First Ideas terms and privacy

Plain terms for a small service. They apply to First Ideas only; site consultations, design packages and builds each have their own written agreement.

What you're buying

A one-page landscape concept for one property, drawn by BMEL Design from the photos, plans and brief you give us, and a phone or video call of about 15 minutes to talk it through. The sheet shows 6–10 ideas, what to keep, things to check, an indicative cost range for each idea and a recommended next step. It's delivered by email as a PDF within 5 business days of payment. If we need more information from you, that clock pauses until we have it.

What it isn't

• It isn't measured or drawn to scale. It's drawn from photos and aerial imagery.
• The costs are indicative ranges, roughly ±30%, based on BMEL's current rates. They are not a quote or an offer to do the work at that price.
• It isn't a construction drawing, an engineering design or permit documentation, and it can't be used to build from or to apply for a permit. Ideas such as retaining walls over 1 m, front fences over 1.5 m, carports, decks, pergolas and pools may need permits or engineering; the sheet flags these as things to check.
• It doesn't include a site visit.

Your part

Send photos and information that are accurate and that you're entitled to share, of a property you own or have the owner's permission to plan. Tell us about anything you know that affects the design: easements, overlays, protected trees, drainage problems, or plans already approved.

Price, payment and refunds

• First Ideas costs $5 including GST, paid by card through Stripe. We never see or store your card details. A tax invoice is available on request.
• If you change your mind before Byron starts drawing, email us and we'll refund in full.
• If your photos and information aren't enough to produce a useful concept, we'll ask for what's missing. If we still can't, we'll refund in full.
• Nothing in these terms limits your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.

The credit

If you book a BMEL site consultation or concept design for the same property within 90 days of paying, the full $5 comes off that fee. The credit applies once, to BMEL design work only, isn't transferable to another property or person, and can't be exchanged for cash.

Using the sheet

The sheet is yours to use for your property, including with another landscaper or builder. BMEL keeps copyright in the drawing, so please don't reproduce it for another property or publish it as someone else's design.

The brief assistant

The brief assistant on this site is an AI, not a person. It runs on Claude, a model made by Anthropic. When you use it, your messages, your photos and the brief so far are sent to Anthropic to generate each reply. The assistant doesn't give prices or engineering advice, and anything it writes into your brief is checked by Byron, who reads every brief and looks at every photo himself. If you'd rather not use it, write your brief in your own words instead.

Privacy

• What we collect: your name, contact details and property address, your photos and plans, your brief and the assistant conversation, and confirmation of payment from Stripe.
• Why: to prepare your concept, talk it through with you, follow up about next steps, and keep business records.
• Who handles it: BMEL, and the services that run this site: Netlify (hosting and storage), Stripe (payments), Anthropic (the brief assistant) and our email provider. We don't sell or share your information for marketing.
• Unfinished briefs: if you start a brief and don't pay, we may contact you once to see if you'd like help finishing it.
• Access and deletion: email byron@bmelgroup.com to see, correct or delete what we hold about you. We'll delete unpaid briefs on request, and keep paid ones only as long as we need them for the work and our records.

Who we are

BMEL Design is the design studio of BMEL Landscapes, trading as BMEL Pty Ltd. Phone 0422 490 962, email byron@bmelgroup.com.

Byron holds degrees in civil engineering and architecture from Monash University. He is not a registered architect or landscape architect, and BMEL does not use either title. Where a project needs certified structural design or permit documentation, BMEL engages draftspersons and/or a structural engineer where necessary.

Last updated September 2026.