The building designer behind the practice
Rhys Davies. Registered Building Designer. Across your project from the first conversation to the final approval.
Choosing a building designer is one of the high-stakes decisions most people make with almost no usable information to guide it. A website either looks credible or it doesn't. A portfolio shows finished buildings with no indication of what it took to get the permit across the line. A first consultation catches a designer at their most attentive, before the hard parts begin.
About Rhys Davies
Rhys has worked as a building designer in Victoria for over 20 years, holding an Advanced Diploma in Building Design (Architectural). The work he finds most worthwhile is for families. People adding space, changing how they live, or building something on their block for someone they love.
That's what drew him to found RD Building Design, and it is still the work he cares most about.
Registered and accountable
Rhys holds registration with the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) under the category of Registered Building Practitioner (Architectural). Every drawing produced carries this registration, publicly verifiable through the BPC, along with the professional liability and permit accountability that comes with it.
Rhys is also a member of Design Matters National (DMN), the professional body for building designers in Australia.
From a single room to a whole new home
RD Building Design has expertise in:
- Custom home design
- Knockdown rebuild designs (KDRB)
- Extensions and renovations
- Townhouses and multi-unit design
- Self-contained secondary dwellings.
Plus the planning and documentation work that sits behind all of them:
- Feasibility assessments
- Pre-purchase reports
- Planning permit documentation.
What connects them is that they're all decisions families make once, with money they've worked hard for, on a block they plan to stay on.
Getting the design wrong or the approvals delayed costs more than the project itself, in time and in the mental toll it takes. Rhys understands that, and it's reflected in how the work gets done. Carefully, with the right knowledge of the planning schemes that apply.
What working together looks like
Rhys will give you a clear read on what your project involves, what the planning controls allow for, and provide assistance with ensuring your budget is met.
You'll leave that first consultation knowing exactly where you stand.
When your permits are approved, you'll know the application was passed using expertly produced documentation.
When you hand those plans to your builder, the documentation will be fully complete, and Rhys will always be available if questions come up.
Residential design services for every type of project
Whatever stage your project is at, there's a service designed to move it forward. From a full new home design to a single storey addition, council requirements and permit documentation are managed as part of the process.
New home design
Custom home design from initial brief through to permit-ready documents
Knockdown rebuild designs
A completely new design on your existing block, built around the life you want
Residential extensions and renovations
Additions that connect and blend with your existing home
Townhouses / Multi-Unit design
Multiple dwellings on one site, with all planning and documentation managed
Projects start with one conversation
That conversation costs nothing and answers the question most people are already asking. Is what I have in mind achievable, and what will it take to get there.
When you make that call, you'll find the advice direct and the path forward clear.