Building consents 101: the foundations of renovation approval
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Some of the most common work that requires consent includes:
However, it is important to note that every council has its own rules and laws around consents. There is some overlap between them, but it is always advisable to check with your local council if you aren’t sure about whether or not you need one.
Thankfully, not every change to your property will require consent. Some of the most common explicit exemptions include:
Before you get started remember that just because a project doesn’t need consent, doesn’t mean you can do it on your own. In fact, some non-consented work requires there to be a professional involved to retain its non-requirement for consent.
For example, some plumbing and drainage work doesn’t need consent, but only if it is done by a professional plumber. Otherwise, you do need consent.
Again, it is best to check with your local council to see if you need consent for your project. This guide from the NZ government also contains a raft of information on the subject.
If you are working with a professional team, typically the lead builder or tradesman will submit and track the progress of the building consent on your behalf.
This can also be done by the draughtsperson or architect, who will answer any requests for information that may be sent by the council in response.
Of course, you can also submit consents yourself. The exact process will differ from council to council, so check your local council website for more information on the exact process.
Tip: Include all the projects that are going to be worked on now and in the future in the same consent. It’s easier and cheaper this way, as you’ll avoid needing to submit a new consent request for each major project and it’s cheaper to extend the timeline than submit new consents each time you want to make future changes.
Officially, building consents should take 20 working days to be reviewed.
However, this is assuming that the consent is not sent back for requests for more information. If one or more of these requests are made, the clock is “stopped” until the information is provided and approved.
For example, you could provide a request for consent for adding another level to your home. On the 19th day, a request for information comes back asking for clarification regarding a material you are planning to use. You provide this information after consulting with your building crew or draughtsperson , at which point the clock starts again.
These requests can happen multiple times, stretching out the total consent process time.
Also remember that this is true for amendments to the plan, which may require further consent. For example, you could spend 20 days waiting for a consent, then make an amendment, and have to wait another 20 days for that to be approved before work can begin. The clock can be “reset”.
Depending on the change, that could hold up your project by a significant duration.
Exactly how much consents cost varies significantly from place to place. Some can be relatively cheap, or even free, such as Hamilton city council’s free building consent for the addition of solar power to a property.
Some fees also vary depending on the total value of the project, rather than what the project is.
It is extremely variable, so check with your local council for the specifics.
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