Consent drawings that get through council.
A complete, coordinated set of building consent drawings for new homes, extensions, granny flats and multi-unit housing, drawn so a builder can price it and a council can process it.
What's in a consent set
- Site plan with levels, yards and site coverage
- Floor plans, elevations and sections
- Foundation and subfloor plans
- Bracing plan and calculations to NZS 3604
- Construction details: junctions, flashings and cladding
- Window, door and finishes schedules
- Project specification
- H1 energy efficiency calculations
- LBP Certificate of Design Work
Where it applies, we add resource consent plans and shading diagrams, fire and acoustic separation drawings, and as-built drawings for Certificates of Acceptance.
How the process runs
- Free consultation. We talk about the site, budget and what you're picturing.
- Concept design (2 to 4 weeks). Options you can react to, tested against the district plan.
- Developed design (3 to 6 weeks). Layout, materials and structure resolved, engineers briefed.
- Consent documentation (4 to 8 weeks). The full set, ready to lodge.
- Council processing (20 working days plus any RFIs). We lodge and answer questions.
- Construction support. Builder's questions and minor amendments through to Code Compliance.
Councils we work with
We've taken 391 projects through 23 councils, most often Selwyn (122), Christchurch (113), Queenstown Lakes (43), Waimakariri (31) and Central Otago (28).
Consent questions
How long does a building consent take?
Councils have 20 working days to process a building consent, but the clock stops while they wait for answers to requests for information (RFIs). For a typical new home, allow roughly 13 to 19 weeks from first sketches to consent.
Who signs off the design?
Our design work is led by a Licensed Building Practitioner (Design), who provides the Certificate of Design Work that council needs for restricted building work.
Do you coordinate engineers?
Yes. Where your project needs a structural engineer, geotechnical report, wind engineering or fire input, we brief and coordinate them so their work matches the drawings.
Can you respond to council RFIs?
Yes. We lodge the application and answer RFIs quickly, because every day an RFI stays open is a day added to your timeline.