think You’re DA-Ready? The Common Compliance Mistakes Hiding in Early Plans
- Sarah Campbell
- Oct 30
- 2 min read
Getting your design approval ready can feel like a big milestone. The plans are polished, the design is set, and you’re ready to move forward. But before you hit submit, there’s one crucial question to ask: are you really DA-ready?
At Studio Terra, we review hundreds of projects each year, and we see the same issues come up time and time again. Small oversights at the early design stage can cause unnecessary redesigns, missed BASIX targets, and approval delays that could have been avoided with a bit of early clarity.
The top three compliance mistakes we see
1. Skipping the pre-assessment stageIt’s tempting to dive straight into documentation, but without a pre-assessment, critical energy efficiency details often get missed. A quick early review can highlight design changes that improve compliance and comfort without affecting aesthetics or budget.
2. Assuming a 6-star design will “just pass” BASIXEvery project site behaves differently. Orientation, climate zone and construction type all influence your BASIX outcome. A design that performs well in one region can fail in another. Treating 7-star performance as an early goal rather than an afterthought gives you more flexibility and control later.
3. Leaving energy modelling until the endWaiting until plans are final to run a NatHERS assessment often means design changes are needed when it’s least convenient. Early energy modelling gives you insights that can shape smarter building choices from the start — saving time, money and stress.
How to avoid them
The best way to prevent compliance headaches is to bring your ESD consultant in early. Share your plans and specifications upfront, and get a pre-design review before you lodge your DA. Early collaboration keeps your design intent intact while meeting all regulatory requirements.
Book a Clarity Call
If you’re not sure how BASIX, NatHERS or the 7-star changes will affect your project, a Clarity Call can help. It’s a short, practical session where we’ll walk through your design, answer your compliance questions, and outline the next steps to keep your project moving smoothly.
Whether you’re an architect, builder, or planning your own home, this early guidance can save weeks of redesigns and make approvals far less stressful.
Book a Clarity Call today to make sure your project is DA-ready for the first submission.
