Brisbane Architectural Services : Client Testimonials
The following are a selection of testimonials from past (mostly residential home renovation) clients.
Each client has given consent to being contacted if you require further information about our architectural services. (Click to also view testimonials about our Verbal Advice Service)
Anthony Ferro
I have known Dion Seminara for some 30 years in both a professional and personal context. He is an outstanding architect with a creative mind and shows tremendous attention to detail. His focus is always on his clients needs, wants and budget. His portfolio of work is testament to the high standard of work clients can expect from Dion. I highly recommend him.
Sarah & Russell Newman
RGM Maintenance Pty Ltd
www.rgmmaintenance.com.au
Dion,
We’d like to take this opportunity to thankyou for your wonderfully inspiring plans in regards to our family home renovation in Greenbank.
It was amazing that you provided us a design with solutions for all our wants in next to no time, while we struggled to see past the hurdles for years.
We couldn’t see the solution, but you have given us a grand design that we can’t wait to live in.
Thank you and the team very much for all your ongoing professional service with our renovation design.
Donna and Michael Cant
Hawthorne, Brisbane
Ph: 0438 637 131
We just wanted to send you a note to say thanks for the impressive job you did with our renovations. We entrusted our dream home to you and we were not disappointed with the finished result.We thought we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted our home to feature and its layout but after a couple of meetings with you, you were able to improve on what we thought we could achieve. The ideas you presented to us will increase the joy we will get from our home for years to come.
My work took us interstate just before construction was due to commence so we not only have you to thank for the design of our home but also for managing the construction work. The builders you found for us and that we subsequently used were incredible. They managed to add some practical suggestions to the work as they were doing it and we cannot find any fault with the quality of their work. The amount of detail that you supplied the builders ensured there were no nasty surprises for us or them.
We are very happy with the quality of workmanship the builders displayed and also the quality of the fittings you specified. Individually the fittings mightn’t amount to much but when you combine the quality of the windows, doors, lights, power points, drains, cupboards, air conditioner, security system and best of all – a remote controlled sky light (we use to fight over the TV remote controls but now we have something else to play with) they really add to the look and feel of the house.
We also need to thank Leesa (Leesa Seminara Garden Design, associated partner business) for her garden design. We thought about leaving the garden to later to save a bit of money and just have lawn and do ‘something’ down the track, we are so glad we didn’t. We don’t have green thumbs so we didn’t know what would suit our ‘new’ home so we went with what Leesa suggested and it looks fantastic. The street appeal is enhanced by the new fence and plants and the plants around the pool make it look like a tropical resort. We have lawn for the dogs and kids to play on but we also have the right plants around the house to add to its appeal and we don’t need a degree in horticulture to look after them.
We would be more than happy to talk about the positive experiences we have had working with you to any of your potential clients.
Margaret and Lyle Tweeddale
Woolloongabba, Brisbane
We are absolutely delighted by the lifestyle change that Dion’s redesign of our Woolloongabba workers cottage has achieved. As “empty nesters”, we purchased the property with the idea of downsizing, but being able to have our family and friends visit in a relaxed atmosphere.The 100+ year old house had been well maintained and the kitchen and bathroom areas had been modernised, but the inherent design features of that style of house remained.The spaces were small, the living areas internal in the house, and cut off from air flow and light. The back of the property, which was climatically the best aspect, was inaccessible.The redesign changed all that and we now have all our living areas at the back of the house giving us access to cool breezes and lots of light. The workers cottage look remains as you enter but gradually and skillfully transitions to a more contemporary area built for todays way of living.
In Dion, we found an architect who listened to what we were wanting to achieve, and then developed a solution which works extremely well. He kept us well informed throughout the design process, was responsive to our queries, and was very skilled in briefing the builders on what we were wanting. We would not hesitate in recommending him to others to help achieve their lifestyle changes.
Andrew and Margaret Coates
Greenslopes, Brisbane
Ph:(w) 3840 8146 (m) 0421 326 173
We were referred to Dion by the Australian Institute of Architects – Advisory Service in 2003, and we are now very thankful of that……Dion in a caring way, showed us how we could make better use of space, and achieve the lifestyle we were wanting. He gave us the time needed to talk through the reservations we were feeling. It’s a big step to take, but Dion made it so much easier for us. With concept development, drawings, building plans, tendering, project management, through to practical completion, Dion gave us great service. Importantly he was always contact-able or got back to us quickly when needed……
……We take pleasure in recommending Dion’s service to you……Thanks Dion for making us and our three children very happy, and keep it up!
