Hands Studio: How Planna Helped a Growing Design Practice Find Time, Clarity and Confidence

‍When multidisciplinary designer Tegan Hands launched Hands Studio in early 2024, she anticipated the challenge, but she did not expect the surge. Working just 20 hours a week while raising two young children, she completed more than 45 projects in her first year, including duplexes, knock-down rebuilds, interior remodels and landscape design. Running a business meant more than design.

She was managing clients, drawings, compliance checks, documentation, and council submissions herself. With so many moving parts and limited hours, every minute had to count.

“There is no scrolling, no pause, every minute needs to be productive,” she says.

As her workload grew, the planning and approvals process quickly became her biggest hurdle. Preparing compliance documents, Statements of Environmental Effects, and interpreting council requirements became mentally exhausting and time consuming.

“My brain is already stretched with the design side. I needed someone to double check my work. I cannot be on top of everything all the time,” she explains.

Late-night admin sessions replaced family time, which made it clear something had to change. Hiring a full-time planner was not realistic and doing it alone was not sustainable. This was when she discovered Planna.

‍Making Planna Part of the Workflow

‍Tegan found Planna through social media at a moment when she urgently needed support. A conversation with the Planna team reassured her that the platform was not a fully automated AI tool. Every report receives a review from a real planner. This was a key difference for her.

“With Planna, the reports feel solid and my clients love them,” she says Planna is now integrated into her workflow. Before presenting any design concept, she runs a feasibility report that outlines planning pathways, timelines and requirements. “It has changed the whole way I work,” she says.

Clients appreciate the clarity and feel more confident about the process ahead.Statements of Environmental Effects are now outsourced through Planna, which removes hours of writing and reduces stress. The reports also help her set accurate expectations. When clients assume that approval means they can build immediately, she uses the report to walk them through everything that still needs to happen. Engineering, stormwater, and geotechnical requirements are clearly explained in one document.

‍What Changed for the Business and for Life

”With fewer administrative burdens and a clearer system behind her, the mental load has eased.

‍With Planna supporting the planning side, Tegan estimates she saves more than 20 hours per month. She no longer works late into the evening, and she is able to maintain her 20-hour weekly schedule without sacrificing family time. Her work now feels more polished and professional, which clients notice and value.

“It just makes me look more professional,” she says. She walks into meetings with clarity about costs, rules, and next steps, and reports feeling more confident and composed.The personal impact is just as significant. “It has been a weight off my shoulders. I can breathe again.” The support she receives from the Planna team reinforces that feeling. “Zac and Jordan are amazing. I have emailed at night, and they have fixed things straight away. Nothing is too hard."

“The anxiety is gone. I feel calmer and more organised.” She now feels ready to take on additional work without risking burnout. “I do not have to say no to projects anymore.”

‍About Tegan, Founder of Hands Studio

‍Tegan is the founder and creative lead of Hands Studio. She brings a holistic approach to design that spans architectural building design, interior design, and landscape design. Her work reflects a lifelong love of thoughtfully crafted spaces, shaped by early influences from her parents. Her mother had an eye for interiors, and her father transformed farmland into a coastal retreat. These experiences shaped her belief that homes should feel alive and connected, with interiors and outdoor spaces designed as one harmonious environment. Today, Tegan works closely with her clients to create spaces that are personal, intentional, and deeply grounded in how people want to live. Whether she is designing a new build, renovation, or landscape, she approaches each project with care, clarity, and a focus on creating homes that feel balanced and meaningful.