Sketch Building Design

We discovered Sketch through their 'Hunter Street Malvern' project and have worked with their team over the last four years to bring our project to life. We had a solid idea of what we wanted in our home and the Sketch team elevated our ideas into reality. True value was added through the rear elevations and Sketch connected the spaces seamlessly from the heritage Edwardian through to the rear double story extension. The team worked with us to find the perfect brick for our home and were only too happy to provide feedback on different materials throughout the build. Teamed with 'Empire Interiors' our family home has returned to its former glory, and now boasts six large bedrooms, a playroom and two lounge spaces. The heritage aspects have been kept in the original part of the home, paying respects to its history. The Sketch team are open to feedback and don't try to force design concepts onto their clients. Their goal is to build a family home fit for purpose and utilise the surrounding properties and nature to its fullest potential. Thank you to Darrin, Nicole and the Sketch team for bringing our project to life. We will continue to refer our friends as we are extremely happy with the service we have received. Hunter Street: https://www.huntingforgeorge.com/blog/hunter-street-malvern-let-us-in-home-tour/ Empire Interiors: https://www.empireinteriors.com.au/

Their designs are outstanding, taking a tricky extension renovation to an old California Bungalow with limited space, and coming up with thoughtful and beautiful solutions. They were patient with us throughout a long process and reworked plans in line with budget constraints. They even visited our site a few times during the build to see how it's progressing with our builder. Highly recommend for great flexible design.

We engaged Sketch Building Design to design a renovation that we could construct in two stages - the first stage being the installation of an inground pool and the second being the major house renovation. From the beginning, we found Darrin and the team at Sketch so easy to deal with. They listened to what we wanted, gave us two options to begin with (single and double storey) and then helped us move forward with our choice of double storey. We also used Sketch for our interior design and are really happy with the selection of products and colours. Our build is currently in the process of being completed - we are at the plastering stage, and so far so good - no major issues at all. Our builder has also worked with Sketch previously and so was confident there wouldn't be any issues with the design. I love the fact that Sketch works on a fixed price, so there is no incentive for them to design a more expensive build. We have already recommended Sketch to other friends who have been equally happy with their experience - I wouldn't hesitate to continue to recommend them.

Sketch design is nothing less than a professional architectural firm. With my dealings with Ryan & Marlene in particularly, I am very pleased with the excellence service and professionalism received. Would definitely recommend their services to anyone.

We love working with Sketch Building Design. Their plans are detailed and accurate. Sketch have always been helpful and supportive with any updates or information we need throughout the building process.

We had a fabulous experience at Sketch. The house is heritage and was presenting a lot of design challenges with the council restrictions. We had a disappointing experience with the first company we used and moved to Sketch. Sketch nailed the design brief and as a multidisciplinary team the end result we could not be happier with. The communication was fabulous and everything happened by quoted deadlines. Could not recommend more highly.

We engaged sketch to design our renovation and extension project in Narre Warren Nth. Darren and his team took the time to really understand what we wanted to achieve and their design work absolutely blew us away! They nailed the brief as well as contributed additional great ideas for the facade and general layout. The team as a whole provides excellent service and support throughout the build and their friendly nature made them a dream team to work with. We couldn’t recommend Sketch building design enough.

I am Builder that specialises in bespoke high end renovations in and around inner city Melbourne suburbs. I have been working with Darrin and the team at Sketch Building Design for a number of years now and have found them to be extremely professional and very skilled at creating the best possible outcomes for renovation/extension floor plans and designs all meeting Town Planning requirements. I have recently completed a very large scale high end renovation/extension on a Double fronted Victorian period home with a major ground and first floor extension to rear. Sketch had very detailed plans elevations with all interior drawings layouts and cabinetry design included. This job also had in house interior Design added with a fully detailed specifications of all interior fixtures and fittings including all kitchen appliances. I was able to call the main designer of the project and liase with them on any measurements design questions or queries and get quick on the spot answers to help move the job forward at all times without any hold ups. I would highly recommend using Sketch for your next building project for designing plans and interior works.

