Nic Owen Architects

We have engaged Nic on two occasions for major residential renovations, both of which had heritage overlays and one that was also State heritage listed. On both occasions Nic had an amazing ability to respect the original structure of the buildings whilst adapting and creating modern spaces for our family of five. Nic is able to create spaces with the perfect balance between providing enough space whilst maintaining a sense of scale and intimacy. Nic has been able to deal with planning officials at the local and state levels in a highly professional and knowledgable manner. Importantly, Nic has also been able to adapt our projects to satisfy budget constraints as required. He has been able to liaise with our builders to problem solve any issues that have arisen. We would highly recommend him.

Nic did a brilliant job on the renovation at the rear of our 1926 Californian Bungalow. He included all the features we wanted, then added some great ideas of his own, made it look fabulous and all to budget! We couldn't be happier.

Nic Owen delivered. We were planning a renovation of a double fronted Victorian home in inner suburban Melbourne. Nic helped us create something both beautiful and functional. Nic's manner with us was patient but firm, not allowing us to get caught up on minor details, but ensuring we were well informed and guided on the big ticket items. He gave us a lot of his time and reassurance. Nic is also fantastic with the tradies. They clearly got along and wanted to produce something wonderful together. We have no hesitation in recommending Nic. He is likeable, has excellent judgment and generates results.

We used Nic Owen Architects for a renovation to the rear of a single fronted Victorian home on a small site. Seeing that they had completed renovations to similar homes in the area was our attraction to this firm. Taking the project all the way through from design, documentation, town planning approvals, tendering and managing the build. All the concepts provided met the brief of four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study space with strong connections to the outside environment. The final result has been a light filled, spacious family home that far exceeded our expectations. The liveability of the home has been improved with a large amount of clever joinery maximising storage and functionality. We have high angled ceilings in the living area and upstairs bedrooms and study that make it feel much larger and less confined than it would with flat ceilings. Combined with several huge skylights and angled windows letting maximum light in. Through all stages we were given realistic indications of timing and costs and felt that our architect was always honest and upfront. At no point did we feel like we were being pushed out of our comfort level by the design. Leaving the Architect to project manage was a very comfortable experience with good communication back to us where required. At no point was or relationship strained or stressful. We have found them easy to deal with and have had no hesitation in recommending them to friends.

Being clients of Nic's was a wonderful experience. He was always the consummate professional. He listened to our wants and responded with sound advice, guidance and direction that was always appropriate. He helped us to understand the steps in the process, the cash flow issues and the timeline. Nic not only designed our renovation, obtained planning approval and managed the tendering process, he also administered the building contract for us. Throughout the building stage of the project Nic worked with the builder and resolved all issues and made the entire project stress free from our perspective. Nic created very beautiful spaces and an amazing amount of storage. I would highly recommend Nic and would welcome the opportunity to work with him again.