Renovation Frequently Asked Questions

No, not unless something specific changes. Under our fixed-price contract the price only moves if you change or add to the scope, the council requires additional work, something hidden is uncovered (such as rotten framing, asbestos or rock), or you select an item that differs from a PC Sum allowance. This is different to many builders, who take renovation work on a charge-up basis where the final cost is open-ended.

You can read more about the differences between fixed price and charge-up contracts in our article Fixed Price v Charge-Up: Choosing Your Renovation Building Contract

We ask for your budget so we can tell you early whether your expectations are realistic, not so we can spend to a target. We use it as a guide to align what you want with the investment required. Starting without a clear budget is one of the most common causes of disappointment – homeowners either spend more than intended, run out of money before the project is finished, or have to compromise on finishes in order to get the project completed.

A PC Sum is an allowance we include in a fixed price for an item that either has not been selected yet or cannot be proceed accurately until work is underway, for example excavation or rock breaking. Once the real cost is known, we keep you updated through our online project portal so you always know whether there is an extra charge or a credit owing to you.

When you work with us we regularly keep you up-to-date with the actual costs of any PC Sums, using our online project management portal, so you always know what is happening and whether there is an extra charge or a credit owing to you.

Most full home renovations in Auckland fall somewhere between $100,000 and $1,000,000 but the honest answer is that the cost depends heavily on the scope of the project, the age and condition of the existing home, and the level of finish you choose. A cosmetic refresh of a kitchen and bathroom sits at the lower end (around $30,000 to $50,000) while a full reconfiguration with an extension, new services and high-end finishes sits at the upper end. At MyHome Renovations we work to a fixed price, so once your scope is set you know your number before any work begins. The best way to get a figure for your specific home is to talk to us about your project.

An extension in Auckland typically starts from $150,000 (bedroom only) and will depend on the size, complexity, and how closely the new work needs to match the existing house. A major driver on character homes is matching materials – replicating the villa or bungalow detailing, weatherboards, joinery profiles and rooflines of the original house costs considerably more than a plain modern addition, because those materials and the labour to work them are more expensive. We price extensions on a fixed-price basis once the design and specification are locked in, so there are no surprises once we start.

Allow a 10 – 15% contingency on a fixed price renovation and around 25% on a charge-up/cost-plus arrangement.

A contingency is essential rather than optional, because you are working on an existing building and no builder can see what is hidden inside the walls or under the ground until work begins.  Rotten framing, asbestos, or rock in the ground are the usual culprits.

Generally speaking, any building work that affects the structure, water-tightness or changes the use of a room/building will need council permission by way of a building consent and/or resource consent.

Some examples are;

• removing load-bearing walls
• re-piling a building
• demolition of a structure (asbestos survey may also be required)
• additions or alterations
• changing cladding
• plumbing and drainage (excl. repair & maintenance work on existing)
• retaining walls higher than 1.5 metres
• decks and platforms more than 1.5 metres above the ground (over 1 metre must have a hand rail compliant with the building code)
• fences or walls higher than 2 metres
• swimming pools and their associated fencing

Under Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004, some building work which is deemed to be ‘low-risk’ is permitted to be done without a building consent.  However it is important to note that this work still needs to be completed in accordance with the Building Code which may mean you need to engage a professionally qualified tradesperson.

From August 2020 the above ‘low risk’ exceptions will also include single storey detached buildings of up to 30 square metres, such as sleep-outs, sheds, carports.  We advise caution though as a structure of this size will still need to be built to code and may need specialist advise and assistance from a builder and/or engineer.

You can also check if you need a building consent using the the online tool at www.buildit.govt.nz

A building consent deals with the construction details of your renovation, while a resource consent deals with how your project affects the surrounding environment and community under the Resource Management Act. Some renovations need both. The most common triggers for a resource consent on renovations are height-in-relation-to-boundary infringements, exceeding permitted site coverage, and special heritage or character rules over the property or zone.

