Alterations to house - who do we call on first

Hi wanting to extend our house (not DIY) and would like advice on where to start/who to approach first from people who have been through one, also putting new kitchen in and carpet etc. thanks

These days you need detailed drawings of any alterations/extensions, so get hold of an architech to draw up what you want. This will give you a base to call for builders & get quotes and to get the consents required. There are plenty of specialised kitchen companies who can help designing that area.

1: Council
2: Builders

Any reputable builder will know what works requires consent, so I'd start with a builder and get some general ideas of what is and isn't going to be possible. No point progressing further if you want to spend 5k but it's going to take 25k to do what you want to do.

First thing you need is a set of plans so start with an architect. Builder will be able to quote off the plans and if you want to save a few dollars apply for the building consent yourself.

You definitely don't want an architect, unless you have money to burn. You need an architectural draughtsman, far cheaper and no ego

see the local council first, because there will be a little man there with a clipboard and a tape measure just awaiting to tell you how much you'll have to pay, what form you will have to fill in and submit etc etc before he can say "NO" to you proposal !

you can use builderscrack.co.nz and post a job and find out more about what tradespeople you need to do what. A project manager or builder should be able to coordinate and tell you who/what you need to see first. It's free for homeowners to use too so worth a try.

you've just got to start somewhere so I suggest you could get a builder in to have a chat about what you want to do. At this stage keep it informal. It might be just a chat, and an estimate, not a quote. They can tell you if what you want involves structural work and council consent(s) or not. They know the local councils quirks and their information can be invaluable.

If structural work is required then there is need for architectural knowledge and drawings. Builders and kitchen companies can often put you on to local architects who specialise in domestic applications and don't cost the earth.

Most architects will also do all the council consent application work for you and see your project through to consent approval if you wish. As per above post, builder can now quote on architects approved plan.

If builder says that structural work is not required then all good. You can then talk to your kitchen company and/or plumber about if consent is required for your kitchen. Consent for kitchen reno's is not always required if most water and drainage is staying roughly in the same place e.g. you are not relocating where the kitchen sink is by more than a few feet.

So for a reno involving no structural work and with most appliances/utilities staying sort of roughly where they are now, it is possible to do this legally without council consent. Even so, be sure to get CoC (certificate of compliance cert's) from plumber for any gas line work and from the sparkie for your kitchen rewire. Know that if you touch the wiring (relocate or add hot points, add new lights. etc) then it all has to comply with current regulations and you will need electrical CoC. This can mean additions to and rewiring of your fuse board to include RCDs. Don't despair - just be well informed from the start and it's all do-able.

You must get these CoC for electrical & gas work no matter if council consents are required or not. You may need to show them to the council at some point, or show them to potential house buyers if you sell your house any time this decade.

Consent for kitchen renos is sometimes required by councils because they want to see that any relined external walls are insulated, and kitchen floor is 'sealed' i.e. water resistant covering from kick panel to kick panel. They also take the opportunity to ensure that you have added smoke detectors in or near any area of renovation (easy!)

I did not apply for consent for complete gutting and fitting new kitchen, but did need consent for a structural change. For this I hired an architect and he went to council and:
1) obtained existing drawings/records
2) did new drawings for new kitchen/structural work
3) applied for and obtained consent for the work.

The architect cost me $700 and it was well worth it. Every penny.

The council, when they did the final inspection, obviously were not blind and noticed that the unpermitted kitchen reno had new lighting and hot points and a new gas install, so wanted to see CoC for electrical and gas, which was no problem. Also they wanted to see evidence of insulation in the walls (photos) and they needed to see a smoke detector or two.

Just read OP properly and see you are extending. This would be structural then. You need drawings.

In my opinion - your friends, colleagues & family first: to see which builders AND draughtsmen they recommend!

Don't go to council first, draughtmen will know the rules & regulations as that's what you pay them for. Plus it hard for owner to explain to council the finer technical points at the beginning of the job without having detailed final plans.

mark_g, are you sure you used a registered Architect, or an architectural draughtman, as there is a BIG difference?! I've never heard of an Architect being that cheap, usually Architects fees are around 12% of the build budget, if not more!

I'd pick an architect or design firm first. Look at their portfolio online, and pick ones with a style you really like. Then go visit and chat them up to see if you get along.
I'd bring a written wishlist for the renovations to each architect when you visit, and ask them to outline what the process would be from beginning to end, and give you some idea of their fees. It's best if you find someone you really like, whose style matches yours.

For our renovation, I wanted a designer who specialised in eco-buildings and I wanted a solar thermal floor built onto an existing floor slab. There was only one nearby who fit the bill, so that was an easy selection. *LOL*

you need proper working drawings and specifications.so thats the first step.Draugthman or Architect. Get three qoutes.Read the qoutes carefully some will tag things out or have pc sums which mens the price can be more. go with the builder that you feel comfortable with not the cheapest.Get recomended tradies.