively, we can work on an hourly rate for smaller projects or alterations.
How Long Do You Take? Every project is different, but the Concept Design stagegenerally takes around 1–2 months. Overall timeframes are influenced by council approvals, consultant coordination, and construction complexity. A straightforward home may take around 6 months to build, while larger or more complex hill-site homes can take a little longer.
How Do I Create a Design Brief? A good design brief helps create a more successful project. We guide clients through the process by discussing goals, budget, lifestyle, design preferences, and how the home needs to function day-to-day. Inspiration images and examples of projects you like can also help communicate your preferences clearly. Images and examples of projects of what you don't like can also be beneficial...
Can You Design Anywhere in New Zealand? Yes. We work on projects throughout New Zealand, from Whangārei to Manapouri. Typically, only one initial site visit is required. After that, we coordinate remotely with local surveyors, geotechnical engineers, and other consultants to gather the information needed to progress the project efficiently.
Can You Do Hill Site Homes? Yes. We have extensive experience designing hill-site homes and high-performance Superhomes throughout New Zealand, including the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula. Hill-site projects are generally more complex, so experience in both design and construction is important to achieve a well-resolved and buildable outcome.
Do I Need to Find My Own Builder? Not necessarily. We can help clients assess suitable builders and assist with the building contract process. We also recommend involving the builder early in the design stage, as this can improve buildability, cost efficiency, and overall coordination throughout the project.
Can You Design to Passive House or Other Certification Standards? Yes. We design homes to meet and exceed standards such as Passive House, Homestar, and Quakestar. Passive House certification can be pursued if requested, although many clients choose to invest directly into the home itself while still achieving excellent real-world performance through detailed design and energy modelling.
What Is a High-Performance Home? A high-performance home is designed to be warmer, healthier, quieter, and more energy efficient than a typical New Zealand home. The focus is on creating comfortable, durable spaces with better insulation, glazing, ventilation, and overall building performance to improve day-to-day living and long-term efficiency.
Are High-Performance Homes More Expensive? They can involve a higher upfront investment depending on the level of performance targeted. However, they are designed to reduce long-term running costs while improving comfort, durability, indoor air quality, and overall liveability. Performance improvements are built into the very fabric of home itself and so deliver value from day one, and continue over time to reduce risk and provide independence from external factors that could drive energy costs.
Will a High-Performance Home Overheat in Summer? No. A well-designed home carefully manages solar gain through orientation, shading, insulation, glazing, and ventilation. Energy modelling is often used during the design process to help balance natural light, comfort, and efficiency while maintaining stable indoor temperatures year-round.
Do High-Performance Homes Need Small Windows? No. Large windows can perform extremely well when designed correctly. Orientation, glazing performance, shading, and energy modelling all work together to balance natural light, views, comfort, and energy efficiency without compromising overall thermal performance.
Can I Still Open Windows in an Airtight Home? Yes, of course. Airtightness simply means the home is carefully built to prevent unwanted draughts, heat loss, and moisture entering through gaps in the construction. Windows can still be opened normally whenever desired alongside mechanical ventilation systems.
Can High-Performance Principles Be Applied to Renovations? Yes. While it is generally easier to achieve the highes tperformance levels in a new build, many of the same principles can also be applied successfully to renovations. Improvements such as better insulation, upgraded glazing, airtightness, and ventilation can significantly improve comfort and energy efficiency in existing homes.
Can High-Performance Homes Reduce Condensation and Mould? Yes. Improved insulation, high-performance glazing, airtight construction, and continuous fresh-air ventilation all help maintain more stable indoor temperatures and better moisture control. This significantly reduces the risk of condensation, dampness, and mould compared to a typical New Zealand home.
What Does ‘Base, Better or Best’ Mean? ‘Base, Better or Best’ are flexible Superhome performance levels designed to suit different goals, priorities, and budgets. Each level progressively increases the focus on comfort, resilience, energy efficiency, durability, and overall building performance while allowing flexibility for different project types.
What Is Japandi Organic Architecture? Japandi Organic Architecture combines Japanese and Scandinavian design principles with natural materials, simplicity, and strong connections to nature. The result is calm, timeless spaces that feel warm, refined, functional, and intentionally uncluttered while maintaining a strong focus on liveability and craftsmanship.
What Makes Bob Burnett Architecture Different? We focus on designing sustainable, energy-efficient homes that perform well beyond minimum building code standards. Over many years, we have developed proven design details and construction systems that improve comfort, durability, resilience, and long-term performance while creating homes that are both beautiful and highly liveable.
Are You Architects or Architectural Designers? We are both. Bob Burnett is an experienced architectural designer, a professional member of ADNZ for over 20 years, and has more than 30 years of industry experience. Shizuka Yasui is a Level 1 registered architect from Japan with more than two decades of experience in New Zealand.
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