[Caroline and Dave]

Hi everyone,
Inspired by Avalon's money thread,as some of you know we are building our own propertyt with builder's help.
We both have a good knowledge of different aspects of property and have acquired a mine of information re property in NZ ranging from rentals,buying,to building your own.
I will first say that I am not an expert on these fields,but with the help of experts and info that we have acquired was able to iron out some of the problems that we encountered. I will attempt to put on here all the info we have and if it only helps a couple of people then it has acheived its aim. This is going to take a few weeks to completely put it all on here so please bear with me until it is finished.
Well here goes.

Finding a section

The first thing is finding the right section for you.Never mind that your friend has found the perfect section for them. You need to find what is right for you. Everyone is different.

Points to check
1) One of the most important things is the proximity to amenities.How far are the local schools,are there sufficient shops in the area. How efficient is the public transport,doctors,hospitals,etc. Do you like to be isolated or do you need all the creature comforts on the doorstep?
2) Next thing to consider is the access to the site. Will it be easy for builders to erect a house on the site or are there going to be difficulties in getting materials etc to the site?A section that is hard to access could push up building costs,not to mention access problems for yourself when it is built.
3) Another good thing to consider is the location of the site. What is the view like? Will you get enough sunshine to the property.Whats the wind like and will you be overlooked by neighbours.Bear in mind that this may not be the only section and what is good views at the moment ,may well be obstructed by houses yet to be built. Check around to see what the drainage is like.Good drainage is very important to avoid any damp conditions.Another idea would be to visit at different times in the day and evening and weekends. What seems like a very peaceful position may be totaly different at night or weekend.Check what the neighbours properties are like.There is nothing worse than living next door to the neighbours from hell.
4) Make sure your section will be large enough for garaging or off street parking.
5) Check with the agent what services are on the site such as gas, water,electric,phone etc. The less services there are on the site will mean more cost to have them laid on. The local council will be able to tell you what is on the section.It is worth checking this out even if the agent tells you. In our section we have to have water and sewerage tanks. This is quite normal in rural areas.
6) Remember,the better the location,the more you will pay for the section. It is best to check what price other sections are going for to give you a rough idea that you are not paying too much or too little. A section that is much cheaper than any others needs looking into as there is probably a good reason for this. Do not solely trust what the agent tells you .get it checked out.
7) It is important at this stage that you do your homework.A little knowledge gained now is worth a whole lot more further down the line. The council can let you know regardiny any proposed commercial builds etc.

Effect of location on building costs
If you decide that a section is the ideal one for you you then need to consider if where the section is will push up the building costs.Say your section is right by the sea or on a cliff. This can put up the building costs quite considerably. There is a lot of wind and salt and your house will be exposed to this. This will mean higher costs in building and regular maintenance.Our section is on a slope.We wanted this for better drainage. It is only a slight slope but because of this the foundation costs are more.Houses that are exposed to wind will have to be designed appropiately,extra bracing etc.

Erosion.

Be very careful that you or your solicitor checks with the council if a site is prone to flooding,erosion or subsidence .There is a provision in the building act 2004 for the council to refuse building permission if these conditions exist.It may well grant it but they must notify the registrar general of land , who will put on the certificate of title that building consent has been issued under section 72.
You or your solicitor should check on the certificate of title whether any section 72 endorsements apply to your section.It may appear on the previous 1991 building act.
Insurance companies may well not wish to insure such properties. For fuller details of this check here
www.consumerbuild.org.nz/publish/site/section-choosing.php

[Caroline and Dave]

Section Checklist

The next stage we went through was to get our contract and other documentation checked by a solicitor.This is where our solicitor was worth his weight in gold. Being that we were not used to NZ ways we left everything in his hands.
1) you will need to obtain the certificate of title.(CT) Your solicitor will do this This will tell you the size of your land the shape and whether there are any things to note about it such as rights of way,any outstanding mortgages etc. It will also tell you if it is freehold or leasehold.
2) The CT will also reveal if there are any restrictions(Covenants) which will effect your section. When purchasing ours we were made well aware of all the restrictions such as minimum size of property allowed and maximum size,height etc. you can also check the district plan which contains boundary restrictions and what you are or not permitted to do.
3) Your solicitor will reccomend getting a LIM Land information memmorandum.
This is obtainable from the council and you can get it direct or let the solicitor do it as we did. There is a seperate charge for this from the council and all depends on what area you are applying to.
An LIM contains all information that the council hold regarding the land. This is more detailed than the district plan and will contain details such as enviromental issues, any land restrictions, requirements re septic tanks. Our solicitor did not reccomend us buying the land without seeing the LIM.

