Stages of the New Build Process
You don’t need to buy someone else’s dreams, design, colours, carpet, to try to fit your family into – you can have exactly what you want by building a new home.
Planning a successful new build takes time and ensuring you have the right team around you. Initially it is important to get your ideas together, separating out what are your ‘must haves – versus your love to haves are” so that you can think about priorities, budget and timing. You don’t have to decide everything at this stage, but the more you find out early on, the better informed you and your plans will be.
At this stage having an architect and builder on board to start the design and council consent process for your new build is important. Brief your architect well, telling them what you want and how much you have to spend. Agree on concept drawings.
Once you have the full design, go through it in great detail and try to consider it from every angle, time of day and stage of life including:
How you will use the space
Indoor/Outdoor flow
Whether there will be enough light inside
What building materials you will use
Refine, rework, rethink. The more time upfront at the design stage, the fewer changes you’ll want to make during construction, and the more satisfied you’ll be with the outcome of your new home.
Your plans form the basis of your building consent application, you can change them after building consent has been issued by talking to the council but this will cause delays and could be additional costs. This applies to every part of the plan, including the materials specified. Any variation from the consented plans could also affect progress, increase cost and could delay final sign-off.
Formalise all roles in legal contracts, spelling out what you mean so that all parties have a clear understanding. Also get a written contract with your builder, including details of guarantees, payment schedules and completion dates. They will probably provide a contract, but you can ask for changes or even provide your own. Whichever you choose, make sure it covers everyone’s needs.
Once you have building consent the construction of your new build can begin. As soon as you know the start date, you need to tell your council. This date is important as you need to start your project within 12 months of receiving your building consent and finish it within two years.
Collect energy work certificates for electrical and gas work as it is finished. Keep them on site with your other papers, as your council will want to see them before they sign-off your code compliance certificate (CCC).
Once your new build is completed you will need to apply to your council for your code compliance certificate (CCC). The council may need a few days’ notice to review your project before they make their final inspection. For most residential building projects, the code compliance certificate (CCC) is the end of the inspection process.
From concept to creation – Urban Edge Construction is with you every step of the way.