Prime Design Tasmania

30/10/2026

Last weekend some of the Prime Design team attended the Building Designers Association of Australia National Design Awards in Canberra. The National Awards evening followed on from the annual National Festival of Design where our designers could focus on expanding their skills and knowledge with Saturday evening the 24th October celebrating some of Australia's best designs.

We were thrilled to come away with a win for a project we worked on with Cunic Homes for Residential Alterations/Additions (up to $500,000). Well done to our amazing team who work together with our amazing clients to achieve the design brief whilst delivering best practice design principles.

Thank you to the Building Designers Association of Australia. It is humbling to be recognised for this prestigious award against some other amazing designs all across Australia.

27/10/2026

When should you start talking to a builder? Probably earlier than you think.

You don’t necessarily need to wait until your design is finished. As Isaac explains, involving your builder during the design stage can help you better understand costs, timeframes and what’s practical to build before key decisions are locked in.

It’s about getting the right people around the table early so your design, budget and build are all heading in the same direction.

Thinking about building? Start the conversation early and have you, your designer and builder working together!

25/10/2026

Building costs have gone up so much that even a "standard" four-bed, two-bath house with a double garage can now creep past $1 million.

So what do you do when your dream house and your budget don't match?

Most people just start cutting things from the plan. But there's a smarter way to do it, one that means the things you cut now don't have to be gone forever.

Frank shares in a recent episode, how a few key design considerations early on could allow you to extend later - potentially saving thousands of dollars without knocking down a single wall that wasn't meant to come out.

🎧 Full episode "How to design for the extension you'll add later" ⬇️
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5jNkxgxDfPLkU40AQdOawo?si=2744014c93db416c

22/10/2026

Building your first home comes with more decisions than most people expect, and it's easy to get a few of them wrong. On a recent episode of the Building Design Prime Time Podcast, Frank runs through the mistakes he sees most often, from prioritising the look of a home over how it actually functions, to underestimating just how much it costs to get a design through to permit stage before a builder even picks up a hammer.

Frank talks about why orientation and passive solar design matter more than people think, why building to your absolute maximum borrowing capacity is a risky move, and why ignoring the advice of your designer, engineer, or bushfire assessor almost always ends up costing more than it saves. Swipe through for a list of our top considerations, and if you're in the early stages of planning your first build, this is worth a read before you get too far down the track!

Want to learn more? Check out the full podcast episode 🔽
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1USitIvGiAg9c05oJJjrZ7?si=UX4Z83DZSj2kBS4bkS9Ryw

19/10/2026

Continuous learning is part of how we design better homes. As passive house design continues to gain traction across Tasmania, we made sure to get amongst it. Our team spent time on site with Haven Homes Tasmania , walking through the passive house principles being incorporated into a new rural home just outside Launceston. From airtightness to thermal bridging to building fabric performance, it was a great reminder that good design is never finished learning. Thanks to Haven Homes for having us out.

16/10/2026

💡Prime Design Tip of the Week
A great home isn't just about how it looks, it's about how it performs.

This week's tip from Drew highlights why thoughtful window placement and glazing design are essential for creating a comfortable, energy-efficient home in Tasmania.

Want to dive deeper? Listen to the Windows & Glazing episodes of the Building Design Prime Time Podcast for practical insights that can make a real difference to your next build.

Part 1 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7pmsC0S5StoGW3cHeBXQfv?si=84f2599366474f37
Part 2 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/1UpDa6n9gy4x2mkq0uyQdm?si=423c95f2c85349c7

14/10/2026

Would you buy a house without knowing what's actually included in the price? That's essentially what happens with a lot of kit home quotes. Our recent blog breaks down what's usually left out, what climate zone compliance actually means for Tasmanian builds, and what to ask your supplier before you commit. Be sure to also download a copy of our free kit home checklist!

Thinking about a kit home in Tasmania? Learn what the advertised price leaves out, the hidden costs, and the compliance traps to check first.

11/10/2026

Here's something extra for anyone building or renovating on the North West Coast of Tassie, have you checked out the Building Design Prime Time Podcast? Frank and Amelia sit down in each episode and to talk through real, practical topics, everything from choosing the right windows, and insulation, to navigating kit homes and council permits, project budgets and so much more!

It's the same expertise you'll find in our Devonport office, Launceston or Hobart office, just in podcast form. Whether you're deep into planning a build or just starting to think about it, it's a genuinely useful listen for locals across Tasmania. Give it a search wherever you get your podcast and let us know what topic you'd love to hear covered next.

https://primedesigntas.com.au/podcast/

08/10/2026

To everyone who's stopped by, sent us a message or said hello since we opened our doors to our new office in Devonport, thank you. It's been wonderful getting to know the community and local businesses. We are only just getting started and Adah and Jessie are here and ready to help you with your next project, so don't be a stranger. Thanks to for having Adah and Jessie at this beautiful location for a refreshment!

If you're located in another part of the state, our Launceston and Hobart team would be more than happy to assist you. We cover the entire state!

05/10/2026

We are excited to be nominated as a finalist for the upcoming Building Designer Association of Australia Awards. Last year we came away from the awards evening with four trophies, to be nominated for 4 projects is an incredible achievement, not only for us but for everyone who took part in helping bring these projects to life. We work with some amazing admin staff, builders, external consultants and councils. It takes a village to get these projects off the ground. Most of all thank you to our wonderful clients who trust us with these projects. We are often just as invested as our clients to get great results!