We create character home designs across Tasmania that keep the soul of an older home while making it work for how you live today.
You love the character of your older home, but the layout fights you daily and the thought of altering it feels risky. Get it wrong and you strip out the very charm that drew you in. Heritage overlays and approvals only add to the worry about what you are allowed to touch.
We design heritage renovations that respect the period detail while opening the home up for modern living. The original character is protected and celebrated, not painted over. You see the design take shape and refine it with us until it feels right.
We had no idea where to start with our new home and Strait Design made the whole thing feel simple. They designed to our budget from day one and kept us informed the whole way through. Could not fault them.
After a bad experience elsewhere we were nervous, but this team told us the truth about timelines and cost upfront. No surprises and no excuses. Our plans were build ready exactly when they said they would be.
The approvals process terrified us but Strait Design handled all the council side so we did not have to. Everything was explained in plain English and we always knew what was happening next. Brilliant service.
We wanted a double storey family home and were worried about blowing the budget. They shaped the design around what we could actually spend and it still turned out beautiful. Would recommend to anyone building.
As a small developer I needed speed through approvals and accurate early costing. Strait Design delivered both. The documentation was clear enough for builders to price it properly the first time around.
What stood out was the communication. We never had to chase for updates because they always let us know where things sat. Dealing with one team from start to finish made the whole process so much easier.
Over 35 years of experience really shows. They picked up issues early that we never would have and saved us money down the track. It genuinely felt like they had our best interests at heart the entire time.
We are first home builders and had a hundred questions. The team was patient, down to earth and never once made us feel silly for asking. Our build ready plans came through exactly as promised. Thank you.
From the first call to the finished plans the experience was exactly what they said it would be. Trade qualified people who actually know planning and building inside out. Honestly worth every single cent.
Character home renovations often sit within heritage or conservation controls, and we know how to work within them. We prepare the documentation and manage the planning and building approval process so you are not left decoding council or heritage requirements on your own. You are kept informed at every stage, so you always know where things sit and what happens next.
Your design is reviewed by people who build homes for a living. Get practical input on structure, materials, thermal performance and cost before decisions are locked in.
Stage one finishes with a Project Budget Alignment Estimate based on real project data and current construction rates, so you can check the design against your budget before it goes to council.
Your design fees, consultant allowances and council costs are set out upfront. We explain provisional costs and discuss any additional requirements with you before proceeding.
We guide your selections and document them in your construction drawings, giving builders a clear basis to price the fixtures, fittings and finishes you want.
We coordinate surveyors, engineers, energy assessors, your building surveyor, council and TasWater where required, keeping your pre-construction work moving through one team.
Regular, clear updates explain where your project is at, what comes next and anything we need from you, so you can make decisions with confidence.
Whether you have a Federation home or another period style, we design with a real understanding of how these homes were built and why they matter. Your plans are documented clearly enough for builders to price the work accurately and on the same basis. We help you engage the right builder, so the work starts knowing exactly where you stand.
We talk through your budget before any design work begins, so you know what your heritage home design will cost and what you are getting. Construction estimates are prepared alongside your approvals. Our timeline and cost guarantees (terms and conditions apply) mean you can plan the work with certainty.
Timing depends on the scope of the work, your home and whether heritage or conservation controls apply. We give you a clear timeline at the start, before any work begins. Our process is built to keep your character home renovations moving through design, documentation and approvals without long stalls. We back that timeline with a guarantee, and terms and conditions apply.
That is the exact risk we design to avoid, and it is why period homes need a considered hand rather than a generic approach. We keep and celebrate the original character while updating the parts that no longer work for how you live. You see the design take shape and refine it with us until it feels right. The goal is a home that feels true to its era and comfortable for today.
Yes, we regularly work with homes under heritage or conservation controls, and we design within those requirements from the start. We prepare the documentation and manage the approval process so you are not decoding the rules on your own. Where there are constraints, we will be upfront about what is and is not possible. That honesty saves you time, money and disappointment later.
Bring your budget, details about the home and its age, and a sense of what is not working for you. Photos of the home and examples of character or Federation home designs you admire are helpful too. You do not need everything worked out before you get in touch. Working through the details with you is part of what we do.
Changes are a normal part of designing a heritage renovation, and we refine the design with you until it feels right. The best time to make changes is during the design stage, before documentation and approvals begin. If you want to change something later, we will tell you how it affects your timeline and cost before anything happens. You stay in control of every decision.
Yes, we help you engage the right builder once your plans are build ready. Your documentation is prepared so builders with the right skills for character homes can give you accurate, comparable pricing. We can help you work through the quotes so you understand how they compare. You are not left on your own at the moment it matters most.
We had no idea where to start with our new home and Strait Design made the whole thing feel simple. They designed to our budget from day one and kept us informed the whole way through. Could not fault them.
After a bad experience elsewhere we were nervous, but this team told us the truth about timelines and cost upfront. No surprises and no excuses. Our plans were build ready exactly when they said they would be.
The approvals process terrified us but Strait Design handled all the council side so we did not have to. Everything was explained in plain English and we always knew what was happening next. Brilliant service.
We wanted a double storey family home and were worried about blowing the budget. They shaped the design around what we could actually spend and it still turned out beautiful. Would recommend to anyone building.
As a small developer I needed speed through approvals and accurate early costing. Strait Design delivered both. The documentation was clear enough for builders to price it properly the first time around.
What stood out was the communication. We never had to chase for updates because they always let us know where things sat. Dealing with one team from start to finish made the whole process so much easier.
Over 35 years of experience really shows. They picked up issues early that we never would have and saved us money down the track. It genuinely felt like they had our best interests at heart the entire time.
We are first home builders and had a hundred questions. The team was patient, down to earth and never once made us feel silly for asking. Our build ready plans came through exactly as promised. Thank you.
From the first call to the finished plans the experience was exactly what they said it would be. Trade qualified people who actually know planning and building inside out. Honestly worth every single cent.