We contacted the Sketch team after meeting with many other architects, finding that we weren’t being listen to. Darrin at Sketch design really listened to us and didn’t try to give us anything we didn’t need; for that reason we chose Sketch. They tailored our ideas into a functioning reality for our family. The process was organised and thorough. We would definitely use Sketch again and I would highly recommend Darrin and his team.

The team at Sketch did an amazing job bringing our vision to life! They brought really great ideas to the table that we did not think of and came up with a design that is both practical and beautiful for our growing family. Chris was amazing at helping navigate conversations with our neighbours and the process with the council. The interior design team also worked seamlessly with the architect team at creating cohesive plans. It has made the building process run very smoothly. We cannot thank Sketch enough and cannot wait to move into our new home!

Sketch were great to work with. Very responsive and easy to communicate with and the design was exactly what we wanted. We found Sketch through a recommendation from a friend, and we would recommend Darrin and his team to others.

We bought our house back in 2015 and knew we needed to renovate it however had no idea what to do other than we needed a second bathroom. In 2019 we engaged with Sketch Building Design through a recommendation through our local community Facebook page. Andrew came to have a look and instantly saw a vision for our place which got us excited about renovating for the first time. He sent us 3 different design concepts and we chose one we liked the most. We also opted to do detailing for each room which was extremely helpful once we started engaging with builders and throughout the build process. In 2021 we finally engaged with a builder. While the building stage was stressful the final drawings and detailing proved to be so valuable here. Part of our renovations also involved building a deck which needed a complicated application and consulting with the local council where the team at Sketch provided the service and managed this with liaising with our builder and council to make it a smooth process and speed up the process. We finished our renovations in December 2021 and absolutely love our new place. Thank you to the whole team at Sketch!

I would highly recommend Sketch Building Design. Being in the building industry for the last 25 years we have worked with many architects and Sketch have definitely been the stand out firm to work with. From their face to face customer service, their attention to detail on all plans, follow up with requests and just their general focus and application to the project at hand is outstanding. They make being a builder easy, from the start of the build, taking care of all permits and applications needed to get a project underway right to the end with the finest interior details. Always enjoy working with the Sketch team.

Thet are very professional and easy to deal with They take control of the whole renovation design process from start to finish . Would highly recommend

We have completed multiple projects with Sketch Building Design. They always produce designs with flair and their process is very smooth. I can highly recommend.

We have been working with Sketch Building Design on multiple projects for the past couple of years. The service and professionalism we experience from the whole team at Sketch is amazing. As a design and construct builder, we work with our clients to prepare a design brief which we then pass onto Sketch to create a design solution. Each design is well considered, sensitive to our clients budget, respectful of the site, meets every objective of the brief, and most importantly, exceeds our clients expectations. The input into each design is collaborative and the documentation is extremely well presented. Construction drawings are clear and concise and provide the right amount of detail to ensure everything is communicated clearly to various trades working on each project. It's an absolute pleasure working with the whole team at Sketch Building Design.

We have used Sketch Design for architectural designs and drafting works. Their service is excellent, well priced and they deliver high quality drawings. We regularly refer clients to them and do so with confidence.

Working with SKETCH is always such a pleasure. The staff are Always so thorough and detailed in all their processes, from start to finish the projects we have worked on together have been great fun and exceptional design was created during a collaborative process between myself, SKETCH and the client.

We were referred by a friend for our house design. We started with a Renovation job but later upgraded to a full knock down and rebuild. Chris, Darrin, Marlene, Steve and Ryan were brilliant. We worked through frustrations with the council and and was able to go through a design we were happy with, without too many changes. Nicole from the interiors team were also brilliant with her design work. We would recommend them highly, great value for money and responsive services.

The Sketch team did a fantastic job on designing our renovation and extension project. From concept design, council permits to construction drawings, the whole team including Darrin, Chris, Steve, Ryan and Marlene helped us tremendously along the way with their measured approach and advice. The process was so easy working with Sketch notwithstanding the challenges we had with heritage overlays on our property. From the beginning they said they backed themselves to meet our brief and offered as many changes as we wanted until it did (some architects offer only a a limited number of changes). In the end we did not even have many changes because they did such a good job with the initial design. Overall in our experience the combined product was outstanding and excellent value for money compared with other options out there to have a beautiful architecturally designed home.