4) Depending on the land it may be reccomended for an engineers report to be done and this will reveal the extra costing involved for your land. Our solicitor advised us to get this report done. Your house architect can also advise on this. Our Solicitor advised that it was advisable to have a geo tec survey done of the section to confirm that the ground was solid enough to have a house built on. If you are buying off a developer then it is probable that such a report has already been done,but ask to see it. Do not take their word for it. With our property the boundarys were already set out but some sections it is not clear what land you are getting . Be very careful of this

5) With our section it is part of a sub division of 38 other sections and ours was one of 6 left, so we were pretty confident that most of the groundwork had been carried out but even so we were very careful throughout the whole buying procedure. More of a problem would be the odd section here and there that the owner is trying to sell privately on its own merits.
If you follow the above advice then you are well on the way to finding yourself the ideal site for your home.
In our opinion the most important thing is that you have a reliable solicitor who specialises in land purchases. Be very aware of anyone reccomended by estate agents. We have been warned to avoid them,if only for the fact that agents will make a killing out of recommending you. Most people know of a good solicitor they use.

If anyone else has any information they would like to add to this thread please do.

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[Caroline and Dave]

Finding a House

Now that we have our land the next stage is what do we build on there?
By the way just to give you an idea the total time it took from finding our land,placing an offer to actually owning the land was 6 weeks. Far quicker than the UK. One of the most popular choices at the present moment in NZ is the Kitset home. This is now becoming very popular as it can be a cheap alternative to having a standard house built. One of the main problems with this is whether the local council or if you have purchased as part of an estate is if the regulations will allow you to build such a property. With us a kitset home was out of the question as this would not have been allowed.
A kitset home is how it reads. A home you put together from a kit. There are many firms that specialise with this and once again there are good and bad out there. It is worth investigating thoroughly if you are considering one of these types of houses. A good place to start is www.buildyourdream.co.nz
You have the option on these houses where usualy you can buy the kit and erect it yourself if you feel you are skilled enough or get a local builder to do it for you. Some firms will give you a price to supply and erect. whatever happens you cannot purchase such a home untill you know you will be allowed to have it built.
There are many builders who will supply you with the complete package, from drawing up plans to completing the house. Or you can get your own surveyors,architects etc and submit plans to the council before you choose your builder. Then you would get builders in to quote on the price of building your home. It is important before your plans are submitted to the council to know exactly what you want in your house as changing your mind after plans have been approved can be expensive. With our house we listed everything we wanted so that an accurate price could be given at an early stage.
We were told that the reccomended insulation for nz building regs was a bare minimum and we had this upgraded. Things like double glazing are not standard in NZ and in our opinion are an essential extra.
We also included solar panels ,central heating and air conditioning.
When choosing a builder do not allways accept the cheapest quote. Compare them closely and ensure there is not too much scope for any extras to be added. A very high or very low tender should start alarm bells ringing.

Ask your builders if you can talk to someone who has had a house built and idealy see if you can go and see it as anyone could be on the other end of a phone. Remember that this is a major investment and you cannot afford to have made a big mistake. Check that the builder is a licensed building practitioner. (I have been told that this info will be available on a public register from 30 November 2007.)
Check if the builders are members of the New Zealand Certified Builders Association or Registered Master Builders association also find out if they give a guarantee of their work and what is and is not covered.
We decided to go for the complete package as being still in UK we did not want the hassle of sorting it all out. With the help of some very good contacts and friends we feel we have got the right builders.
We decided to go for award winning builders and sent scouts out etc to check showhomes and we have also spoken to many past customers. In the end we are probably paying a bit more this way but at least we ( Hopefully) have peace of mind. Our house will be exactly the way we want it. Our builders are so far excellent and keep in regular contact with us making us feel part of their family rather than a client.
Rather than have our own plan designed we chose one of theirs and then had it altered the way we wanted it.
We have costed out our house and land and then compared it with a simalar property on the housing market and we have without a doubt saved a lot of money by building our own. Even a cheaper section and house you should be able to have it built for less than one already built plus you know its built the way you want without any hidden surprises.

The following web address is the government's page for estimating building costs per sqm and will give you a rough idea to costs involved.

http://www.dbh.govt.nz/bofficials-estimated-building-costs#map1

Time for a break

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[dean1968]

I want to add some additional info having "been there done that " that there are traps or extra hidden costs associated with your new section if the title has not been issued. I can't remember the technical jargon it is something like a 124 that the council will issue. I have been informed now and my informatiion is scratchy ( you need to check it out) the council is insisting on land soil tests ( some council mays be different.) For example the land might be peat. For example Peat is a type of soil on swampy land that can sink your foundation. A new subdivision I know of had a similar problem wasn't peat something like clay and they had a few houses like this with the foundations sinking. You need to spend more money to prop them up. Councils may insist on a soil sample report, they are only doing it in your interest if they think there is a problem.

