Queensland firm Base Architecture has enjoyed 40 per cent more interest during the economic slump thanks to a switch in the way it markets its services, according to its managing directors.
Tim Stewart and Shawn Godwin say that focusing on renovation rather than new design has enabled their business to boom over the last six-to-10 months.
“We’re truly among the minority of Queensland firms that found more opportunities in the downturn as we identified and targeted the renovation sector as an area that was continuing to thrive,” Stewart said.
The strategy focused on a number of online and offline initiatives pushing the firm’s expertise and ability in the renovations sector. These activities saw the company’s enquiries grow by 40 per cent — a figure that is still rising.
Despite the renovation sector never being a high priority for the firm, Stewart said it had pursued it proactively during the downturn.
“We knew that people would be likely to stay put in their existing home to upgrade, extend and restore. We shifted our focus to this sector for a good six months as we knew renovations were the key to surviving in this very difficult financial climate,” he said.
Stewart said architecture was sensitive to economic conditions and that a new project was one of the first things that households or big firms culled.?
“Architecture is an industry that has been seriously affected because design services are seen as an extravagant luxury right now,” he said.?
Base Architecture has now resumed its focus to larger projects, such as new homes and commercial projects.
“As this market recovers we believe we’ll see an increase in commercial projects and we’re equipped with the design skills, personnel and experience to see through large commercial projects,” Stewart said.