I got in contact with Andrew after the Architect I had been using for years suddenly passed away. Andrew was kind enough to complete the project documentation within months of me first talking to him. I also had an interior consultant on the project whom Sketch coordinated with with no hesitation. Thanks to the team down at Sketch for being accommodative and look forward to the next project with you.

We have used sketch on 3 projects now and are very happy. They hit the brief each and every time which makes things easy. The whole team are super attentive to each question and always there to help. Highly recommended!!!!! - Simon

Excellent value architects. Supported us through a long process as we paused and resumed our project due to other priorities. Thanks for sticking with us team!

We were recommended Sketch by a friend and couldn’t be happier with the design and support they’ve given us. We had a 1950’s house and were, at first, looking to principally expand upstairs to provide space for our growing family. We met with Darrin and Chris to go through our ideas and objectives, and they came up with a fantastic concept, which expanded our renovation to meet ideas we originally thought we would tackle in future years. All this while still maximising the existing structure so as not to add too much cost. We also got Sketch to draft electrical and interior design plans (Nicole at Empire Interiors), which were value for money by helping us think through all aspects of the build prior to going to tender and enabled us to get all-inclusive quotes. Sketch’s industry contacts have been beneficial with the surveyor and engineer providing great service at the start, but also as we adjusted plans on the build. Sketch also recommended a number of builders, with our chosen builder being first class and having a great working relationship with Sketch, making the whole process effortless.

Darrin Albert and Andrew Brown and their team at Sketch Building Design produce outstanding work, quite simply good people, who are a pleasure to deal with. We have collaborated with Sketch for our developments and they listened to what we wanted, integrated in our requests, brought some good ideas to the table and ultimately were really enjoyable to work with. As builders the handover pack Sketch provides which makes our ability to quote the job so much easier. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a smooth design process transitioning into a smooth build.

As a builder I have had a professional working relationship with Sketch over the past few years and had the opportunity to tender on a number of their projects and been successful multiple times. The team at Sketch are very punctual and professional, they provide a full package of detailed working drawings & documentation for their projects with assisted guidance to obtaining an approved building permit. Sketch have also been extremely helpful during construction when their services have been required. I can honestly say that every Sketch project I have done and am currently doing - the clients have been very satisfied and happy they chose Sketch to design and assist them with their project.

Bryan Scott Projects Has worked with Sketch Building design on numerous projects. We have found that the design and documentation from a builder's point of view, is clear and very easy to work with. This enables that no detail is missed and produces the high-end finish required. Communication with the staff is a pleasure which creates a great working relationship. Combining with Empire Interiors makes the projects flow perfectly. Bryan Scott (Residential Builder)

We have had the great privilege of working on a number of Sketch Designs. Darrin and the team at Sketch are great communicators and always available to assist throughout he build if required. We have found that the designs created for their clients are on brief and specific to each individuals tastes and needs. They take great care in the design to ensure both form and function are considered. Our feed back from clients is that they work with them from initial discussions though to handing over to a select group of builders. We feel proud to be one of those preferred builders. Rob & Wendy Melbourne Home Builders

The team at Sketch understood what was important to us and were able to seamlessly deliver the full documentation package ready for building. Darrin and the team were always available to take our calls and were responsive to our needs. At each point I always felt as though we were dealing with a professional company and we have no hesitation in recommending Darrin and his team. Sketch made a complicated process easy!

Sketch is a great team to work with. They are all about keeping it simple, but at the same time, have a good eye for design and they get the essentials of the job done without fuss or pomp. Unlike working with an architect or individual designer, who I've learnt from experience often put the needs of their own reputation, ahead of the needs of the client, when creating a design, Sketch really do allow the client to sit in the driver's seat, while they skilfully navigate, ensuring you reach your destination without any bingles along the way!

Sketch were highly recommended by friends and we couldn’t be happier with the design of our new home. Chris and Darrin were so helpful and supportive right from the initial brief, through to the final design and even helping us select the right builder - feel very lucky for the initial introduction!

I have worked with Sketch over many years. They have designed large townhouses projects through to bespoke renovations. The team has always been professional and provided exceptional service from all areas of design, documentation and town planning. I am happy to recommend the team wholeheartedly.

