Most of the renovations we quote around Tauranga start the same way. Someone's walking us through their house, pointing at a wall, and saying "we were thinking we'd just knock this out." Sometimes that's easy. Sometimes that wall is holding up half the roof.
That's the thing about renovating. You're working with what's already there, and what's there doesn't always match the plans, if there are any plans at all. Here's what we tell every client before we start.
Get clear on what you want, then put a real number on it
Write down what the renovation has to fix. More room for the kids? A kitchen that works? A home that's warmer in winter? Then split the list into must-haves and nice-to-haves.
Once you know that, set a budget and keep some of it aside. In older Bay of Plenty homes we regularly open up a wall and find something nobody could have seen on the site visit: old wiring, rot behind the cladding, framing that's not up to today's standard. A contingency means that's a conversation, not a crisis.
Plan before you price
The biggest budget blowouts we've seen didn't come from expensive tiles. They came from starting with a vague idea and making it up as the job went along. Every change mid-build costs more than the same decision made on paper.
On our jobs we bring a designer in early where it's needed, and we don't move to a fixed price until the plans are properly developed. That's how you avoid surprises later.
Don't guess on consents
A lot of renovation work needs a building consent from Tauranga City Council (or Western Bay of Plenty District Council if you're out that way). Moving walls, adding a bathroom, structural changes and most extensions all usually do. Council has 20 working days to process a consent once it's lodged, but that clock stops whenever they ask for more information, so it pays to get the plans right first time.
Skipping consent to save time is a false economy. It can cause trouble with insurance, and it will come up when you sell. A good builder will tell you what needs consent and help you through it.
Think about how you'll live through it
This one gets overlooked. Are you staying in the house? Where will you cook if the kitchen's out? Can the kids get to school without walking through a site?
For most families, the biggest worry is how much the work will disrupt day-to-day life. A good builder will plan the work around your household, keep the site tidy and keep you in the loop the whole way. Talk to your builder about this up front, not on day one.
Don't cut corners on materials
Cheap materials are a cost you pay twice. That's especially true here. If you're near the coast at the Mount or Papamoa, salt air is hard on fixings, flashings and some claddings, and the wrong product can corrode years before it should. Ask your builder why they're recommending what they're recommending.
Hire a Licensed Building Practitioner, and check
Any structural or weather-tightness work has to be done or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner. You can look up any builder on the public LBP register at lbp.govt.nz. It takes a minute. Then ask for references and photos of similar work.
Know what should be in writing
For residential work of $30,000 or more (including GST), the Building Act requires a written contract, and your builder has to give you a disclosure statement and a consumer checklist before you sign. If you're not offered those, that tells you something.
A renovation goes well when the planning is done properly, the price is clear and the communication doesn't drop off once the job starts. That's how we run every job, and it's why we put it in writing in our Built Right Promise.
Planning a renovation in Tauranga or the wider Bay of Plenty? We're happy to come out, have a look and give you straight answers.