The Auckland Unitary Plan is the set of planning rules that determines what can be built and where across the city. It matters because it can rule out a renovation design before you have spent a cent building it. We recommend having a renovation expert interpret the zoning rules for your property early, so any issues are identified before you invest in a design that can never be consented.

Restricted Building Work (also known as RBW) is work that is critical to the structure or weather-tightness of your home. Under the Building Act 2004 this work must be designed and carried out (or at least supervised) by an appropriate Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP).

Each LBP that completes Restricted Building Work on your home must, by law, provide either a Certificate of Design Work (for the design of RBW) or a Record of Building Work (for the actual construction of the RBW).

A resource consent is different to a building consent and in some cases you will need both for your home renovation.

In simple terms, a resource consent covers things that affect the surrounding environment and community which are protected under the Resource Management Act 1991, whereas a building consent deals with the specific construction details of your renovation project.

Each council has rules to help them administer the Resource Management legislation. If your renovation plans infringe a rule in the Auckland Unitary Plan, a document that guides the use of Auckland’s natural and physical resources, then you will need a resource consent.

The main reasons we see the need for a resource consent on renovations are;

• Height-in-relation-to boundary rule infringements
• Exceeding the permissible site coverage with building structures or non-permeable surfaces (or both)
• Special heritage/character rules over either the zone the property is in and/or over the house

If you need a resource consent for your renovation project, we recommend applying for that first.  It might add time, but at least you won’t have gone to the cost of obtaining a building consent only to be knocked back on your resource consent.

If you would like further information about resource consents, visit the Auckland Council website here.

A Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) is a certificate issued by the Auckland Council that essentially confirms that they are satisfied that the building work has been completed in accordance with the building consent they issued for the project.

It is issued after the final inspection of the building work is done, all the paperwork/documents required by the council from the various trades (eg; electrical certificates, waterproofing certificates, LBP Record of Works) have been submitted and any other conditions of the building consent have been satisfied.

Homeowners are required under the Building Act 2004 to apply for a CCC once the work permitted under a building consent has been completed. If you work with us at MyHome Renovations, we save you the headache and take care of all of this on your behalf.

Building consents in Auckland have a statutory processing timeframe, though in practice the total time from application to approval is often longer as council processors often request further information. For resource consents, where required, the council has stricter time limits based on the type of application (eg; non-notified, fast-track etc…) and this time is separate and additional to building consents.

In our experience, building consents typically take 6 – 8 weeks and we recommend sorting any resource consent first, before spending on a building consent. We manage the whole consent process on your behalf as part of our service.

Generally yes, if the work affects the structure, water-tightness, or changes the use of a room. Removing a load-bearing wall, re-piling, changing cladding, altering plumbing and drainage, and additions or alterations all typically require a building consent. Some low-risk work is exempt under Schedule 1 of the Building Act, but it must still meet the Building Code. If you are unsure, we can interpret the rules for your specific project.

Yes, once building work under a consent is complete you are legally required to apply for a CCC, and you will generally need it for your bank, your home insurer, and any future sale of the house. It is issued by Auckland Council after the final inspection and once all the required trade certificates and documents are in. If you work with us, we take care of the entire CCC process for you.

If more than 5 years has passed since your building consent was issued, then the council will have to visit your home to assess the durability of the materials used. Visit here for the B2 Durability application form.

Fixed price gives you clarity and confidence in your budget, while charge-up offers more flexibility but with less certainty on the final cost. The right choice depends on how much control you want over costs versus how much flexibility you need during the build. To help you decide, read our blog on the topic here.

Yes, we strongly recommend speaking with your bank or mortgage advisor early in the process.

Understanding your borrowing capacity and lending requirements will help you establish a realistic renovation budget.

Having this clarity before design and pricing begins allows:

• Better alignment between vision and budget
• Faster decision-making
• Fewer revisions to scope
• A smoother overall process

Once you understand your funding position, we can provide informed guidance and develop a renovation plan that fits within your financial framework.

Renovations are significant investments. Starting with financial clarity reduces stress and protects your long-term plans.

