Frequently Asked Questions

HAO Design is a Forestville architectural studio specialising in value-add property development. We help Northern Beaches and Sydney homeowners and investors turn raw sites and tired homes into high-performing assets. Our work spans:

• Luxury Homes: Custom design homes tailor to your need.
• The Right-Sizing Hybrid: Luxury secondary dwellings for passive income.
• Multi-Dwelling & LMR: Townhouses, duplexes, apartments and subdivisions.
• Aged Care & NDIS: Retirement villages, SEPP Seniors Living & HPS yields.
• Alterations & Additions: Cost-effective, council-ready home solutions.

Across every project we provide feasibility advice, 3D design and photorealistic renders, council approvals and full project management — your single partner from concept to completion. See our services →

Before you commit, you need to know what a site can actually yield — and how to get it approved. We carry out a high-level feasibility and yield assessment, reviewing your land’s zoning, the relevant planning controls and the newer LMR and seniors-housing provisions to estimate the maximum compliant yield and the most valuable development option for your block.

Because we bring both an architect’s and a developer’s perspective, we weigh design, livability, approval risk and commercial return together — not just floor plans. Request a feasibility chat →

The Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy is part of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021. Since 28 February 2025 it permits a wider range of housing — dual occupancies, terraces, townhouses, manor houses and low-rise apartment buildings — on residential land within roughly 800 metres walking distance of nominated town centres and train, metro or light-rail stations.

For owners and investors this matters because it:

• introduces non-discretionary (non-refusal) development standards, improving approval certainty;
• can significantly lift a site’s yield and value where it previously allowed only a single dwelling.

Exclusions apply — for example heritage items and many bushfire- and flood-prone sites. We can check whether your property qualifies and what it could deliver. Learn more at the NSW Planning LMR page.

A secondary dwelling — commonly called a granny flat — is a self-contained home on the same lot as a principal dwelling. It can often be approved quickly as complying development and is one of the simplest ways to add passive rental income or accommodate family.

Our Right-Sizing Hybrid approach designs a high-quality secondary dwelling that maximises rental return while protecting the value, privacy and amenity of your main home — not a generic box in the backyard.

Yes — this is one of our specialties. We design retirement villages and seniors housing under the seniors-housing provisions of the Housing SEPP, and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) for the NDIS, including High Physical Support (HPS) dwellings, which can deliver strong, sustainable yields.

These are highly regulated areas where getting the design and compliance right directly drives the financial outcome. Our capability includes site feasibility and yield, accessible and adaptable design, and liaison with councils and consultants through approval.

Most building and demolition work in NSW needs development consent — usually a Development Application lodged with council — unless it qualifies as exempt or complying development. A DA is typically required to:

• construct a new building or structure (including pools, outbuildings, retaining walls);
• add to or alter an existing building;
• demolish a building;
• carry out work on a heritage item or in a heritage conservation area;
• change the use of a building or premises;
• subdivide land (including strata);
• carry out excavation, earthworks or filling.

We assess the best approval pathway for your site at the outset. Your council website also has helpful guidance — for example Northern Beaches Council: Do I require consent?

A DA is assessed by council on merit. It suits projects that need discretion or don’t meet every standard control, and it generally takes longer.

A CDC is a combined planning and construction approval issued by council or a registered certifier for projects that meet all the pre-set standards. It’s usually much faster — often a matter of weeks.

Under the LMR policy, the new non-discretionary standards give greater certainty for many medium-density projects. The 2026 planning reforms also expanded complying development so that certain minor variations to development standards can now be approved through a deemed-approval window of 10–20 days, rather than being pushed into a full DA. We’ll advise which pathway gives you the best balance of speed, certainty and design freedom.

Yes, absolutely. Navigating council regulations, zoning, the NSW Planning Portal and certification can be overwhelming — so we manage the entire approval process on your behalf. We coordinate the surveyors, structural engineers and private certifiers needed, and make sure your architectural plans are fully compliant and ready to build.

Historically, a DA could take many months. The NSW Planning System Reforms that commenced on 21 March 2026 are designed to change that:

• a new targeted assessment pathway can cut assessment times by up to 50% for low-risk projects that meet set criteria;
• certain minor CDC variations now carry a 10–20 day deemed-approval window.

