You've decided to build a custom home - a home designed specifically for your lifestyle, your land, and your vision. It's an exciting decision, but it also comes with some big choices. One of the first is who will design your home. Should you engage an independent designer to create your plans, or work with a builder's in-house design team to bring your ideas to life?
To help you understand the options, we spoke with Leah Simpson, co-founder and CEO of Simpson & Co Projects - a family-run builder in the Illawarra region specialising in sophisticated custom projects. With years of experience helping clients bring their dream homes to life, Leah shares her insights on how to choose the right path for your build.
What is an independent designer?
An independent designer - typically an architect or another qualified design professional - is someone you engage directly to create the plans for your home. They work for you, not the builder, and their role is to translate your vision into a design that suits your lifestyle, site, and budget.
With an independent designer, you'll usually own the rights to your plans and can take them to multiple builders to price and compare. This flexibility can be valuable if you want to tender the project to several builders before committing.
Leah says independent design is often the right fit for homeowners who want to explore every creative option or test ideas with multiple builders. "The trade-off is that the process can be more complex, and without a builder's input, costs can escalate quickly. We often see clients fall in love with a design, only to discover later that it's not achievable within their budget or site constraints."
What is a builder's in-house design team?
Many custom builders offer in-house design services, where designers and construction managers collaborate closely from the start of the process. An in-house process is often more cost-effective upfront, as design fees are commonly bundled into the total build price. It can also be faster and simpler, with fewer handovers between separate professionals.
According to Leah, an in-house setup works well for clients looking for efficiency and clarity. "An in-house design team can deliver excellent results, particularly if you're looking for simplicity," she says. "The upside is that costs and constructability are considered from the start. The downside is that you're tied more closely to that builder's processes and may have less flexibility — and if you want to change direction later, that can come with extra costs."
Design flexibility
If your project demands a completely unique approach - for example, a sloping block, complex site conditions, or a very specific vision - an independent designer offers maximum creative freedom. You'll also retain control over which builder you engage for the construction phase.
By contrast, in-house design gives you plenty of scope for customisation but works within the framework of that builder's preferred systems and processes. For most homeowners, this is more than sufficient - but if you want to push boundaries with unusual materials or unconventional design features, an independent path may give you more room to explore.
"Coastal projects are a great example of where independent design, combined with a collaborative builder, works well," Leah explains. "These homes need to respond to orientation, wind, and salt exposure. Highly customised designs ensure the home fits the block and the environment, rather than forcing a standard plan onto a complex site."
Budget, cost, and complexity
Independent design often comes with higher upfront costs for concept development and detailed plans. The process also tends to be more complex and time-intensive, particularly if you plan to tender the design to multiple builders or make multiple design iterations.
With an in-house design process, cost and constructability are integrated from the beginning. This collaboration between design and construction keeps the project realistic and can shorten the overall timeline.
Leah notes that even with an independent designer, early collaboration with your builder pays off: "When we collaborate with architects from the start, clients get the best of both worlds — creative freedom plus practical, cost-aware guidance. That early integration keeps the project realistic and avoids expensive redesigns later."
Builder commitment
When you choose an in-house design process, you're typically committing to that builder from an early stage. While some builders will allow you to take your plans elsewhere, this usually comes with conditions.
In most cases, you'll need to pay a fee to release the plans, especially if significant time and expertise have gone into developing them. Even then, the plans are often created to align with that builder's systems and construction methods, which can make them less straightforward to adapt if you decide to engage a different builder.
Avoiding common pitfalls
Leah stresses the importance of early collaboration, whichever path you take. "The biggest pitfall we see is when a design is developed in isolation from construction. Clients end up with beautiful drawings that don't meet compliance, blow the budget, or require major changes. The earlier a builder is involved, the fewer surprises you'll face — and the more enjoyable the process will be."
Final thoughts
There's no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to independent versus in-house design. Both approaches can deliver a beautiful, functional custom home - the key is matching the process to your goals, budget, and the level of involvement you want in the journey.