What is building consent and how does it differ from resource consent?
A building consent gives you permission to undertake construction activity on your land and ensures your proposed building works comply with the Building Act and Building Code. To build a new home you will always need one of these.
On the other hand, resource consent is for an activity affecting the environment. There are a bunch of rules within the district and regional plans of the former Auckland councils as well as within the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, which set out the activities that may or may not need resource consent. Therefore it is possible to build a new home without requiring resource consent, but it's completely dependent on the nature of your land and what you're planning on building.
What's the first step?
We'd suggest the first thing you do is chat to the council about your plans. They offer 15 minutes of free assistance which, among other things, will confirm the consents you'll need. Or if you're planning a complex project, you can arrange a more in-depth pre-application meeting, which costs $265. It's well worth the investment to fully understand what you need to do in relation to your application. Plus, you'll form a good relationship with council from the start of your build, which is invaluable.
What about plans?
No doubt you'll have an idea of what you want to build, whether that be sketched on a napkin or a detailed design you've drawn yourself or had commissioned. In our case we had created scale drawings of our house. But to apply for building consent you need a comprehensive set of construction drawings. The level of detail required in these is insane. As well as the overall floor plan and elevations, they need to illustrate exactly how everything will be constructed, down to the tiniest detail.
Unless that's your day job, this isn't something you can do yourself. So you'll need to employ an architect or draughtsman to create them for you. That doesn't mean you need an architect to design your whole house for you. The architect can take your own plans and make them consent-worthy.
What professional services will I need to submit a building consent?
At a bare minimum you will need an architect to draught your plans. You'll also need a structural engineer. They're the maths and physics geniuses who figure out the forces and loads that will be placed on your home and specify how the structural elements of your house need to be built. If you don't have a geotechnical report for your section then you'll need one of these too as it outlines the soil quality, informing how your foundations need to be designed.
What forms do I need?
Unlike resource consent where the application is essay-like and professional help is advisable, the building consent application is straightforward. A simple form is available from the council website aucklandcouncil.govt.nz which I was able to complete myself. Then you submit it with your plans and supporting documentation prepared by the architect, plus all of the engineering calculations and manufacturer specifications of the products you're using.
How long does it take?
Council has 20 working days to process your application. However should it need further information it will ask you to provide that and the clock stops until you respond. In our case the approval process took about six weeks.
How much does it cost?
The following shows you how much our Building Consent cost. I imagine a simpler section and design would have been slightly cheaper.
• Council consent fees - $7550
• Architect's draughting fee - $8740
• Engineer's fee - $4185
• Find out more about Ben and Kylie's dream home at ourdreamhome.co.nz
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For more information on the Kiwibank First Home Buyer's Guide visit: kiwibank.co.nz and search for "first home".