My wife and I purchased our property in September 2019, and we knew from the start that we would have to do a lot of work, both to the building itself and the surrounding gardens and fences. Sketch Building Design was recommended to us as a potential design company for the proposed works. Not only did they help us create an amazing design to fit with our current floor plan, but they also helped us with all of the engineering, soil testing and building permits required to get or project started. Although the COVID-19 pandemic presented many challanges to all of us here in Victoria, Sketch remained committed to providing us with the best service possible during these trying times. Now that the design is complete, we are able to proceed to bringing Sketch's amazing design to life.

Sketch did a great job in turning my ideas into a great design. They handled the whole process from the plans to the permits. They introduced me to my builder and interior designer and were very responsive during the process. I worked with Chris Walker who did a great job for me

The total experience with Sketch was faultless. Our project was a very challenging one. We needed an architect that could work with our wishes and make the process as easy as possible. We expected this process to be emotional, challenging and exhausting however Sketch took us on an easy journey from step to step. Their support throughout the entire process from scope to, plans, to meeting with the council, to meeting with neighbours and helping us choosing the best and appropriate builder. I would engage Sketch again and recommend them to anyone taking on a new build or renovation of their property - Darren and Chantal Bonney

Overall we were really impressed with Sketch and wouldn't hesitate to recommended them to others. For context, we had a complex brief - design a large family home, on a very small inner Melbourne block, with an existing heritage overlay and a relatively conservative construction budget. Sketch was great from the start, working around the site constraints and incorporating our wishes and ideas into the design. Sketch has an in-house town planner and this showed in their ability to navigate Council and the site's heritage overlay and get the overall design approved with minimal changes. Sketch also completed the construction drawings, interior design and specification (working with Empire Interiors) and helped us to select a builder. Again all these services were delivered to a really high standard and Darrin and the team went above and beyond in helping us navigate the tricky process of selecting the right builder. We would highly recommend Sketch.

I engaged Darrin and Andrew from Sketch for the complex extension and renovation of my home in Kensington. They and their dedicated team handled my concepts and demanding council standards with ease and a minimum of fuss. The plans worked seamlessly on site and the builder executed amazingly well. The whole process from conception to completion was handled amazingly well and i would definitely use Sketch again.

Darrin and the team at Sketch Building Design were recommended by friends and right from the start we could certainly see why. Chris listened attentively to our vision from the very first meeting. He was patient as we adjusted our thinking throughout the process and the end result is definitely our dream home which is in the final stages of being built. The opportunity to work with Nicole from Empire interiors was hugely beneficial with regard to detailed material selections. We would definitely recommend Sketch Building Design to help create your dream!

I engaged Sketch Building Design to design the renovation of my victorian cottage in a heritage overlay area. I can't speak highly enough of Darrin, Chris and the whole team at Sketch. They made the whole process easy and stress free. They listened to what I wanted, and produced design options to suit my needs, the site and style of home. Through the whole process of design, development of planning and building permit documentation, facilitating permits and liaising with other professionals, the communication of the whole team has been fantastic!

Darrin and team provided a great service, working with us to understand our requirements and made some great suggestions to improve the layout and look of our renovation project. We were very pleased at the level of professionalism shown and are happy to recommend Sketch to others.

Sketch Design were such a pleasure to work with. They took the design brief and expanded on the vision and really impressed us with what was possible for our new home design. Having a qualified team of experts across design, planning and interiors meant they were able to handle everything for us from start to finish. We will use them again on our next project for sure.

I engaged Sketch for the design of a townhouse development several years ago and was extremely impressed with their design skills, responsiveness and value for money. I have since worked with several members of the Sketch team on several other projects and can't speak highly enough of them.

Sketch managed to design a great home for us when others said there wasn't enough room. We have lots of storage and a beautiful home to live in with plenty of room. They have great ideas and they are a great team to work with. They listened to everything we wanted and needed and they delivered! Highly recommend Sketch.