Another built houses in a new subdivision and with all the extra concrete with roads, paths, driveways etc caused drainage problems. No soil to absorb rainwater so wastewater drains off into the local stream. Never mind the pollution issues and contaminating the stream which is a resource concent issue. Bigger issues involved. The waste water flooded back on nearby houses / streets adjoining the new subdivision. Regional council involved and the developer tie up in court as he cannot issue new titles which news to be sorted out by the local council and regional council to issue resource consent and blaming each other. Titles pending which means you can't build.

Building on a hill may increase costs. Volcanic soil that can be like granite. It can cost thousands etcra to dig out the foundation sometimes they blast using explosive. You have to spend heaps more money on this. Check with outsiders like friend impartial builders to tell you the true cost. Sometimes cost you more to spend mega bucks on building your dream property. More than ou anticpated in labour. To get the house built you might not have access to cranes etc or heavy equipment road access indequate. Brickies or people required to build the house sometimes don't have adequate access. Manually moving bricks or equipment by hand as there is no proper access can cost you more money plus time to build. Rule of thumb add $20,000-$30,0000 sometime more to build on a hill for foundations.

Sometimes to avoid extra costs building on a hill for foundations they try to blast using explosive. Without blasting, heavy equipment can take extra time and more money drilling etc. One builder told me they gave up and just re design the house. Volcanic rock as hard as diamond.

One example developer wanted to build on a hill 4-5 apartments using blasting to take out the soil soemthing like out 1600 cubic metres by the truckload (150-250 large dump trucks of soil using blasting equipment. Had to get resource consent. Objections by the neighbours on everything. At the end of it needed retaining walls (didn't want to use any) on hill to stop prevent a landslide. Costs more money. Had to use properly endorsed quilified engineer approved by council on site ( council engineer would also attend. Fire service objection - had to have additional water pressure ( I don't know what you call for fire prevention - to pump more water in there for fire hazard on a hill. Had to pay council a special levy fund for park mamanagement. All those families needed park facilities for the kids etc. One expensive exercise. Has not gone ahead. The developers try to pre sell. This is a trap. You want to know that title has been issued before you sign up. There was an endless list of objections including the times to move the soil. I wouldn't want to live next door with the noise, constant hammering , wind blowing and never mind the blasting and future land / erosion subidence of the property. Check out when you buy your dream section what is going on next door to you including if they are gonna block your sun / million dollar view with a two story property.

Developers sign you up and there might be convenants like what dog you own etc. What material you can use etc building the house. Have to go with there builders and minimum build size. That is standard but you need to be aware of these things.

The real trap is when the ttile has not been issue by the council due to objections or has not met certain requirements by the council. A private owner su bdividing the land might have a hard time meeting these conditions being a novice. As it is his first time. Make sure you get a water tight quote /contract from your lawyer. That he or she cannot go above a certain cost due to delays etc. I got stung from my solictor who charged extra way above the norm because of the time involveded. Your solictor will try to pass on additional costs and yes he will get away with it if you don't nip it in the bud at the start. Watch him or her like a hawke. You will be bleeding red ink in this area. Paying a lot of money unnecessarily and he will say he had to do this or do that that the developer was inexperienced etc. In my opinion most Kiwis are honest and a novice first time developer is not going to rip you off. That is a farmer subsividing his land. Talk more to them direct and less to your solicitor. They will give you an honest answer of what is actually going on and why it is out of their hands. It will be your solicitor trying to talk with the other solictor and passing on the cost to you not knowing much about it anywaywhile at the same time clocking up a hefty bill at your expense for his hour charge.. No one knows how long these things take in advance. Just take it in account and adjust you plans accordingly. You can usually talk to the council yourself ot the sellor.

The council may have a backlog and the 124 has not been issued as developer could just be a private farmer which can make it worse and they have done what the council has requested being a novice. 12-18 months delay before title issue. You pay a deposit and the devlopment is suppose to do certain things. One example land was incorrectly surveyed and the fence boundary had to be moved back. Council may not issue the 124 for a long time because of the backlogs etc. When title has been issue the council can still hold up title with further delay just to issue building conssent. There can be endless delays on something very minor that the developer has not done correctly. The worse is when the developer hasn't met the condition and after 1 year you have a get out clause that means you can walk away including the developer Sometimes because of the endless delays he puts it back on the market at the new market prevailing price. You might find you sign up to buy a section at $150,000 with a 10 percent deposit. After 1 year has elasped the developer has not been able to obtain title therefore can resell the section back on the market at the new prevailing market prices say $200,000. With inflation running at 4 percent and property running more more like 10 percent he now offers you the same section to you for a fair price $200,000 What do you do? You are stuck between a rock and hard place.

