Start with Confidence
Frequently Asked Questions
Sharing Knowledge So You Can Plan With PurposeIf you’ve never worked with an architect before, this is where your journey begins. These FAQs are designed to inspire ideas, answer your questions, and give you the insight you need to create a home that reflects your values, supports your lifestyle, and stands the test of time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Top 4 Questions
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Every project is different — site conditions, design complexity, material choices, and current market factors all make a big difference. As part of our Home Masterplan Report, we’ll give you tailored construction cost estimates based on your site and scope so you can make informed decisions from day one.
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We’re based in Melbourne but design homes all across Victoria — from city terraces to rural acreages and coastal retreats. If your site is in Victoria, we can help.
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For homeowners, we offer fixed-fee services based on fixed design outcomes.
That’s why every journey begins with our Home Masterplan Report — it lets us define your scope, set a realistic budget, and lock in our fees for a transparent outcome you can plan for. No hidden extras, no open-ended invoices — just clarity from the start.
Book a Free 20-mins Clarity Call with Audrey today to learn more
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We offer a complete design service from first ideas through to handing over the keys.
The journey starts with our Home Masterplan Report, which helps you set the right scope, budget, and strategy. From there, we can take care of everything — design, documentation, approvals, builder selection, and contract administration — or tailor a package to your needs.
Working With Whisker Architecture
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We design for people who want to Live, Learn & Work [in] their Values — homeowners, educators, and developers who value sustainability, strategy, and timeless design.
We are pre-qualified suppliers on the Victorian Government’s Construction Supplier Register, meeting the standards for delivering public sector projects.
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The earlier, the better. Our Home Masterplan Report sets your budget, scope, and strategy before design begins — saving you time, money, and stress.
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We deliver strategy before sketches, fixed-fee transparency, and Certified Passive House expertise — ensuring your home is healthy, efficient, and designed to last for decades.
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Based in Melbourne, we work across Victoria, including regional and coastal locations. We partner with trusted local professionals when working in regional areas.
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Yes — sustainability is at the heart of every project we design. From day one, we consider building orientation, thermal performance, materials, and energy systems to create a healthy, efficient, and low-impact home.
We are Certified Passive House Designers, which means we have specialist training in delivering exceptional indoor comfort, air quality, and energy efficiency. This isn’t an optional upgrade — it’s how we work, so your home is designed to be comfortable, future-ready, and kinder to the planet.
Understanding Architects
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‘Architect’ is a protected term in Australia. Only those registered with their state or territory can use it. Registration requires extensive study, supervised practice, and professional indemnity insurance.
We are fully registered with the Architects Registration Board of Victoria and covered by professional indemnity insurance. Becoming an architect in Australia requires a minimum of 7 years’ study and experience.
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We turn ideas into built reality — guiding design, compliance, budget planning, and construction so every decision aligns with your lifestyle and values.
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If you have a tricky site, a heritage property, a unique vision, or you’re dreaming of a high-performance home we help you navigate complexity and design a home that truly fits.
Whether you’re working with challenging land, can’t find the right design in mass-produced catalogues, or love your neighbourhood but find your current home full of frustrations, we create spaces that solve problems and bring your vision to life.
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Look for shared values, open communication, and a process you can trust.
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Draftspeople typically focus on technical documentation and drawing as dictated. Architects combine design vision, technical expertise, and project strategy, working as your advocate throughout.
Explore our “Why Work with an Architect” article to delve deeper into the invaluable contributions architects offer.
Read our “Choosing Your Path: Owner Builder, Volume Builder, or Custom Builder?” article to understand the value of working with an independent architect.
Every family is unique and your home should reflect that.
Let’s craft a design that fits your vision and budget
Process & Timelines
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The Home Masterplan Report is our signature starting point. It gives you clarity on scope, budget, and strategy before design begins.
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From Masterplan to completion on site can take 18–36 months depending on complexity, council timelines, and construction pace. We pace projects to protect quality.
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Great projects are built on collaboration. We’ll ask for your feedback at key moments, and the more open and responsive you are, the smoother things will run. If you need more time for decisions, we’ll work with you — just keep in mind that small delays can add up.
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Design happens in clearly defined stages. At each stage, you review and sign off before we progress — it’s much cheaper to adjust a drawing than to move a wall after construction.
We include a set number of design iterations at each stage and only progress once you’ve signed off — giving you control and clarity.
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Yes — in our Detailed Package, interior design is included as standard. We don’t just design the shell of your home, we plan the interiors so everything works together beautifully and practically.
This includes joinery design, finishes, fixtures, fittings, and interior detailing, so your home feels complete and cohesive from day one. If you’re building in stages, we can also help plan for future upgrades so your interiors evolve seamlessly over time.
Budgets & Fees
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As a guide, quality custom homes in Victoria typically range from $4,500–$7,000 per sqm, with kitchens and bathrooms additional.
We recommend early cost planning paired with a feasibility report.
We also recommend downloading our Can I Afford My Dream Home? guide to learn more.
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Your builder’s contract price is just one part of your overall project budget. The total budget includes the builder’s contract, consultants, authority fees, contingencies, and furnishings.
