The answer is "yes". I had cornices installed which are similar to the second image. They look great; much classier than the standard cornice. Some tradespersons only like building with standard fixtures and fittings as it's much easier for them and they try to talk the owners out of anything different. Cornices other than standard are more costly to purchase and install. A top plasterer is needed to install the cornices as special skills are required when cutting corners etc.

Camberwell is a prestigious area, but your budget looks very tight for the amount of work you are proposing. You don't want to put a cheap looking job on a nice Californian bungalow in a good area, like the previous owners did. Does your "$240K all inclusive" figure include items like demolition, landscaping, light fittings, window furnishings, floor finishes? I think that you may have trouble getting reputable, good quality builders, quoting within your price range in your suburb, but it is hard to say without seeing your plans. If your budget is fixed at $240K then you may want to revisit your brief and your design to see what efficeincies can be made, or consider staging the work.

Hi RJ, There seems to be some dangerously incorrect criticism floating about of using area rates to map out the cost for a project in the early stages, however we can use this to highlight to the Houzz community the appropriateness of using area rates to cost your project in the early stages. RJ you have done everything right in using an approximate area rate to map out your project costs before a designer is appointed!! Although there is some merit to note it is helpful to source your area rates from similar projects from the industry at that point in time - which can be obtained from a QS/Cost Planner/architect/designer - at least you are starting to think in realistic budget terms terms. $2K/m2 may/may not reflect what a builder can deliver for a bespoke design - depending of course on whether structure or kitchens / bathrooms are affected (i.e. check out this amazing kitchen / bathroom calculator from realeastate.com.au!! https://www.realestate.com.au/calculators/renovation-calculator/) ........however this is still getting you close to what might end up being the budget or the revised scope of work. The first thing your designer should do - almost before ANY drawings are done - is check your project budget matches your brief/scope of works by using Cost Plan A area rates and an 'Opinion of Probable Cost".. They can also identify if you are touching other parts of the site or scope that need to be taken into account that you may not have realised. At the start of a project, when there is no design yet, only plans with an approximate area scope of works (floor area schedules), it is what is referred to as "Cost Plan A" stage. Refer to this helpful description from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services; "Due to the very nature of information available, cost plan A is developed in conjunction with floor area schedules and should be based on data gathered from other similar projects, surveys of existing conditions and major project specific issues such as the suitability, age and condition of existing facilities, including upgrade of site services, asbestos removal, topography, heritage issues and so on."....http://www.capital.health.vic.gov.au/Planning_and_evaluation/Cost_plans/Cost_plan_stages/  One of the benefits of using an architect is that we are rigorously trained and registered to provide "Cost Advice", and right from the early stages using area rates. Building designers must provide this advice however are governed by consumer law and not by an Act of Parliament. When your project is at this stage there is clearly no 'Trade Breakdown" as the design hasn't even started yet!! And yet we must guide you as to an appropriate budget to match your scope of works. A responsible architect / building designer will test these area rates with industry-standard costings to identify an appropriate budget right from the beginning, so that we can make adjustments to the scope to ensure we can get excited about what you can really afford to build before the design is finished. Refer also to this helpful article by Choice on "what can go wrong"......but also what can go right when using an architect/building designer; https://www.choice.com.au/home-improvement/building-and-renovating/design-and-trades/articles/architects-designing-to-build-budget I love that you are already excited to begin looking at a shortlist of Pros in the Brisbane area and I wish you Good Luck!

I'm in Perth. Most of the well known builders have their own design team. That is how we built our home. We had a plan and took it to a well known builder. They drew up our design and costed. Remembering they have a better buying power for goods than smaller boutique builders. Contact summit, dale alcock, shelford, Webb brown Neaves, Beaumont, plunkett homes. All of these will design and build to a high spec. And hopefully keep to your budget.