Service 05 · An outside perspective, on your terms

An independent view before you commit

Design consultancy is standalone expert advice — feasibility studies, peer review, expert opinion and strategic guidance on a project, a design, or a decision. Not tied to any one discipline, and not dependent on commissioning further design work.

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Independent advice, scoped to the question at hand

1–1

Direct access to a senior consultant, not a junior reviewer

No lock-in

Stands on its own — no obligation to continue into further design work

What it is

The right question, answered before you spend on the wrong one

Design consultancy is advice scoped to what you actually need — a feasibility study before land is purchased, a peer review of another team's design, or strategic guidance on a decision a board or council has to make. There's no requirement to commission full design work alongside it.

It's a standalone engagement, sized to the question rather than a full project. What it covers depends entirely on the brief — the point is an independent, considered opinion, delivered clearly enough to act on.

Design consultant reviewing site plans and feasibility options with a client

Specialist advice scoped to the decision at hand, not a full design commission

Who it's for

Wherever a decision needs an expert eye on it

Consultancy comes up most often before a commitment is made — land purchase, design sign-off, or a direction that's hard to reverse once it's set.

Councils & public bodies

Independent peer review of proposals, or expert opinion to support a committee or consent decision.

Residential & commercial developers

Feasibility studies on land before purchase or investment, testing what a site can realistically support.

Architects & planners

Specialist landscape input on a project already being led by another design team.

Boards & community organisations

Independent advice to support a funding case, a strategic decision, or due diligence before commitment.

Schools & education

A second opinion on a masterplan or concept before it goes to the board for sign-off.

Why it's worth doing properly

What good consultancy actually buys you

Not a formality — an independent check that can save far more than it costs, before a decision is locked in.

Risk caught early

Site or design issues flagged before budget, time or reputation are committed to them.

A genuinely independent opinion

Advice that isn't shaped by an existing stake in the project's direction.

Faster, more confident decisions

Clear, evidence-based recommendations a board or committee can actually act on.

Senior expertise on tap

Direct access to an experienced consultant, without the overhead of a full design team.

Scoped, not open-ended

A defined piece of advice with a clear brief and cost — no scope creep into full delivery.

A clear path forward, if you want it

Findings that can become the brief for full design work later, with no obligation to continue.

How we work

A four-step approach, scoped to your question

Brief & scope

We agree exactly what question needs answering, what's in scope, and what a useful outcome looks like.

Review & analysis

We assess the site, the design, or the material provided, drawing on relevant experience and evidence.

Findings & recommendations

A clear, plain-language report or briefing your board, team or council can actually act on.

Presentation & next steps

We present findings to your team or stakeholders, and set out what — if anything — should happen next.

In practice

Where this shows up in our work

Consultancy engagements sit outside our regular project delivery — a feasibility study ahead of a land purchase, a peer review requested by a council or board, or strategic advice on a decision that hasn't yet become a design brief. Each one is scoped on its own terms. See our full project portfolio for the design work consultancy sometimes leads into.

Common questions

Design consultancy, explained

What does design consultancy actually involve?

It's independent, expert input into a project without necessarily delivering full design work — feasibility studies, peer review of another team's design, strategic advice on land use or staging, or expert opinion for a board, funder or council process.

How is consultancy different from engaging CI Design for full design services?

Full design services take a project from concept through to construction documentation. Consultancy is narrower and often shorter — a specific question answered, a design reviewed, a feasibility assessed — useful when you need expert input but not a full design team.

Can consultancy include a feasibility or peer review?

Yes — feasibility studies and peer review of another consultant's design are common consultancy engagements, particularly where a board, funder or council needs an independent opinion before committing to a direction.

Is design consultancy billed differently to design delivery?

Usually, yes — consultancy is often scoped as a fixed piece of advice or a set number of hours, rather than a fee tied to construction value like a full design commission. We'll always confirm the basis for a specific engagement before starting.

Can consultancy work lead into full design engagement later?

Often, yes. A feasibility study or strategic review frequently sets up the brief for full design work that follows — but there's no obligation to continue, and consultancy engagements stand on their own.