Buying a section and bilding a house is a nightmare and someone on this forum warn people it can be a living nightmare from "hell" and plays havoc on your marriage. It will either make or break your your marriage and make you stronger or certainly put it to the test. One thing will come out of if (your marriage) you will certaintly have more grey hair they you will need to dye.

Just some observations. Last on the coastal property. Sea salt can be corrosive on everything and having lived on the flat a few kilometres back from the beach and also ihaving xperienced it lving on the hill. Nearer the coast temperatures are slightly warmer. In winter, inland can be frost and nearer the coast no frost at all. Often the wind can be a killer. Windier near the coast and more breezes on the house, can literally shake from the prevailing winds. If you have a well design house no problem. Obviously air cleaner, healtheir and fresher.

[dean1968]

Just be aware sea salt plays havoc on you house - the wind can carry the salt miles inland. I was living a few kilometers inland from the beach. My car was parked on the street and the sea salt over a year was destructive to the paintwork. I am just giving examples of what it can do. Over time it is is gonna take its toll on your equipment, car house etc .Energy efficient heat pumpms popular in NZ have warnings about installing them near ocean property. They don't like the salt. Solar heating is another. Just something to be wary of that you will need to spend more on the maintenane of the house especially with painting of wood / timber etc. I live up a hill 2 km away from the ocean and the sea salt blew carried inland and damages your plants (know what to grow before you plant expensive stuff, even hanging out the washing to dry on the clothing line is problematic with the sea salt. There are pros and cons just factor them in. One other tip I am only passing my knowlege having expereinced living on the coast and hill property has advantages and disadvanteges. On the flat in a valley no sun was a killer it is really really bad would not recommend it to anyone. Please be very aleart to this. The most important thing in my opinion is the sun it makes a big difference. Bottle necks getting in there with traffic. Lving near on top of the beach attracts a lot of noise motorists / traffic as everyone attends the beach. Boy racers who don't muffle their exhaust pipes / drinking rowdy beach ges etc. I thought it was interesting that my real estate millionaire agent lived further back from being on the beach which was tip for me. Living on the hill is a nightmare parking, getting into the driveway and also big disadvantgae for young children. Again my Doctor friend move away from the hill back onto the flat more centrally into town with children. Transportation like a bus service, drving to and from work, getting to the shops, essential services like doctors, they start to add up when living on a hill with childdren. Last but not least having lived on the rural fringes on a coastal ocean view property, I found it interesting my neighbours all had cats. During winter when it is cold, field mice move in to your home...Everything was a drag. Reception is poor, no radio, televison signals bad snowy picture and yes no broadband to far awy from the phone exchange, when I was use to all these everyday items that I took for granted.
Even the quality of the water was heavily treated. Then to top it off the ocean is not recommended for swimming. You need to travel to other places where the ocean is cleaner.

Final recommendation knock on the door of your neighbour and introduce your self, will you get a wealth of information and tell them you are interested iin buying the section..

[Glenda]

Wow, very detailed info there Caroline and Dave. :clap

I would add allowing a few thousand for those unexpected extras. On my section these included an additional resource application as the house was to be built on a slope and there is a limit to how much soil can be dug out and moved, an engineer's report for the septic tank, and Development Contributions which is insisted by the local Council for the good of the town (in my case I was lucky it was just $1,400, as a contribution to town car parking!).

:cheers

[Avalon]

Wow - thats great! Cant wait till you get to the rentals bit :D

Thank you

(edited to add - now I'm the one who has to "Spread it around a bit" - so sorry - I tried!)

[Caroline and Dave]

Thankyou Glenda for your added info.
What I will do now is a list of builders,estate agents and trade and professional groups.

