Some builders will only talk to you once you have drawn out the plans. At Irving Builders we prefer to become involved in discussions as soon as possible.
Why? Because we understand how to build your dream, we can advise you on indicative costs for your wish list ideas and work with you to develop these to fit your budget before you outlay costs with an architect. We will continue to work closely with you and your architect during the design stage to help keep you within your budget..
No. Our team is proficient and experienced with the consent process; we will help you lodge the consent or lodge the consent on your behalf this will save you time and frustration. Sometimes the council may require a small detail or have a technical question, which we will be able to answer right there and then to help speed up the process.
Generally no, as part of the design process most of the required components for the building consent will be collected, the building consent application follows naturally. On some larger industrial and commercial projects over 1 million where consents become very big, we will negotiate a small fee of approximately .5% of project value to prepare the consent.
A Main contractor is a Qualified professional who serves as a single point of contact and manages all aspects of your remodeling project. This includes securing building permits, scheduling inspections, ordering building materials, and scheduling and supervising all trades required to complete your project. The main contactor assumes full responsibility for the integrity of workmanship at all stages to ensure your project satisfies all state and local building codes in all phases.
As a general rule, a building permit is required whenever:
1. There is structural work involved (eg. removing load-bearing wall).
2. The basic living area (square meterage) of the home is to be changed.
3. The home’s mechanical systems (eg. gas, electrical or plumbing) are to be reconfigured or otherwise modified.
As a rule, you should always request that your qualified builder obtain the building permits. This is because the person who “pulls the permit” is considered liable for ensuring that all completed work complies with the state and local building codes.
All buildings that Irving Builders do come with a comprehensive 10 year building and workmanship warranty. Roofing, cladding and steel structure comes with a minimum of 15 years warranty (location and usage conditions apply).
Yes. The balance of the warranty is transferrable for workmanship and product warranties. The usage conditions still apply for product.
Any reputable builder will take out a “Public Liability” insurance and a “Contactors All Risk” insurance for a new build. If work is being done to an existing property, we will discuss the best insurance options with you to protect your existing property.
The only way to guarantee your project within your budget is to enter into a full contract, fixed price agreement with your builder. Discuss all the Prime Cost Sums and work out if you are likely to spend more on these items than what the builder has allowed. For example kitchens and carpets can vary hugely depending on what you want.
Some of the extra costs to the home owner that can be over looked that are generally not included in a quote are: landscaping and lawns, washing lines, letter boxes, curtains and blinds. These items can add up very quickly.
No. The old adage applies here; you get what you pay for. Many building companies and franchise companies are owned off shore, these buildings are not designed for NZ conditions. We are 100% NZ owned, designed and operated, we build throughout NZ with our own team no matter where the building is.
Full Build Contract
We will provide you with a written “fixed price” Action plan to complete the project from start to finish. With a full contract we will organize everything from sub contractors to building inspections through to obtaining your final code of compliance. This allows you to be involved without the pressure or stress of hiring and supervising sub contractors or organizing the right people to be on site at the right time. You know exactly what the project will cost and any overruns are our problem, not yours.
Cost Plus
The cost of materials plus a builder’s margin. It’s like a “pay as you go”; there are no guarantees on costs.
Labour Only
This contract is to supply the builder’s/carpenter’s labour only for your project. For Cost Plus and Labour only contract options, you will need to hire all the subcontractors yourself and also hire a separate Project Manager unless you have the time and experience to manage the entire project yourself. This type of contract can be extremely time consuming, expensive and very stressful.
Project Management
A project manager is paid a set fee to manage, organize and oversee the entire building project for you. Your project manager will arrange for all the materials to be delivered on site at the appropriate times and also organize all the subcontractors when they are needed.
With a full build contract the complete project management is included in the price.
Payment options depend on the type of contract you have chosen. With a full contract you only make payments to one company, usually payments made at specific stages of the project. When you receive a written contract quote from Irving Builders we will provide you with a payment schedule and also a construction schedule so you know what to expect and when to expect it.
Most of the time you are where you are because you like the area and by now you probably are best mates with your neighbours.
With most Extensions we are able to build it in such a way as to cause minimal disturbance, so therefore you will be able to live in it while building is in progress. If you do need temporary accommodation we may be able to help with that too.
