Questions

With a conversation about the life you want your home to hold. You need not arrive with a finished brief. Share where the project is, what you are considering and what matters to you. We can then discuss fit, scope and the appropriate next step. An enquiry does not reserve a commission or create an appointment.

The House welcomes enquiries for private homes in the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and beyond. Both new homes and the reimagining of existing spaces can be considered. The location, existing conditions and extent of the work shape the appointment; the agreed project schedule defines what is included.

We begin with you: your rituals, relationships, memories and the way you wish to live. The agreement provides for seven conversations over approximately eight weeks, with the brief targeted for completion in about ten weeks. Three materially different concepts follow; one is selected for refinement. These are planning targets, subject to the agreed programme and timely decisions.

Yes. House of Borhan leads the creative direction and design intent. Your appointed local architect takes responsibility for technical and construction documentation, local compliance, engineering coordination and the agreed building contract administration. Your project manager oversees programme, procurement coordination and cost reporting within their appointment. We can help research, shortlist and interview candidates; you appoint them directly before the Living Brief is complete.

The standard agreement sets the creative fee at US$1,000 per square metre of Confirmed Design Area, with a minimum of US$300,000, unless the project schedule states otherwise. Applicable taxes are additional. Confirmed Design Area is an agreed measure of the design scope, not simply a property’s advertised floor area. The US$100,000 Living Brief fee forms part of the total creative fee; it is not added on top. Payment stages and the non-refundable nature of the Living Brief are set out in the agreement.

Construction, the local architect and other consultants, project management, furnishings and goods are separate costs. Freight, duties, taxes, insurance, delivery and installation may also apply. Included visits and services have defined allowances; additional visits, changes and extended services may carry further fees. We establish the scope and responsibilities in writing so the creative fee is not mistaken for the total project budget.

There is no single timetable for a home. Design decisions, approvals, construction and supplier lead times all affect the programme. We agree the relevant stages with you and your local team. The standard construction custodianship allowance runs for twelve months from the builder’s commencement; qualifying extensions are charged at US$12,500 per month. Custodianship protects the design intent through the agreed services; it is not continuous site supervision or technical certification.

Your perspective is essential at the beginning, and your approvals remain important throughout. We bring choices into a considered sequence so you can make decisions with clarity. You remain responsible for timely instructions, approvals and funding. If you wish to delegate decisions, the authority and its limits should be agreed in writing.

A home evolves, but changes need a clear record. We assess the effect on scope, fees and programme before proceeding with a variation under the agreement. An increase in Confirmed Design Area may increase the fee; reducing the area does not automatically reduce it. Keeping decisions clear helps protect both the design and the working relationship.

Procurement services are included within the agreed scope, without a separate procurement fee or an added margin on the goods. Goods and associated costs remain yours, and we act as purchasing agent, not the seller. Orders require approval and cleared funds. Trade benefits are normally shared equally, with our share disclosed. Tell us early about pieces you wish to retain. Purchases you make independently are not coordinated or styled unless agreed. The standard scope includes one installation window and five styling days; third-party installation labour is separate, and backorders may arrive later.

Privacy deserves an explicit conversation at the outset. The agreement includes an anonymised portfolio-use provision twenty-four months after substantial completion of the last commissioned work package, subject to its notice and opt-out terms. If you require different arrangements, raise them before appointment so they can be recorded clearly. We will not assume that commissioning a home means you want your personal story made public.

You receive the deliverables specified for your commission and the rights to use them set out in the agreement. Design intent is distinct from the technical construction documents prepared by your appointed local team. Intellectual property, the project-use licence and any access to working or source files follow the signed terms; a commission does not automatically transfer every working file or unrestricted reuse rights.