The short answer
See the feng shui consultant first, before the architect or interior designer draws anything. The consultant sets a short list of fixed points, and the architect or designer then designs around them, so nothing has to be redrawn.
This is the single most common sequencing mistake I see, and it is an expensive one. The professionals are deciding different things, and only one of them is deciding things that are cheap to change later.
The order, at a glance
| If you are... | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building on your own land | Feng shui consultant: the land, where the house sits, which way it faces | Architect: designs the house around a written brief | Feng shui consultant: reviews the first plan, then checks the revised plan | Interior designer: finishes, once the plan is settled |
| Knocking down and rebuilding | Feng shui consultant: the site and its surroundings | Architect | Feng shui consultant: plan review and revised-plan check | Interior designer |
| Renovating a home you already own | Feng shui consultant: sets the fixed points and the start date | Interior designer: designs around them | Contractor: starts on the selected date |
Why this order saves money
| Consultant first | Designer or architect first | |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | The fixed points are set, then the design is built around them. | The design is drawn, then conflicts are found inside a finished plan. |
| Cost of changes | None. Nothing has been drawn or quoted yet. | Variation orders. Redrawing, requoting, sometimes re-tendering. |
| The stove and the beds | Placed correctly the first time. | Often already tied to plumbing and carpentry positions. |
| Start date | Selected before the contractor mobilises. | Usually whatever date the contractor is free. |
| Typical outcome | One plan, one start date, no rework. | Partial fixes and compromises. |
Who decides what
Nobody is replacing anybody. I do not design houses, and your architect does not need to learn feng shui.
| Decision | Who is responsible |
|---|---|
| Reading the land and its surroundings | Feng shui consultant |
| Where the house sits, which way it faces, the entrance, the main zoning | Feng shui consultant sets the requirement. The architect designs it. |
| Architectural design and drawings | Architect |
| Structure and engineering | Engineer |
| Planning permission, building codes, compliance | Architect and project team |
| Main door, stove, beds, desks, which walls stay (renovation) | Feng shui consultant sets the fixed points |
| Finishes, colours, materials, lighting, storage | Interior designer |
| Construction methods and cost | Architect, builder and project team |
| Checking the revised plan before construction | Feng shui consultant (a feng shui check only, not building approval) |
What your architect or designer receives
A written list, not a conversation. Designers work from constraints all the time: structural columns, service ducts, building rules. Feng shui findings are one more constraint list, and they are easy to work with when they arrive early and in writing.
- The fixed points, on one page.
- The same points marked on the plan.
- Which items are fixed and which are preferences.
- The start date and the order of works, given early.
More detail: what your architect receives from a feng shui planning brief.
"My architect has already started drawing"
That is common, and it is usually still worth doing. If the concept has started but the big decisions are still flexible, I look at the land and the drawings together, then give the requirements for the next revision. The later the stage, the more the advice has to work inside decisions already made, so raise it as early as you can.
Does the consultant need to visit?
For vacant land and houses built from the land up, I strongly recommend an on-site assessment. Photos and videos help, but they cannot always show the surroundings, landform, approach and levels as clearly as being there. Plan reviews can usually be done remotely.
Frequently asked questions
Should I see a feng shui consultant or an interior designer first?
The feng shui consultant first, ideally before the designer produces a drawing. The consultant sets the fixed points and the designer designs around them.
Should I see a feng shui consultant before the architect?
Yes, or at the very start of concept design. Your architect can already be appointed. What matters is that the requirements reach the design team before the position, facing and layout of the house are fixed.
Does the feng shui consultant replace the architect?
No. The consultant sets the feng shui requirements and later reviews the plans. The architect designs the house and stays responsible for the architecture.
What if the design is already finished?
A review is still useful, but its scope is narrower. Rooms and door positions can often still be adjusted. Moving or turning the whole building becomes much harder.
Is it too late once construction has started?
Changes are still possible, but they tend to be disruptive and can add delay and cost. The big decisions are best made before the design is fixed.
Where to go next
- Building on your own land: Feng Shui Before You Build
- Renovating: Feng Shui Before Your Renovation and the renovation checklist
- What the architect is handed: What Your Architect Receives From a Feng Shui Planning Brief
Building on your own land?
Feng Shui Before You Build runs from the land assessment and building orientation to the architect's planning brief and revised-plan verification before construction.
Feng Shui Before You Build →