Sketch have been engaged by ourselves and a number of our clients and have always been a pleasure to work with. From meeting timing constraints to beautifully delivered designs, Darrin, Andrew and their team have always made ourselves and our clients visions and goals into a reality. We could not be more happy with their service

We found Sketch to be timely, great value for money, and most importantly, they came up with a great design that was specific to our property. We were really happy with everything and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

The team at Sketch undertook the massive task of helping to design our dream home. As part of this we knocked down the front 3/4 of the existing home and build a 2 story in its place. We are thrilled with what Sketch created. They listened to what we wanted, integrated in our requests, brought some good ideas to the table and ultimately were really enjoyable to work with. We would use them again for future renovation projects.

The team at Sketch Building Design initially flexed with us as we explored the options of a renovation or re-build. Once we had decided, Sketch made our new build design process very easy. Having collated a number of images to share our design vision, the team at Sketch worked many of the elements into a floor plan that maximised the space available but also in keeping with the modern, contemporary design elements we loved. Building a custom design house for the first time is quite an undertaking and so you rely on the industry expertise to guide you through. You don't know what you don't know as a client and so it is important you have a design agency that can inform decisions up front, rather than having to navigate through change further along in the build process, which in turn incurs cost.

I have found Marlene and the whole Sketch Design Team really good at working with us on our Duplex home design. We made many changes along the way. Marlene was well accomodating on making changes on our plans and working with us on improving the design of our Duplex. I would be happy to recommend Sketch Building Design to anyone.

We engaged Andrew, Chris and the team at Sketch to design our new home in Elsternwick. Whilst we had a good idea of what we wanted Sketch Design provided the high level design combined with the practicalities of modern living to create a family home to love; a home with light-filled family spaces and warm personal environments. They where extremely calm and professional throughout the design process and provided great recommendations for local builders to bring our dream to life. Their interest continues as we commence the build...We couldn’t be happier

The Sketch team have done a great job on our recent renovation works, taking the project from concept through to council approvals and build completion, I have used Sketch on a previous project and will remain a loyal client with them for many more years.

Darrin from Sketch was easy to work with and took all our thoughts of what we wanted for our house and delivered drawings matching the profile given. Darrin also offered suggestions that we hadn't considered which complimented the design & layout. The team at Sketch were very accommodating with numerous changes of the drawings until finalised, also their turnaround in permit applications was stress free for us as they handled everything from end to end. After the drawings were completed Darrin was able to recommend preferred builders which gave us comfort knowing they had worked with Sketch previously. We can"t recommend Sketch service enough to design your dream home.

My wife and I were planning a knock down and rebuild but had no idea where to start. We had a floorplan that we liked and a general idea of house styles that we liked, but had no idea what to do next or how to get our project to a point where builders could provide us with quotes. There were so many steps involved next with working drawings, surveying, engineering, energy rating and permits all required. It was overwhelming. We found Sketch Building Design and are so pleased that we did. Sketch took all of these steps out of our hands and arranged all of these external consultants on our behalf. They helped us design our dream home and were so experienced with the local regulations that they ensured everything complied with Bayside Council. When we did hit a speedhump with a site slope and a South East Water easement, they prepared all the relevant documentation and submissions on our behalf to work around the issue. I really couldn’t imagine taking on the process by ourselves and engaging all the different consultants and authorities on our own. I couldn’t recommend Sketch highly enough, particularly for first time builders like us. The builders that we spoke to all said that the level of detail from Sketch was terrific and would allow them to put forward an accurate quote. Thanks to Darrin’s experience in the industry he was also able to recommend a pool company and several builders that he has had terrific experiences with, and again we are so pleased we got these recommendations as we are halfway through our build at the moment and it has been a very smooth process.

We engaged Sketch to help us renovate the back of our heritage house which at one time was a private Bayside school in the 1940-50s. It was a tricky job because of the heritage overlays and our desire to connect the external classroom located in the backyard (which was converted to a granny flat in the 1950s) to the house. Sketch designed some great plans for us, sorted out our council permits and introduced us to our builder (Adam Construction), which we’re currently working with to complete the project.

We engaged Sketch to design the extension of our Victorian home after they came highly recommended by a builder friend. Darrin’s professionalism and passion for design was evident from the first meeting. He and Chris were exceptional in guiding us through the design process and offering us varied options when we weren’t sure where to start. They were very accommodating and efficient with changes and all aspects of the council requirements. We wouldn’t hesitate to use Sketch again and thank them for all their incredible advice and for designing such a beautiful home for our family!