A1 Homes www.a1homes.co.nz
Advantage Construction www.advantageconstruction.co.nz
Alexander Construction www.alexanderconstruction.co.nz
AP Developments www.apdevelopments.co.nz
Arhaus www.arhaus.co.nz
Ascot Homes www.ascothomes.co.nz
Asten www.asten.co.nz
Balmoral Homes www.balmoralhomes.co.nz
Borman www.borman.co.nz
Build Safe Homes www.buildsafehomes.co.nz
Buildzone www.buildzone.co.nz
Cambridgehomes www.cambridgehomes.co.nz
Carl Taylor Homes www.carltaylorhomes.co.nz
Cranston www.cranston.co.nz
David Reid Homes www.davidreidhomes.co.nz
DD Construction www.ddconstruction.co.nz
Diamond Homes www.diamondhomes.co.nz
DJ Hewitt Builders www.djhewitt-builders.co.nz
Energy efficient Homes www.eehnz.co.nz
Fendalton Construction Ltd www.yellow.co.nz/site/fendaltonconstructionltd
Fowler Homes www.fowlerhomes.co.nz
Generation Homes www.generation.co.nz
GJC www.gjc.co.nz
GJ Gardner Homes www.gjgardner.co.nz
Golden Homes www.buildersnz.co.nz
Hallmark Homes www.hallmarkhomes.co.nz
Harmony Homes www.harmonyhomes.co.nz
Home Builders www.homebuilders.net.nz
Home World www.homeworld.co.nz
House Plans www.houseplans.co.nz
Ideal Garages www.idealgarages.co.nz
Intalok www.intalok.co.nz
Jalcon www.jalcon.co.nz
Jennian Homes www.jennian.co.nz
Lockwood www.digwork.co.nz
Maddren www.maddren.co.nz
McRaeway Homes www.mcraewayhomes.co.nz
Meridan Homes www.meridianhomes.co.nz
Mitchell homes www.mitchell-homes.co.nz
Moore Living www.mooreliving.com
Moss Brothers www.moss-brothers.co.nz
Natural Log Homes www.naturalloghomes.co.nz
Paradise Homes http://paradisehomes.ehosting.co.nz
Platinum Homes www.platinumhomes.co.nz
Primesite Homes www.primesitehomes.co.nz
Progress group www.progressgroup.co.nz
PW design and Build www.pwdesignandbuild.co.nz
Regency Designer Homes www.regencydesignerhomes.co.nz
Robinsons www.robinsons.co.nz
Rod Percival www.rodpercival.co.nz
Ruben Homes NZ Ltd www.rubenhomesnzltd.co.nz
Signature Homes www.signature.co.nz
Solid Masonry www.solidmasonry.co.nz
Sovereign Homes www.sovereignhomes.co.nz
Stonewood www.stonewood.co.nz
Styleline Homes www.styleline-homes.co.nz
Sunshine Homes www.sunshinehomes.co.nz
Supreme Homes www.supremehomes.co.nz
Sustain Build www.sustainbuild.co.nz
Sustainable Structures www.sustainable-structures.com
Tailormade Homes www.tailormadehomes.co.nz
Urbo Homes www.urbohomes.co.nz
Uniquehomes www.uniquehomes.co.nz
Vogue Homes www.voguehomes.co.nz






Well that should keep you occupied More to follow


Dave and Caroline

[Caroline and Dave]

Well, I'm Back again.
Thankyou very much Dean for your comments. I value your comments,the only thing that slightly concerns me and please don't take this the wrong way,is that I am trying to give people all the info I can so that they can get the best property they can. There have been so many posts about the downsides to NZ property and although I agree with them and indeed I will be mentioning some as I go along, but your posts seem to be full of the downsides and not much about the ways to go ahead. What I don't want is people reading these posts and then getting scared off. These problems can be avoided and hopefully with all the contacts I give etc, They will be able to make a success of it. pointing out the bad points is good, but it needs to be backed up with the positive points. I look forward to seeing more from you with a bit more constructive help. I am sure your more positive comments will be appreciated as will the downsides in a fair balance.
I will continue my list in the next post

Kindest regards

Dave

[Caroline and Dave]

Trade and Professional Contacts

May I first apologise that I have not got these in Alphabetical order as i am pushed for time.