John Faragher and Lyndall Faragher
Annerley, Brisbane
Ph: 3411 5390 or 0405 507 956(February 18, 2007)
Over the past 2 years we have engaged the architectural services of Dion Seminara to undertake the challenging task of designing additional built in living, kitchen, bathroom and laundry space for our small Queenslander cottage which is situated on a challenging residential site. The project’s budget was $150 000.We were delighted with the innovative, practical and aesthetically pleasing design he presented to us.
We have no hesitation in recommending Dion’s services to any prospective client seeking a high quality architectural service at affordable rates. The key strengths that Dion brings to his projects are:
- Innovative design ideas that retain practicality
- A respect for the client’s budget limitations
- A willingness to accommodate the specific requests of the client
- Was able to provide an up front projection of all costs and timeframes
- Very good knowledge of availability of local building materials
- Was able to keep the contracted builder on task within the projected timeframe
- Ensured all aspects of the construction phase were undertaken to the highest quality
We encourage any prospective clients to contact us directly should you require further information regarding the quality of Dion Seminara’s services.
Kerry and Sharon Gallagher
Auchenflower
Ph: 38700336
Everyone in the neighbourhood has followed the progress and says the addition compliments the area. Recently a passerby said “the deck is great, it looks as if it has always been there”. Wonderful praise for Dion’s work.The kitchen is now contemporary and functional and conveniently located to our outdoor living area.
Any problems with approvals, permits and Council standards were handled promptly and efficiently by Dion and his staff.
We now have a wonderful kitchen and deck to enjoy and are thrilled with both spaces. Thank you Dion.
Sheila & Terry Harmes
Coorparoo, Brisbane
We are now at the end of the major structural build which we are very happy with. We thought we could do this on our own but there’s no doubt that Dion’s assistance was well worth every cent. Dion recommended we source a hands on builder for the project which we did and the builder was able to undertake the project without any difficulty and found the plans very detailed and easy to understand. The budget which Dion had estimated came in as predicted therefore we have had no additional costs regarding the first phase of the project.There’s still some work to be done on the second phase which will be tackled in the near future, but without Dion’s vision we would not have got this far. Thank you Dion for all your assistance.
Trevor & Anne Schramm
Nobby Beach
Ph: 07 55 721 205
Ph: 0412 377 739
We have been meaning for some time now to put in writing our appreciation and thanks for Dion’s creative but yet very practical architectural input to the renovations that we undertook at our home during the latter half of 2001. We continue to be amazed at the practicality of the design. We are so pleased with what has been achieved.Dion took an ordinary brick box and created a modern, contemporary styled home suited to the lifestyle we envisaged, namely, comfortable living and entertaining, both indoors and outdoors. We are grateful to Dion for that.
In short, our experience with Dion Seminara as our architect and the subsequent activity of our renovations have been most enjoyable and successful, a situation which is not always the case, if one is to believe “conventional wisdom” and anecdotes about designing and building a house.
Anne Symons
Kenmore, Brisbane
Ph: (07) 3378 1415
We liked Dion’s suggestions and ideas and ability to blend old and new. He is very “up front” explaining how the business and financial side work and what to expect. Not once have we had any disagreements.Dion is always punctual for appointments and in sending information.
There is no doubt that Dion loves his work and has great pride and satisfaction in seeing it completed well. He is not prepared to accept second best but is still capable of working with a budget.
As a person, Dion is polite, reliable, honest, gentle, thoughtful and has a delightful sense of humour. He is a pleasure to know and work with. When our job is complete, we will really miss Dion.
We cannot recommend Dion highly enough, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed.
We wish Dion well and his future clients the same pleasure we have had in knowing and doing business with him.
Marie Byrne
Indooroopilly, Brisbane
Ph: 3371 4757
Thank you for everything you have done for me. I’ve really enjoyed working with you. I’ve appreciated many things, especially what you have achieved for me, the way you explained various aspects as building progressed and your reliability in communication.I have said “Thank you God for sending Dion my way” many times since I met you.
As another person has said about you “He knows his job and he does it well!”
Robin and Carolyn Herringe
Carina Heights, Brisbane
Ph: 3843 3891, Mob: 0408 770 654
Over the past two years we have been working with Dion Seminara to modernise our solid 1980′s brick home. The result is a modern open plan house that capitalises on a bright north-easterly outlook and is now a delight to live in.We were introduced to Dion as a result of inquiries at Australian Institute of Architects. After describing what we wanted, Dion led us through various stages of concept design and design development and eventually managed the building contract for us.