We engaged Sketch to design an extension for our 1920s single-storey home in Brunswick East. Sketch's elegant and timeless design well exceeded our expectations. Just as importantly, the service provided by Darrin Albert was exemplary. He patiently accommodated the changes we asked for along the way and continually provided us with practical and helpful advice. Darrin went above and beyond the scope of his engagement to help us, even providing advice when we had issues with other aspects of our build, well after the design phase was complete. We also found Sketch's prices to be very reasonable and competitive. We highly recommend Sketch, and Darrin in particular.

Darrin and his team (especially Chris) designed our dream home! They were professional, honest and a pleasure to deal with. They listened to our brief and designed a unique home that suits our family perfectly!

Andrew and the team at Sketch were fantastic through this process. They created a beautifully designed renovation that is very functional and well proportioned. They were also great value for money. We would highly recommend them to anyone considering a reno or new build.

We engaged Darrin and the team at Sketch to design our two storey renovation and get our plans through council approvals. We had a pretty good idea of what we wanted in our renovation and the team at Sketch helped us achieve our dream. They came up with some great ideas, which included awesome bathroom layouts, an amazing curved wall, huge circular skylight over feature stairs and floor to ceiling sliding doors, allowing us to integrate the indoor/outdoor space. Although we had to ask our neighbours for consent regarding our plans, Sketch successfully managed the council approval process and our plans were approved in good time. I’m extremely happy with our end result and would like to thank the team at Sketch!

After searching for the right architect across Melbourne for our renovation for 2 years we found Sketch who were right around the corner! Sketch ticked all the boxes for us..... 1. The fee structure (fee for service) and price point was reasonable 2. They had worked on many renovations in the area and understood our demographic well. They appreciated that we had done some renovations in the past so knew what we wanted and were accepting of us having some input into the design. 3. They recommended builders they had worked with before and co-ordinated the tender process. 4. We felt supported all through the design process, they kept us on track in regards to budget, and regularly checked-in during the building phase. I would use Sketch again for my next renovation.

Darrin and the team at Sketch came highly recommended by a good friend of ours. We had a big renovation job on our hands, and after meeting Darrin, we knew the team from Sketch were the ones to help us achieve what seemed like the impossible (at the time). We had a fairly good idea of what we wanted in the way of a floor plan, so the guys at Sketch were fantastic at bringing our ideas to life. We really valued their opinions and expertise in areas that we didn't feel very confident in, so for us, it was a perfect match. We had the right level of guidance and advice, but equally, Darrin and the team were really respectful of what we wanted, and how best to get there with the budget we had. The team from Sketch managed all of our council documentation and liaising, which was a huge weight off our shoulders. They were efficient in their dealings with council, always keeping us up to date on correspondence and progress. We've been really happy with the suppliers they've connected us to, to help get the job done. All in all, our experience with Sketch has been nothing short of excellent. This is our first, but certainly not or last renovation, and we look forward to Sketch working alongside us for the projects that lie ahead. A huge thanks to Darrin and the team!

I engaged Sketch to basically design a modern black rectangle box on top of an Art Deco semi-detached house. The result was amazing, we increase house from 2 to 5 bedrooms and from 1 to 3 bathrooms as well as extending the living area. The design still pays respect to the old ornate front half and then embraces a cutting edge modern addition highlighted by large format floor to ceiling window/sliders, oak floors and a steel staircase, with a 5m2 large glass Velux roof, illuminating the ground floor. Sketch were able to design to my budget and were always happy to re-design when slight changes were required. Sketch cleverly helped me overcome a number of issues to allow us to get a building permit through council without the need for a planning permit or sign off from adjoining neighbors. If you have a design in your head that you want to make a reality then Sketch is the company for you, I would highly recommend Andrew and Darren to guide you through the process.

We engaged Darrin Albert from Sketch Building Design to design our family home renovation. Darrin came highly recommended and we were certainly not disappointed. Our vision was to develop a contemporary two storey addition to our Edwardian home. The design delivered and service provided exceeded our expectations. Darrin and the team were professional, enthusiastic, responsive and focused on our needs and budget. They were a pleasure to deal with and we would happily recommend.