We’ll help you plan for all of these from the outset, so your project stays on track and aligned with your goals.
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Not necessarily. Good design often saves money over time through efficiency, durability, and better lifestyle fit.
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We start with a fixed-fee feasibility study — our Home Masterplan Report — to clarify your scope of works, budget, and priorities.
Once we know exactly what’s involved, we provide a fixed-fee proposal for the remainder of your project, so there are no surprises.For context, architects often charge 5–15% of construction cost, while builders’ margins typically range from 15–30%. We use this percentage range only as a reference point — our pricing is based on the complexity and scale of your project, not a percentage of materials or finishes.
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Working drawings are quoted after the Home Masterplan Report, once the scope, budget, staging and level of documentation are clear.
As a broad guide, our next-stage design and documentation fees may range from around $14,000 for a smaller, clearly defined scope through to $54,000+ for a more substantial renovation or extension.
That range is wide because “working drawings” can mean very different things. A simple internal renovation may need a much smaller drawing package than a full renovation or extension involving planning advice, design development, consultant coordination, permit documentation, builder pricing drawings and construction details.
The Home Masterplan Report helps make that investment more strategic. Before you spend money on detailed drawings, it clarifies what is worth doing, what level of documentation you actually need, what the likely construction budget is, and whether the project should be staged.
This means you are not paying for detailed drawings for the wrong renovation, or asking builders to price a project that has not been properly resolved.
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No — the service and expertise are different. But we can tailor scope to maximise value.
Read the below article to understand which service is right for you.
Design Choices & Project Scope
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It depends on scope, budget, and site potential. We’ll help you weigh both options in your Masterplan Report.
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We specialise in $500k–$10M projects, including new homes, renovations, and education spaces.
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Not with the right approach. We collaborate as one team from the outset, ensuring design and quality are carried through.
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Be upfront about your budget, use cost plans at key milestones, and adjust scope quickly if needed.
"We engaged Whisker Architecture for a Home Masterplan Report, and their work has been outstanding.
They delivered three design options maximising our backyard and creating seamless indoor-outdoor flow. Each option came with a clear cost breakdown, giving us confidence in our budget.
Highly recommend!"
An & Hana, Clients
I’m ready! Where do we start?
Ready to get started? Have a question that’s not covered here? Let’s chat about your project in more detail, make a customised plan, and go through exactly what to expect next.
I can't wait to meet you!
Testimonials
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"We engaged Whisker Architecture to design our forever home and we are over the moon with the result. We specifically wanted an energy-efficient, passive solar home that will serve us from having young children, through their teen years and beyond."
Micaela & Benjamin, Client
Beaconsfield Hillside Home -
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"We have engaged Whisker Architecture to renovate our four-bedroom home. Both Audrey and Winnie have been a pleasure to work with and we are thrilled with the new design. We highly recommend the team at Whisker."
David & Sima, Client
Banksia Renewed -
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"Audrey and her Whisker team I refer frequently because I trust her and the team with my closest family and friends to give honest and thoughtful advice and amazing well-thought-out beautiful designs."
Paul Harrison, Consultant
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“The whole process […] was seamless and stress free. […] At the end of the project they both attended onsite and walked the perimeter of the school with me to ensure I was happy with the completed work. Any follow‐up needed was done immediately. Their commitment and professionalism was exemplary.”
Joanne Wood, Principal
Tinternvale Primary School -
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"Audrey & the team at Whisker Architecture are absolute superstars! With a tight budget, they took a dark, boxy house & created a beautifully functional home that complements the way we live."
Aimee, Client
Rainforest Retreat -
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"Audrey has been great to work with. her designs are very warm and modern! She really listens to what you (the client) wants, and works around that. Recommend highly"
Louise, Client
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"Audrey and her Whisker team I refer frequently because I trust her and the team with my closest family and friends to give honest and thoughtful advice and amazing well thought out beautiful designs."
Paul Harrison, Business Owner
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"Attentive and knowledgeable, the team from Whisker can be relied on to create beautiful spaces and manage the project from start to finish."
David & Megan, Client
Bungalow Reborn -
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"They took the time to understand our lifestyle, delivering three high-level design options that maximize our backyard and create a seamless indoor-outdoor flow. Each came with a clear cost breakdown, showing us how much we could achieve within our budget. [...] Highly recommend!"
An & Hana, Client
Williamstown Renovation
Melbourne Based.
Serving Victoria.
We work on projects across Victoria, with our main office in Hume City Council on Wurundjeri Land and a satellite office in Hobsons Bay City Council on Bunurong Land. Whisker Architecture operates as a geographically distributed and virtual office.
Our team collaborates with regional colleagues to deliver large or specialised projects while supporting the local economy. For privacy, residential projects are shown only by suburb on our Live Project Map.
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Ballarat
Yarra Glen
Healesville
Olinda
Drysdale
Key Introductory Articles
Design and construction are a learning curve for many of our clients.
Avoid overwhelm with these first few articles.
We should all be so lucky to age in a society that allows us to age gracefully.
Designing for inclusion is one way we hope to leave the world better.