Thinking about renovating your Gold Coast home? I design renovations that builders can actually price and build — no guesswork, no budget surprises. As a dual-licensed builder and building designer, I bring real construction knowledge into every design decision. See our Southport renovation case study for a real example of our renovation design process. Request a consultation to discuss your renovation project.
“Design Science by name, and absolutely Design Science by application! David and his team don’t just meet expectations — they exceed them every single time.”
— Michael Hewitt, Gold Coast (Google review, 5★)
“Happy to provide David and his team this review thanks to their outstanding building design work.”
— GC Airport Transfers, Gold Coast (Google review, 5★)
If you’re deciding between a building designer, an architect, or a draftsperson for your Gold Coast renovation, here is how the three compare.
For most residential renovations on the Gold Coast, a licensed building designer is the practical choice. Architects are often chosen for landmark new builds or highly bespoke custom homes; for renovations, a building designer who understands construction tends to produce more cost-effective, build-ready plans.
Homeowners comparing a building designer vs an architect usually land on the same three questions:
Do I need an architect to get my renovation approved?
No. Building designers are licensed in Queensland to prepare residential renovation plans for council and certifier approval.
Is an architect better for renovations?
Not necessarily. Architects are trained in conceptual design and may suit landmark or unique new-build projects. For renovations, where the work is about solving practical problems inside an existing building, a building designer’s training and typical fee structure often fits the brief better.
What’s the cost difference?
Architects typically charge 8–15% of construction cost. Building designers typically charge 4–7%. On a $200,000 renovation that’s a design-fee difference of roughly $8,000 to $16,000.
| Role | Training focus | Typical fee (residential reno) | Suitable for council/certifier docs | Building experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architect | Conceptual design | 8–15% of construction | Yes | Varies |
| Building Designer | Practical design + compliance | 4–7% of construction | Yes | Varies |
| Draftsperson | Drafting only | Hourly / flat fee | Usually no | Low |
| Design Science | Building Designer + QBCC Builder | 4–7% of construction, from $3,000 | Yes | 20+ years building |
A practical alternative for many Gold Coast renovations is a licensed building designer who also holds a builder’s licence — which is the combination Design Science offers. You get plans that a builder can price and build without redrawing half of them, at building-designer fee rates.
→ Read our full comparison: Building Designer vs Architect on the Gold Coast
A renovation designer on the Gold Coast turns your goals — more space, better flow, a second storey, a reconfigured kitchen — into a detailed set of construction documents that a builder can price and build from.
What you get:
The goal is boring in the best way: no expensive surprises once the walls are open, no mid-build redesigns, no budget blowouts caused by vague plans.
Most renovation designs take 4–10 weeks from initial consultation to completed documentation, depending on complexity and approval requirements.
→ See our full 7-step design process
Design Science is run by David Steadman, who holds:
Holding both licences is uncommon. Among Gold Coast residential designers, under-1% hold a full builder’s licence as well. That combination shows up at every stage of your renovation.
At design stage: I know what a builder will quote high for, and why. I design around those triggers rather than designing past them.
At documentation stage: plans are prepared to the standard a builder actually needs, not the standard a designer imagines a builder needs.
At pricing stage: your three builder quotes come back within a tight spread because every builder is pricing the same detailed scope.
On site: when a builder hits something unexpected — which every renovation does at some point — the documentation has already anticipated most of those decisions.
The practical result is renovations where the scope and budget set at design stage tend to hold through construction, with surprises and mid-build changes kept to a minimum.
→ Read about David’s background
Honest pricing, not sales language. These are construction cost ranges for the Gold Coast market in 2026 — not design fees.
| Renovation type | Typical construction cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Kitchen redesign | $40,000 – $80,000 |
| Bathroom renovation | $25,000 – $50,000 |
| Deck / outdoor room | $15,000 – $60,000 |
| Second-storey addition | $250,000 – $450,000 |
| Whole-house renovation | $150,000 – $500,000+ |
Design fees are separate from construction cost:
Here’s the part most homeowners don’t realise: the quality of your design documentation directly controls your build cost. Vague plans mean builders pad their quotes with allowances to cover uncertainty. Detailed, construction-ready documentation means every builder is pricing the same scope — you get competitive, comparable quotes and fewer surprises once the walls are open.
Good renovation design often saves money by reducing uncertainty, quote padding, and mid-build changes.
→ Read our full Gold Coast renovation cost guide
When a whole-house renovation approaches the cost of a new build, a knockdown rebuild may be the smarter call. See our Knockdown Rebuild Gold Coast page for the assessment framework.
Most projects run 4–10 weeks from initial consult to construction documentation complete.
→ See the Southport renovation — this process in action
We design the full range of residential renovations on the Gold Coast:
Every renovation is specific to its home. We don’t use template designs.
Most Gold Coast renovations require building approval through a private certifier, and some need development approval through Gold Coast City Council as well — depending on scope, overlays (flood, bushfire, character, height), and whether you’re altering a heritage or character home.
Because I’ve lodged Gold Coast renovations for 20+ years, my documentation is prepared with approval in mind from the start. That means fewer information requests from certifiers, fewer redesigns, and a faster path from concept to construction start.
→ Read our step-by-step guide to Gold Coast council approval
A 1970s Southport brick-and-tile, reconfigured into a modern open-plan family home with a second-storey addition. The original brief: “more space, better flow.” The documentation took 8 weeks. Construction came in within the expected quote range because the three builders we invited to tender were all pricing the same detailed scope.
→ Read the full Southport case study
Book a $280 initial consultation — in person at your home or online. In about 60 minutes we’ll cover:
If you proceed to design, the $280 is credited to your design fees.
One of the biggest frustrations builders face is receiving renovation plans that lack the detail needed to produce an accurate quote. My plans include full dimensions, material specifications, demolition notes, structural references, and clear documentation of how new work connects to existing. This means your builder can price the job properly the first time, and you can compare quotes on a like-for-like basis — no allowances, no guesswork, just clear documentation that keeps your renovation on track and on budget. See how we approach new home designs.
Renovations on the Gold Coast often trigger planning and building requirements that homeowners are not aware of. Depending on your project, you may need a Development Approval, Building Approval, or both. I handle compliance as an integrated part of the design — setback requirements, site cover calculations, overlooking provisions, flood overlay assessments, and the relevant sections of the National Construction Code. My documentation is prepared with approval in mind from the start, so the process moves as smoothly as possible. Learn about the approval process.
"David actually respects a budget, thinks practically, and is relentlessly solution-focused. He cares more about delivering for the client than unnecessarily spending a client's money. He listens, truly listens, understands what you mean, and makes the whole journey centred around you as the client."
"David did the design for our house extension and we couldn't be happier. The builders commented that the plans and design were really well done and made a lot of sense to them — they weren't surprised when I told them Dave also has a building background."
Read all reviews · 5.0 out of 5 on Google
Book a consultation to discuss your project. The $280 consultation fee is credited in full if you proceed to design.
Already formulated your vision? Or seeking a start point and guiding hand?
We can help you commence your journey today.
Fully insured • Personalised consultation • Transparent pricing
Transparent pricing with no hidden costs. Every project includes full 3D digital modelling, detailed construction documentation, and a complete bill of quantities.
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