New Zealand Registered Architects Board www.nzrab.org.nz
Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation www.bcito.org.nz
Arbitrators & Mediators Institute of NZ www.aminz.org.nz
Designers institute of New Zealand www.dinz.org.nz
Architectural Designers NZ www.adnz.org.nz
Association of Consulting Engineers NZ www.acenz.org.nz
Fire protection Association NZ www.fireprotection.org.nz
Electrical Contractors association of NZ www.ecanz.org.nz
Building Industry Federation www.bifnz.org
Building officials Institute of New Zealand www.boinz.org.nz
Building Research Assc of NZ www.branz.co.nz
Building Service Contractors of NZ www.bsc.org.nz
National Flooring assc www.nfa.org.nz
Master plumbers gas fitters,& Drainlayers NZ www.masterplumbers.org.nz
Certified Builders Assc of NZ www.certified.co.nz
Claddings institute of NZ www.cinz.org.nz
Design Assc of NZ www.danz.co.nz
Glass assc of NZ www.wanz.org.nz
Frame and Truss Manufacturers of NZ www.ftma.co.nz
Institute of Refridgeration,Heating & air con NZ www.irhace.org.nz
Landscape Industries Assc www.lianz.org.nz
Institute of Professional Engineers www.ipenz.org.nz
National Kitchen and Bathroom Assc NZ www.nkba.org.nz
NZ building Subcontractors Fed www.nzbsf.org.nz
Registered Master Builders Federation NZ www.masterbuilder.org.nz
Standards New Zealand www.standards.co.nz
NZ Institute of Building www.nziob.org.nz
NZ Lifts and Elevator Assc www.lifts.org.nz
NZ Institute of Valuers www.property.org.nz
NZ Building Trades Union www.nzbtu.org.nz
NC Construction Industry Council www.nzcic.co.nz
NZ institute of Architects www.nzia.co.nz
NZ institute of Building Surveyors www.buildingsurveyor.co.nz
NZ Institute of Landscape Architects www.nzila.co.nz
NZ institute of Quantity Surveyors www.nziqs.co.nz
NZ Institute of Surveyors www. surveyors.org.nz
NZ Joinery Manufacturers Federation www.masterjoiners.co.nz
NZ property Institute www.nzpif.org.nz
NZ Pine manufacturers Assc www.pine.net.nz
NZ Metal Roofing Manufacturers Assc www.metalroofing.org.nz
NZ plumbers,gas fitters and drainlayers board www.pgdb.co.nz
NZ timber Industry Federation www.nztif.co.nz
NZ timber preservation council www.nztpc.co.nz
NZ WAter and Wastes Assc www.nzwwa.org.nz
Power Crane Assc www.cranes.org.nz
Property Council of NZ www.propertynz.co.nz
Ready Mixed Concrete Assc www.nzrmac.org.nz
Site Safe www.sitesafe.org.nz

Thats all for now folks ( Sounds like Bugs Bunny Cartoons)

[Maggiemoo]

Can I add in another builder? Generation Developments in the Bay of Plenty www.generation.co.nz.

We bought a land and home package from them on a sub-division just outside Tauranga back in July and moved in on 22 December (house was built in 12 weeks, and Generation give a guaranteed move-in date) - its a great house and we had lots of input into the house planning - we used one of their standard designs but tweaked it quite a bit. We are so happy with it, and would not hesitate to build with Generation again which I reckon is a good recommendation!! If anyone wants more info on how its been for us, then please feel free to PM me - I won't bore everyone with my ramblings about house building process in NZ! :laugh

Maggie

[Caroline and Dave]

If anyone has any good website addresses they think would be good for this thread, if you can pm me with them then I am able to get them added to the list with the kind help of Douglas (ENZ). I am at the moment researching web addresses for housing Inspectors throughout NZ which I will add shortly


Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[Caroline and Dave]

House Hunting

I will shortly be giving a list of Estate Agents but for good info re this, Check Avalons great Money thread www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9357 Page 3
Buying a house is about the biggest purchase you can make and with regards to the past problems re housing in NZ,I would reccomend that you get a property inspection done on a property . For what it costs it is far cheaper than finding problems after the purchase. If an agent says that a survey has already been done,ask to see it and make sure it is from a reputable firm,even then I personaly would have my own report done.
However you can't possibly get surveys done on every house you look at so these are some things to check out.
Exterior
1) Check weatherboards and any cladding for cracks or gaps. If there is these can let water into the house. Be aware of any freshly painted areas as it could mean something is being hidden ( It could also mean that the house is kept to a very high standard but a building inspection should check this out.
2)Check that there is proper drainage, check that in heavy rain there is no chance of the rainwater getting into the house. Is the property near a river. Insurance companys usually charge premiums for properties near rivers in case of flooding.

3) What is the access like to the house? Are there lots of steps into the house? Is there garaging or enough room to park cars?
4) Check that there are plenty of vents in the house.
5) If the house is of a mediterranean style with plaster finish then it is essential that you get it checked out by an expert. He will make sure that the house is not prone to leaking.
There are certain things that could be visible before you get an expert. Tell tell signs are
Stains on exterior walls, Cracks in plaster especialy around windows and doors
Look carefully inside the house around windows and external doors . any signs of dampness indicates a problem. Check that the exterior plaster/cladding does not go all the way down to the floor. If it does water could rise into the house. Once again an expert will check this out. Any properties with flat roofs must be checked by an expert.
6) Check All exterior wood,weatherboards etc. If freshly painted tap it gently. If it feels spongy or sounds different in different sections there may be a problem.
7) Try and look at the roof for signs of cracked or loose tiles or any signs of rust on steel roofs. If you can't see the roof leave this to an expert. Check the gutters for signs of rust etc or fresh paint.
8) Have large items been put in front of walls etc that may be hiding something. Are any vents blocked?
9) For houses with supports check under the house. If the supports are wooden, these could be rotten underground.

