about us

where we began

With 10 years of experience in Building Design and drafting behind him Daniel Hillman decided to start Vistalab in 2008 feeling that he would produce a product above and beyond what the majority of other offices where producing and in turn setting a better industry standard. With clear and well-presented drawings that could help both council understand what was proposed for a smoother process and help clients and builders with reducing the need for confusion or conflict from lack of information altogether…………..

why use vistalab

We pride ourselves on our documentation, most of clients come from referrals or being people in the industry. We often receive comments and feedback on our documentation directly form the people quoting and building from the drawings and we always hear appreciation for the level of information that we provide as it makes quoting much more accurate and also makes life a lot easier on site. Engineers also like our designs as we consider the future structure locations of beams during the design process to make the construction cost as efficient as it possible……………..

design principles

A strong focus is given to working with our clients to create a collaborative design, as we recognise that your home is an extension of you, it reflects who you are, each family operates daily life differently, we aim to tailor the design to way you function, we provide input and suggestions to guide you in the appropriate direction with regards to compliance with the ever-evolving Planning Policies, Building Regulations, Australian Standards as well as other site specific requirements that we need to be mindful of for example like flooding or bush fire prone areas, and with these rules in mind mix that all together in a seamless creation to provide a finished home that is a pleasure to live, work, play, and relax in…………

building designer / draftsman / architects whats the difference

Building Designers in Victoria need to be registered as a registered building practitioner with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), with Professional Indemnity Insurance in place, which needs to be renewed yearly. Drawings are needed to be prepared by a registered building practitioner for Building Permit approvals…………

I bought a house in Mt Martha which Daniel had designed. A number of years later we had Daniel design a yoga studio and gym for us to mirror and enhance the design of the original house. Daniel did an outstanding job in an intelligent and no fuss way, his documentation was to a very high standard which allowed us to secure a competitive fixed build price and the final product was extremely satisfactory. Highly recommended.

Steve Buxton
February 16, 2020

Daniel is a mastermind, I don't know how he does it. I had Daniel draw up design for my townhouse and he listened to what I envisaged and was happy to make changes to his drawing until I was completely happy. He had to deal with a terrible council for town planning , regulations and permits. This he did and even visited the council a few times to set things in motion. Daniel is easy to talk to and only too happy to work with you. He takes the time to get the drawing just right for you, and doesn't rush you cause he has other projects . He has great ideas and has the insight to Invisage the finished house. I love my townhouse, Daniel has worked wonders. I recommend everyone to use Daniel for his expertise in architecture. Highly thought of.

Marg Turnbull
May 8, 2019

Daniel was a pleasure to work with. He was recommended to us by a friend and he was able to accomodate our urgent needs. Always available for communication and helped us through a difficult time. He was very easy to work with and never seemed fussed. I would highly recommend Daniel from Vistalab for your next project.

john murone
December 6, 2018

Daniel was recommended to us and I have to say we truly could not have managed the design and planning process without his assistance and could not be happier with his work. Daniel has managed the entire process of town planning and council requirements. He has extensive knowledge of the planning and permit process which has been invaluable. He has been patient and always had effective communication throughout the whole process. He goes above and beyond to find the best design and assists in finding the most cost effective design which will translate to our build process. I cannot recommend Daniel highly enough. Thank you.

j frost
November 20, 2018

Very proffesional service. Provides honest advise. Very knowledgeable and experienced in his field. I would highly recommended him to anyone.

Pep
March 10, 2020

Used Daniel to design my 2 town houses, Highly recommended, Easy to work with, great communication skills, and very talented with lots of ideas. Will be using again.

Daniel Murone
December 14, 2018

Daniel was great to deal with and really new how to maximise our site. I highly recommend him.

James was we we we we Zweck
February 3, 2020

Daniel from Vistalab was a wonderful help for us. We had Daniel help design and plan our 2nd house renovation. It was a massive job and the drawings we received enabled me as a Owner Builder to complete the job. Daniel was always available to talk if I had any dramas understanding an element of the drawings and he also visited the site on numerous occasions to see how the work was progressing. I highly recommend Vistalab and Daniel for any building design work you need. Regards Liam Whittle-Campbell

Liam Whittle-Campbell
February 11, 2020