The targeted assessment pathway is being rolled out in stages as new planning policies are made, so it doesn’t apply to every project yet. We assess your site upfront to find the fastest available pathway for your specific circumstances. Read about the NSW planning reforms →

Changing your mind used to mean lengthy delays. Under the 2026 NSW planning reforms, minor modifications with no environmental impact (section 4.55(1) applications lodged from 21 March 2026) now have a streamlined 14-day approval. If the council doesn’t determine the application within 14 calendar days, it cannot be refused — only approved. This gives our clients and builders much more flexibility and certainty during construction.

More significant changes may need a different modification pathway — we’ll guide you on the right one.

We guide your project through three clear stages, from first concept to completion:

• Design — brief, concept and refinement (with 3D design and renders).
• Documentation — detailed drawings for approval and construction.
• Construction — tendering, contract and build support.

You deal directly with the architect at every stage — one point of contact, start to finish.

Design isn’t a mechanical process, so timeframes vary with complexity, council and site conditions. As a general guide:

• Design: allow about 3–6 months for a residential design.
• Approval: a council DA assessment commonly takes several months, though the 2026 reforms are speeding up low-risk projects; complying development (CDC) is usually faster (see above).
• Documentation: about 2–3 months after approval.
• Tendering: about 6–8 weeks, plus ~2 weeks to prepare contracts and establish the site.
• Construction (indicative): a single home is commonly 9–14 months; multi-dwelling and seniors living developments take longer.

These exclude delays from weather or unknown site conditions. Starting documentation during approval (“fast-tracking”) can save time but carries some risk of rework if conditions change.

Construction costs vary widely with size, quality, site and design. As an indicative 2026 Sydney guide (construction only):

Build type	Indicative rate
Project / standard home	~$1,800–$2,500 / m²
Custom architectural home	~$2,800–$5,500 / m²
Premium / luxury home	$5,500–$8,000+ / m²
Townhouses / low-rise units	~$2,900–$3,000 / m²

Double-storey typically adds 10–25%. These rates exclude land, demolition, site works, landscaping and council contributions. In Sydney, site costs (rock and sloping blocks) and Section 7.11/7.12 contributions can add significantly, and we recommend a 10–15% contingency.

These are a rough guide only, drawn from current Rider Levett Bucknall industry data. The only reliable number is a tailored estimate for your specific site. Request a free quote →

Every site and client vision is unique, so rather than a flat percentage of the build cost, we provide a transparent, itemised fee proposal after our initial consultation. Your fee reflects the complexity of the design, the council approval pathways required, and the level of project management you want from us. Book a free consultation →

BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index) is a mandatory NSW requirement for all new homes, and for alterations and additions valued at $50,000 or more. It sets minimum targets for energy efficiency, water use and thermal comfort.

The standards were lifted on 1 October 2023 in line with NCC 2022 — around a 7-star NatHERS thermal benchmark — and now include a whole-of-home energy budget covering items like hot water, lighting and appliances. We build BASIX into the design from concept so your project complies without costly redesign. More at basix.nsw.gov.au.

The Building Code of Australia (BCA) is now Volumes One and Two of the National Construction Code (NCC), published by the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). It sets minimum standards for structure, fire safety, access and egress, health, amenity and sustainability.

The current version is NCC 2022 Amendment 2, in effect from 29 July 2025, with NCC 2025 being adopted in NSW under a transition period. All new building work in NSW must comply, and a certifier confirms compliance before a construction certificate or CDC is issued. The code is free to download from the ABCB website.

NCC 2025 introduces stricter standards for energy efficiency, safety and commercial construction. To avoid sudden cost spikes and disruption, NSW has a 12-month transition period, and NCC 2025 is expected to become mandatory in NSW around 1 May 2027. In practice, most projects designed and approved now are assessed under the current NCC 2022 Amendment 2.

We’ll advise which version of the code applies to your project based on its timing, and design efficiently for the relevant standard so you get a modern, sustainable home without unnecessary cost.

For a value-add project, design is the return. A good architect doesn’t just draw plans — we optimise your site’s yield and amenity, navigate the planning controls that unlock it, and design spaces that sell or rent for more. We then manage the journey from concept through approval to completion, so the result is a high-performing asset, not just a compliant building.

Our studio is in Forestville and we work across the Northern Beaches — including Frenchs Forest, Forestville, Dee Why, Brookvale, Manly and Mona Vale — as well as the North Shore and Greater Sydney for development projects.