Inside the house

1)On first entering the house ,do you enter a hallway or does it lead you straight into a room. Through past experience we have found that with a house that leads straight into a room you will lose heat as soon as you open the door. Bear this in mind if you choose this type of house. This does not apply to patio doors etc as you will only open these in good weather.
2) Obviously everyones requirements in a house are different but it is worth checking that there are adequate sockets for your requirements, how much natural light flows in and are there enough lighting points?
3) Check for where the electrical consumer unit is. You should be able to tell from here if the wiring is old. If you are not sure then your expert will check this.
4) Check what the tv reception is like and whether there is any sky or alternative setup.
5) A good tip to check that the water pressure is sufficient is to turn several taps on at once. This will give you an idea of water pressure. There is nothing worse than someone having a shower then loses the water as another tap is turned on.
6) Are there enough rooms where your children can play and you can relax at the same time. Is there enough storage. It is surprising the amount of people who we meet are always lacking in storage which many have said to us that they didn't even think about it when purchasing their property.
7) This may well be difficult to check but is there adequate insulation. One of the problems with NZ houses is the lack of insulation. This can be added later but is quite costly.Lofts are relatively easy but walls are more difficult.
8) Most NZ houses do not have double glazing. If the rest of the property is up to a good standard then it may well be worth having this put in later.You will be very limited in your choice in finding properties with DG and when you do they are usually expensive.
9) Check that the windows open ok, check that fans etc vent to the outside.
10) Find out what is included in the sale,eg, curtains,white goods,ovens etc.
This will be covered by your solicitor but it is nice to know before you decide to buy.
11) as per outside check ceilings and walls for damp patches and any cracks.
12) check the condition of toilets,shower cubicles etc.Is there adequate ventilation in bathrooms etc?
13) If you can check in the loft do so. You should be able to see if the insulation is adequate and also check the roof for any gaps in it.The best way to do this is to turn any loft light off then the light will be easily visible from below.
In the uk 95% plus of properties have central Heating. This is not the case in NZ. Check what heating is in the property and will it be adequate for your purposes.If you really like the house you can change the heating later but once again,this will be expensive.

If you are then satisfied with your inspection and are certain you would like to buy the property then get an expert inspection. It really is advisable to do this. I am no expert but have bought several properties in the uk and we thoroughly check all these details. There are just as many bad houses throughout the world and as long as you go through the correct procedures then you should be OK.
The following is a list of Inspectors throughout New Zealand.

Cornerstone Property Inspection Services www.cpis.co.nz
Advance property Inspections www.go2api.co.nz
Rotura Property Inspections www.inspection.co.nz
Futuresafe Building Inspections www.futuresafe.co.nz
Prendos www.prendos.co.nz
AA House Checks www.aahousechecks.co.nz
Prime Building Company www.primebc.co.nz
John Mckenzie Ltd www.buildingcheck.co.nz
NZ House Inspection Company www.nzhouseinspection.co.nz
Avon Building Consultants www.avonbuilding.com
Canterbury Home Check www.canterburyhomecheck.co.nz
IBIS www.yellow.co.nz/site/ibis2000ltd
Property Check Christchurch www.propertycheck.org
House Inspector Auckland www.houseinspector.co.nz
Inspect First Ltd www.inspectfirst.co.nz
Realsure Ltd www.realsure.co.nz
Harbour Home Inspections NorthShore www.hhil.co.nz

Dept OF Building and Housing www.dbh.govt.nz
This last one is the government's website and is a mine of information,worth exploring

Well I think I deserve a rest now

Kindest Regards

Dave

[Caroline and Dave]

Today I will be giving you web addresses of Estate Agents and letting agents.
Before I do this ,There have been problems in the past with Nz housing. This is why it is important to have a survey done. As regards Leaky Building Syndrome it is best if you look at this link on the ENZ website to explain the details. It makes for an interesting read but do not let this put you off. www.emigratenz.org/LeakyBuildings.html

Most Estate agents will do rentals but I have also included companies that only deal in rentals.


