Q&A
Pukekoe | Franklin Builders

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Questions & Answers

We're all about having informed clients who know they're making the right decision with their build or renovation. Here are some of the most common questions we hear.

At What Stage Do I Engage The Services Of A Builder?

This can vary depending on the building company and whether they are willing to take on jobs that haven’t been drawn up or consented yet. Most companies do not provide this service and typical practice is to involve the contractor’s services once the design has been consented by the council and is ready to be priced by a contractor. At StrongBuild Solutions we are more than happy to be involved as early as you require, including right at the beginning when all you have is a site and a dream. This way we can give you a realistic budget as early as possible.

Why is it important to hire a Licensed Building Practitioner?

The Licensed Building Practitioner logo puts customers at ease by letting them know the building practitioners they are engaging have been assessed as technically competent in their licensed field.


From 1 March 2012 building work (including design work) that relates to either the structure (load-bearing walls; foundations etc) or moisture penetration (roofs; cladding etc) of homes including small to medium sized apartments will be classified as Restricted Building Work. Restricted Building work may only be carried out by competent licensed building practitioners. Additionally, it will be an offense for an unlicensed person to carry out or supervise restricted building work and it is also an offense to knowingly engage an unlicensed person to carry out restricted building work. You can rest assured knowing that at StrongBuild Solutions we are fully licensed building practitioners, guaranteeing you that we are technically competent and experts in our field. Whenever you undertake any new building work always hire a licensed building practitioner. 

What Role Does A Project Manager Play?

The project manager is key in managing the physical building process, managing staff and subcontractors, ordering materials and stock, liaising with clients, council and the architect, ensuring that the elements of the building process come together smoothly. A project manager is extremely important in maintaining efficiency, flow and clear communication between all parties. At StrongBuild Solutions our project manager understands the critical part they play in the management of timelines and budgets, which is why we offer this service to eliminate any uncertainty or confusion about who is responsible for what at varying stages of the build, ensuring that your project will be built on time and to budget. 

Do I Need To Have Insurance Arranged?

Yes, definitely. We cannot emphasise enough how important insurance is. Your budget should always include an allowance for building insurance to safeguard your investment. We recommend insurance being in place from day one for the sake of your project reaching its completion no matter what may happen as the process takes place.

How Can I Keep My Project On Budget and On time?

At StrongBuild Solutions our tenders are always priced through a quantity surveyor so that we budget for even the most minor of expenses so you know exactly where your investment is being spent. If there are any unexpected expenses that come up along the way you will be notified and we will request approval for these spends prior to resolving the issue. There are few steps you can take early on in the building process to combat your build going over budget and over the time frame. These are things like hiring a construction company with project management services that will be able to help keep your costs down, using a good quality certified builder to build your project right the first time, try making all major decisions as early as possible to keep unforeseen costs to a minimum and plan as realistically as possible allowing for contingency just in case.

Do I need to know about the building consent process and what is involved?

Yes it is important to know about the consent process as a building consent is usually needed before a project can begin. The same basic consent and inspection process applies whether building a new home, commercial building or structure and is also subject to renovations, additions, alterations and demolition. It is the architect’s job to draw the plans for the project. Comprehensive plans are required to submit to the building consent authority when applying for a building consent. The cost for a building consent will largely depend on the detail of the plans and specifications of your project. Below are some examples of work that requires a building consent:

- Structural changes to a building: additions, alterations, re-piling and demolition
- Plumbing and drainage, this does not include repair and maintenance of existing
- Relocating a building
- Installing a wood burner or air-conditioning system
- Retaining walls higher than 1.5 meters
- Fences or walls higher than 2 meters, and all swimming pools and their associated fencing
- Decks, platforms or bridges more than 1 metre above ground level
- Sheds greater than 10 square meters in floor area 

What types of contracts are available?

FULL CONTRACT:

With a full contract you do not have to worry about organising anything as we will organise everything for you from subcontractors all the way to the final inspection. We will give you a fixed price cost for the job from start to finish. This leaves you knowing exactly what the job will cost and rest assured with our quality guarantees we will use only the best sub contractors. Anything outside of the fixed price is our problem not yours.

LABOUR ONLY CONTRACT:

With this type of contract you only pay the builder for his labour. You are responsible for organising everything from sub contractors to inspections and this also means you are responsible for meeting any building code requirements. This process can take a huge amount of your time and energy unless you hire a separate project manager capable of undertaking all of these tasks. Additionally labour only contracts can end up being very costly. Labour only contracts are only recommended if you are experienced at managing a project.


COST PLUS CONTRACT:

This is the cost of all materials plus the builder’s margin on top of this. There is no fixed price, so there are no guarantees on job cost but it removes the builder’s risk factor which is built into a full contract. This type of contract allows you to input new things as the project progresses. We will still organise everything from sub contractors through to the final inspection.