At Urban Form, we passionately believe that a collaborative, ‘round table’ approach is key to delivering the best client experience, and strongest possible project outcome.

The idea of engaging a builder in a consulting role early in the design phase is still new for many, but the need is clear — with over 70% of plans never making it to construction, it’s time to rethink the process. Too often in our industry, the story is the same: the builder comes in at the end, delivers the bad news that the plans are unaffordable, and months (or even years) of work — and expense — are wasted. It’s the worst part of our job, which is why we simply don’t do it that way anymore.

Instead, we get involved pre-construction, when our advice matters most. We can confirm early on whether your dream design aligns with realistic construction costs or suggest ways to reduce costs while preserving the vision.

Here’s something to consider: if the person pricing your project isn’t the one actually building it — and perhaps has never built a home — how accurate can that costing really be? If the price turns out to be wrong, there’s often no consequence. But when the builder is the one costing the project, their only objective is to get it right — because they want to build it. Costing isn’t the fun part; building is!

Every project deserves the benefit of the best combined industry expertise that both an architect and builder bring. By selecting your designer and builder as a team from the outset, your project is approached with confidence, clarity, and a shared commitment to achieving the best possible outcome.

Early collaboration means well-informed, buildable solutions that maximise efficiency, reduce the risk of costly redesigns, and keep your budget on track with accurate cost reviews at each design stage. Furthermore it also provides the opportunity to try, test and build a strong communication system well before construction begins.

Watch Samuel Architecture and Urban Form discuss the benefits.