MyHome Renovations is ideal for busy Auckland homeowners who want to make changes to their home and are looking for assistance with the entire renovation process. They appreciate the value and convenience of working with one company from the start to finish.

Renovating is usually the more cost-effective choice when the existing home is structurally sound and in a good location, which describes most of Auckland’s villas, bungalows and mid-century homes. Rebuilding tends to make more sense when there are critical issues with the structure of the home, the layout fundamentally does not work, or the section warrants a much larger home. The right answer depends on the specific house, and it is worth getting an experienced renovation builder to assess it before you decide.

Often yes, depending on the scope. Many homeowners stay put through extensions and alterations where the work can be staged around them, while full renovations or projects that leave the home open to the elements usually call for temporary accommodation. Kitchen and bathroom timing is the usual sticking point, since those are the spaces you most need day to day. We plan the sequence with you so you know upfront what living on site will look like.

We agree that it’s important that you know what’s going on during your renovation. So when you work with MyHome Renovations you will be able to keep track of everything through our online project management tool.

Whether it’s from the comfort of your home, your desk at the office or from beside the resort pool, 24/7 you’ll be able to;

• see what is scheduled to happen on site every day of every week of every month. This allows you to follow progress in real time and get a great understanding of what tasks will be happening and when.
• view and share progress photos with family and friends
• ask any questions that you might have
• request and approve any extra work or changes to the project scope
• know the financial status of your project – what has been invoiced, the financial impact of any work that has been added or changed, what has been paid already and the remaining balance.

In addition to Contract Works insurance (also known as Builders Risk insurance which should be taken out by either the homeowner or the builder to cover the renovation project), you should also ensure the builder you engage to do the building work also holds current policies for;

• Public Liability insurance – provides protection from damage or loss to third party property or injury to a third party.
• Professional Indemnity/Errors & Omissions Indemnity – provides protection if the company or an employee allegedly causes a financial loss as a result of some advice given or action taken (or not given or taken).
• Statutory Liability insurance – provides cover over any legal costs and/or fines for breaches of any statutory law such as the Building Act, Fair Trading Act, Resource Management Act etc…
• Employers Liability insurance (if they employ staff) – provides cover for any liability over an injury or illness to an employee that is not covered by ACC.
• Commercial Vehicle insurance – insures the builder’s vehicles, trailers etc…
• Tools & Equipment insurance – provides protection over tools, equipment, other assets (eg; phones, scaffolding) and stock.

The details of these insurance policies should be provided to you in a Disclosure Statement which, under Section 362D of the Building Act, is required to be provided to homeowners prior to signing a building contract. The minimum insurance requirements should also be listed within the building contract.

When you renovate, your home becomes more vulnerable. Depending on the size and complexity of the project, sometimes it is open to the elements, other times the structure might be temporarily compromised.

Your usual house insurance policy won’t cover you for any loss or damage caused by renovations, particularly major projects.

So it is important to notify your home insurer and ensure the correct insurance policy (Contract Works Insurance also known as Builders Risk Insurance) is taken out. This additional policy should work alongside your normal house insurance to cover any damage caused by or while your renovation work is being done.

Not all Contract Works Insurance policies are made equal though, so it is important you do your research to ensure you secure the best possible policy available to you. You are likely to be asked a bunch of quite technical questions about the site conditions, work being done and construction methods being used. This is so the insurance company can assess your project and of course charge you a premium appropriate to the risk they are taking on.

If you work with MyHome Renovations however, the Contract Work Insurance application and other paperwork is all taken care of on your behalf. It’s part of our wrap-around service to ensure your renovation experience is as enjoyable as possible.

It depends on size and complexity. Smaller projects like a single kitchen or bathroom may take a few weeks, while larger work such as a ground-floor extension, internal alterations or a second-storey addition can run 4 to 8 months. Decision-making speed matters too – the faster selections are made, the smoother the timeline. As a rule, allow a little more time than you expect, that is the nature of renovation.