Building a new home is one of the most exciting milestones a person can hit in their lifetime. It’s a chance to take that dream home that’s been floating around in your head and turn it into a real home for you to enjoy.
If a new home build is on the horizon for you, you might be wondering about the process. How does a home go from an idea to a fully realised structure, and what do you need to do along the way?
Don’t worry; the team members at Stehr Brothers – Auckland’s top new home builders – are here to help. We’ve broken down the process of building a new home into four easy steps for you to work through.
All great design stages start with one essential question: what are your needs, and what are your wants? Carefully consider how you will use the space, how much natural light you want in the building, and if there are any specific building materials you want to use.
This is a vital distinction that will help your architects and new home builders differentiate between what must be included and what can be included if there is room in the design and the budget.
Once you have a clear list of your needs and wants, work with your building partners to evaluate the reality of your land. Every piece of land has unique qualities and constraints that will affect the ideal design of the home you’ll be placing on it, such as the direction of the sun, whether the land is urban or rural, and even any existing natural features that you want to incorporate.
Take the time to consult and brief both your designer and your building team as well as possible. From there, it will be their job to present you with concept drawings for you to approve or create revisions.
Note: Step one is your chance to assemble your dream team, and to reduce stress, we recommend ensuring that the team includes a competent project manager. Whether you’re working with a team of full-service new home builders or pairing an architect and interior designer with a construction team is up to you. But it’s vital to make sure that everyone is on the same page and that plans are clearly drawn out before work proceeds.
Applying for building consent is when the rubber really meets the road. This is when your plans must become concrete, as the consent approval depends on your home being built to meet those specific plans.
At this stage, it’s important to carefully review both your plans and your budget before applying, as you won’t be able to make any changes easily once the consent is issued. Once you’re absolutely sure your plans look good and your team is on the same page, send in your application. This should include:
Note: The timing of your consent application is important, as consents lapse if building work doesn’t start within 12 months of the approval date.
Once your consent is approved, it’s go time! Inform your local council of your construction start date as soon as possible, as this ensures your consent won’t lapse and also provides a clear date to include in the council’s final sign-off.
Your home will go through several stages before it is ready for occupancy. Starting from the ground-up, your new home builders will work on:
Working with Licensed Building Practitioners and experienced project managers will make all the difference during the build stage. While two years might seem like a long time, there is so much that goes into a new home build (as you can see above). It helps to have a professional who is responsible for keeping track of everything.
Note: Keep track of important paperwork or milestones as you progress to stay on top of your budget and final documentation. Important paperwork like your energy work certificates or any variations to the building consents will need to be collated and presented as part of your home’s final inspection to ensure it’s compliant for you to live in.
In Aotearoa, the final step of building any home is to obtain proof of compliance from your local council. Essentially, this is an evaluation of the home that confirms whether or not everything has been built to match the building consent you got in Step Two.
At this stage, there is usually a fee new homeowners must pay to obtain this code compliance certificate (CCC), after which you’ll be free to live in or sell your home.
This step can be complex, which is why it’s vital to work with Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs). Laying the right groundwork in steps one, two, and three will speed up the process of getting your CCC exponentially. Experienced teams can guide you through the process of closing out the build, handing over the keys, and getting the CCC over the finish line with as little stress as possible.
There you have it! That’s the 4-step process that will take your home from idea to idyllic. Between conceptualising your home, obtaining consent, building to code, and doing the final sign-off, there’s a lot to manage here. But walking across the threshold of your stunning new home will make it all worthwhile!
Staring down the barrel of a new home build, and looking for a professional team to guide you? At Stehr Brothers, we have years of experience as new home builders for some of Auckland’s most stunning residential properties.
Our highly-qualified team features Licensed Building Practitioners and experienced project managers that will be by your side from concept to final handover. Ready to fully realise your vision? Get started today.
POSTAL ADDRESS
PO Box 39038
Howick
Auckland 2145
New Zealand
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
149 Kimptons Road
Brookby, Auckland
