how we work

Step 1 - Stalk us online

The first step is to “check us out from a distance”. You can do this by stalking our website (which you are obviously doing now), or checking out our socials (like Instagram). If you like what you see, you can consider giving us “a warm smile from across the room”, with a little post or video like, comment or share :D

Step 2 - Hit up “Charlie”

If you are “picking up what we are putting down” (i.e. if you like what you see online), then you can meet “Charlie”, our site detective robot. Think of this like the “buying a drink” stage, you’re putting the feelers out to see if we could be a good fit, without making any commitments. “Charlie” is available to all design pros at no cost, and her role is to dig up as much dirt on a property as possible. “Dirt” being info on things like problematic overlays, problematic neighbourhood plans, easements etc. So that everyone knows where the goalposts are before starting down the design path.

Let’s be honest, no one likes to hear that the extension they have spent a year developing is “dead in the water” at the last minute … dead due to something like a mapped waterway corridor or protected vegetation. Or that they can’t do their clients dream new build … as the existing dilapidated house is protected. Or that the third storey they planned won’t fly under the use code. You get the idea! “Charlie’s” role is to give you a heads up on these issues upfront, so that everyone knows where they stand at the very start.

Step 3 - Get us to review your idea/concept

Next comes the concept or plan review stage, or the “first date” get to know each other better stage.

We are more than happy to take a quick look and provide feedback on the options (at no cost and with no expectations on what will come next). I.e. is a DA (aka planning application) required, and if so, can things be tweaked to avoid a DA or reduce the type of DA. We also provide feedback on the costs, the timeframes and most importantly, the chances of success for the options.

If the options provided become “information overload”, or if the site is non-standard and hence, required more formal research, we can quote on a formal review or a site meeting … to enable us to take the time to run through things in more detail or in person.

Step 4 - Request a quote

From there, if a DA (town planning application) is on the cards, we can provide a quote for consideration.

This is kind of like the “will you be my boyfie/girlie” stage, where you signal you like where things are heading and want to invest more time (and energy) into the process.

Step 5 - Charge into the application

If you are happy to charge ahead you/your client accepts the quote. We then work our magic and the DA process begins.

Check out this document to learn more about how the DA process works from there.

In an ideal world, design pros (aka building designers etc.) would reach out and use “Charlie” as soon as they get the prospective call/before they meet with the client. I.e., before everyone starts becoming emotionally attached to an idea, before anyone has put time and effort into a concept. As the dirt “she” can dig up on problematic overlays, problematic neighbourhood plans, easements etc. can really crush people’s reno or new build hopes and dreams. Yep, she can be a bit of a #DebbieDowner (eye roll).

working with “charlie”

Who is “Charlie”?

A play on Peta’s last name, “Charlie” is the nickname given to BTP’s site detective robot/automated planning sidekick. Originally an internal site info collection tool that was created to help Peta process enquiries, she now generates site reports for design pros (at no cost). As we want to encourage people like building designers to ask questions upfront … so that they know where the goalposts are and which direction to run in from the start.

What does a “Charlie” report cover?

We all know those girlies who can go full detective mode, digging up dirt on an ex or potential new date … the ones who find stuff that no one ever thought existed. Well, Charlie is that girlie for us. She collects current and historical aerial photos as well as base info on contours, zoning, overlays, neighbourhood plans, flooding, regional plan categories, state referral triggers, development application history, easements, NALL (protected vegetation), protected boarding houses, expected infrastructure upgrades, services like sewerage/water/stormwater lines … and much much more.

Why no cost?

There are 3 key reasons.

1 - We planners have a bit of a rep for being the “dream crushers”. A big part of our job is dealing with the tears that come when someone finds out they can’t do the dream reno they have been emotionally and financially falling in love with for the past year. Getting this info upfront reduces the risk of tears later on, which makes our job waaaaaay more chill.

2 - Charlie is like our wing woman … she makes design pros lives easier and hence, reinforces the positive relationship vibes for us.

3 - Those reports act as little branding ninjas, spreading the BTP name.

So don’t hesitate to reach out, as she benefits all of us!

Rules of engagement

Charlie is intended as a kind of “secret sauce” for design pros, she isn’t intended to be a tool that the general public can tap into. Hence, we have intentionally steered away from creating a public portal for her. Think of it like the hidden coffee spot that only locals know about. If you are a design pro and want to find out how you can access her magic, send us an email, and we will gladly fill you in. Just a heads up before you do …
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The biggest thing to note is that Charlie is intended as an initial checking resource, she doesn’t replace a detailed human review (lol, at least not yet).
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“Charlie's” magic powers (like ourselves) only work in the Brisbane Local Government Area.
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For design pros, there is no limit to the number of “Charlies” you can run each day or week. That is the beauty of computer automation, it can go on and on and on and … you get the idea.
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We aim to review the “Charlie” report and respond with any additional high-level commentary required within 24 to 48 hours (we are working on ways to speed this up).
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With the charlie info in hand …

1 - You rock up to that first client meeting feeling like a rockstar, because you’ve got the facts, the answers and the confidence to back it up #BossMoves.

2 - You can spot the red flags early and steer clear of the “no chances” jobs. That means less time wasted, fewer headaches, and more energy for the projects that actually go somewhere.

3 - You boost your changes of seeing your job approved and hence built. That means happy clients who refer you on, and more job satisfaction for you. Let’s be real, no design pro likes dealing with a frustrated client or seeing their hard work gathering dust on the shelf.

what our clients have to say about “charlie”

They say that you shouldn’t walk into a bar and ask someone to marry you! You first give a glance/smile across the room, and then you buy them a drink. A first date follows, a second date ... you get the idea.

We take the same approach to biz, by giving people multiple opportunities to “get to know us”, before committing to working with us.

Scroll down to learn more.