We had some of our own ideas for improvement to the house, but Dion took the renovations way beyond out initial expectations to end up with the great result we now have. His experience and flair for this type of work meant that the fittings and fixtures complement the improvements he made to the overall house design through the tender process, his recommendations on builder selection and the contract negotiation process led to a quality product.
We would recommend Dion to anyone wanting design and project management assistance to renovate and modernise their home. We would be pleased to provide further information or to discuss this with anyone interested in using Dions services.
Matthew and Angela
Springwood
We couldn’t be happier with our renovation. Dion and his team not only helped us achieve a beautiful family home, they also gave us peace of mind with a process that was almost stress free. The project was well planned, on time and on budget.I couldn’t recommend Dion Seminara and his team more highly.
Karen and Jack Doust
Hawthorne, Brisbane
When we approached Dion, our scope was to open up the back of the house to make the area flow through from the inner living to the outside. Also in the process we wanted to modernize the kitchen and as with all projects we also extended the scope to include the main bathroom upstairs. What we have achieved is a very livable area that flows with a modern workable kitchen.On Dion’s recommendation we changed the orientation of the kitchen by extending into what was previously a walkway. I now have a study on the ground floor as recommended by Dion as my original study was upstairs away from the main living area and this new study is well utilized due its location.
We are very happy with the renovation as designed by dion seminara architecture.
Virginia AvenueI would like to extend my appreciation and thanks for your creative and practical architectural designs for our home in Hawthorne. I had a vision of what I wanted and Dion took those ideas and included his own to enhance our project. Dion was always contactable and on time for all meetings. I found his up front cost projections and building knowledge very helpful especially during the tendering process. Dion recommended builders and we are progressing with one of these. Using an architect with Dion’s vision far outweighed any savings achieved by using a draughtsperson. We are very happy with our designs and looking forward to living in our lovely renovated home once work has finished. Thank you Dion.
Verbal Advice Testimonials
Warwick Absolon,
Mob: 0423 779 198
After coming to the conclusion that we needed an outdoor entertainment area, we contacted Dion and others to discuss our options. All the other people offered to come to our house to provide a free quote and consultation. Dion was the only one that charged for this service. After initially baulking at the price, we reluctantly decided to proceed with his seeming larger consultation fee. We were quite nervous in paying this amount because we did not know what value Dion would provide. Even on the day that Dion was to arrive, we still had doubts whether this was the right thing to do – but we decided to have an open mind. Dion not only arrived on time but he actually talked to us and wanted to get a feel for what we did in the different parts of the house. Yes his brief was that we needed an outdoor entertainment area, but within 20 minutes of Dion’s consultation, he was challenging us on that notion. His challenging questions and realistic answers shed new light on what we thought we wanted. Dion really listened to our needs and presented ideas that went to the heart of what we wanted. His ideas were fantastic and the consultation fee was, in our eyes, a small price compared to the value that he provided. If you have any doubts on the value of this fee for service, don’t. You will be amazed on what he delivers. By the way, the other people who supplied the free quotes spent as little time as they could with us and did not provide any ideas on the solution that we actually wanted.
Jane Rylance,
Ashgrove, Brisbane
We just wanted to thank you for the invaluable advice we received from you the other day. You taught us a great deal – not only on costs of renovation but also on what to look for as we embark on purchasing another property. We were particularly impressed at how your constant focus was not on acquiring business for yourself, but on what would be in our best interests. Your advice seemed highly ethical and has ensured we have become very realistic about renovation/extension costs. We now feel much clearer about what we are looking for in a house so that we will not be confronted with an enormously expensive renovation and the somewhat uncomfortable feeling that we have made a very big mistake!
Anne and Adam Allica,
Bulimba, Brisbane
In 2004 Dion provided us with his verbal advice service……
…….within a month of meeting with Dion we had purchased another property in a much better location that suited our needs. Thanks to Dion, we have seen a huge growth in the value of this home plus we are close to all the amenities in Oxford street and surrounds that suit our lifestyle needs. Dion’s independent honest approach is refreshing in this day and age.
Barry Nicholson,
Carindale, Brisbane
Dion provided me with some verbal advice as to whether we should build on our land or not. I liked Dion’s approach (probably because it’s the same one I use with my clients) – that you work in the client’s best interests. So many times I’ve come across people putting their own short-term needs ahead of the client.
