Home Renovations in Auckland - How to Start?
Planning home renovations on your Auckland property should be fun and exciting. Started correctly and with the right people it will be. It is very important to get the off to a good start!
The best way to do this is to look for a house renovation company that is experienced in the type of project you are looking to do. There is a big difference between building a new house and carrying out a renovation project. You will find companies that specialise in each, so choose one whose skill set suits your project.
Things to look for at the start:
Establish a brief: What is it you want to achieve? Think of the end result.
Budget: How much do you want to spend?
Council: Is a building consent or a resource consent required?
Designers & builders: Choose your designer & builder at the beginning of the project. It is important that they can work together. This will help with budgeting.
Trust and respect: The trades people you choose will be working inside or around your home. They need to respect your privacy and possessions and you need to have the trust in them that they will.
Experience counts for a lot: The person in charge of your building renovation project needs to be experienced in this type of work. Renovations are usually more difficult than building a new house, because you have to work with the existing structure. Removing enough to get a good result, while at the same time making sure that the house won’t be weakened or damaged. The skill sets are different.
Contract: Make sure you have the right sort of contract for your job.
Once you have worked through the above items you will have basis of a plan for your home renovation project. Try not to over-think the project at this stage. Keep in mind what it is that you want as the end result.
How will it work for the family?
How will it lie to the sun?
Does it take advantage of the view?
Does it give the room you need?
These are just some of the things to take into account when renovating your home. Keep it simple at the beginning and work through the items with your chosen team.
Remember that if it is enjoyable for all concerned, you will end up with a result you can be proud of and will serve its purpose well.
Auckland Home Renovations FAQs
What sort of renovations require consents in Auckland? Talk to us. Auckland Council is another source of information but tends to lean toward a consent, even in cases where a consent may not be required. We could save you a lot of time and hassle looking into consents for your renovation.
If our renovation includes extending our house, is a registered valuation required for finance? This will depend on the finance company or bank and your relationship and level of borrowing. Typically, renovation projects that are heavily financed with require a valuation in order to protect the financier’s interests.
How do you know if you can trust your builder or his staff? This is a very good question. It is not possible to determine this just by talking to one or from gut feel. You really need to speak to previous clients, preferably consecutive previous clients and for home renovations of a similar nature to what you are planning. You need to be careful not to be tempted by discounted prices, as this can often hide problems with the builder. Do your due diligence and don’t be distracted due to an attractive price.
Does an engineer need to be involved if doing extensive structural work as part of our renovation? Often an engineer will be required. Most projects these days require an engineer to be involved. Only very simple jobs won’t need one.
What sort of things make for the “right sort” of home renovation contract? A written contract is essential. There are various forms of contract, but the one that we think is the best is the Master Builders Contract documents as these are also combine with a Master Build Guarantee which offers more protection than other forms of guarantee.