www.1001properties.co.nz.. This agent specialises in property under $250,000 for those on a tight budget but I would definitely get an expert check on any of these properties.
www.platinumproperties.co.nz Dunedin
www.Watsonproperty.co.nz Palmerston North
www.ljhooker.co.nz National
www.eves.co.nz Bay of Plenty
www.summit.co.nz Nelson
www.mountrealty.co.nz Mount Maungaunt
www.rentmart.co.nz Christchurch
www.homeads.co.nz North Island
www.keyproperty.co.nz Wellington
www.propertybrokers.co.nz National
www.accommodationwanaka.com Queenstown
www.gatehouse.co.nz Auckland was Quinnovic
www.harveys.co.nz national
www.firstavenue.co.nz Canterbury
www.redcoats.co.nz Lower Hutt
www.bayleys.co.nz National
www.havenrealty.co.nz Nelson
www.harcourts.co.nz National
www.raywhite.com National
www.rotoruarentals.co.nz Rotorua
www.apartmentsonline.co.nz Auckland
www.citysales.co.nz Auckland
www.355rent.co.nz Palmerston North
www.homefindnelson.co.nz Nelson
www.uniquerealty.co.nz Palmerston North
www.realestaterentals.co.nz Papakura
www.pegasusproperty.co.nz Christchurch
www.rentalmanagers.co.nz Wellington
www.handsonnz.co.nz
www.open2view.com National
www.realestate.co.nz National
www.premium-realestate.co.nz National
www.barfoot.co.nz
www.remax.co.nz
www.tommys.co.nz
www.trademe.co.nz
www.propertystuff.co.nz
www.finda.co.nz/findarental
www.realsuccess.co.nz
www.professionals.co.nz
www.guardianfirstnational.co.nz
www.justpaterson.co.nz
www.leaderspropertymanagement.co.nz
www.quinovic.co.nz
www.homelet.co.nz
www.gilliesandmark.co.nz
www.justpml.co.nz
www.leaders.co.nz
www.bethunes.co.nz

The last 15 I pinched from going2nz's post on another thread.Hope you don't mind and I am greatful for your contribution.
Well I am signing off now . I am now looking into rentals, this could be a while

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[scampi]

Great post, looking forward to using the information.

:cheers

[thezorbster]

Wow, useful stuff, we'd love to self-build when we (eventually) arrive and any pointers in the right direction are gratefully received.
Thanks! Keep'em coming!

[Fitchick]

This is a seriously excellent thread. Thank you Caroline & Dave for starting it.
I have already printed it out and will take it with me when I make the move to NZ in the summer.

Many thanks Fitchich xx

[Angie and Mick]

Great thread, this must have taken you a lot of time and research, will be good to look back in the future I am sure.

[Nathan]

Dave and Caroline,

Thank you very much for the time and energy you put into this thread. You answered many questions I have, you've affirmed some suspicions I've had, and you've drawn my attention to some things I should be considering.

It's very refreshing to read a balanced and constructive discussion of NZ housing.

Nathan

[Caroline and Dave]

Thankyou everyone for your kind comments.This next instalment is a list of council websites. These websites hold a great deal of information regarding each area. The first address is the main Government index and contains all the govt websites. You can find the council sites here but I thought it easier if I put them into areas. I have a little story to tell about this post.This is the second time I have put this post onto the thread. Last night I spent over two hours putting it all down and checking the addresses worked. I was just about to place it when there was a rare power failure and I lost the lot.I was not too pleased.
Well fingers crossed

Note Dc = District Council, CC = City Council, RC = Regional Council

www.Govt.nz/agencies

Auckland
Auckland CC www.aucklandcity.govt.nz
North Shore cc www.northshorecity.govt.nz
Waitakere cc www.waitakere.govt.nz
Franklincc www.franklindistrict.co.nz
Rodney dc www.rodney.govt.nz
Manukau dc www.manukau.govt.nz
Papakura dc www.pdc.govt.nz

Canterbury area
Mackenzie dc www.mackenzie.govt.nz
Waimate dc www.waimatedc.govt.nz
Ashburton dc www.ashburtondc.govt.nz
Christchurch cc www.ccc.govt.nz
Hurunui dc www.hurunui.govt.nz
Kaikoura.govt.nz www.kaikoura.govt.nz
Selwyn dc www.selwyn.govt.nz
Mackenzie dc www.mackenzie.govt.nz
Timaru dc www.timaru.govt.nz
Waimakariri dc www.waimakariri.govt.nz

West Coast
Buller dc www.bullerdc.govt.nz
Grey dc www.greydc.govt.nz
Westland dc www.westlanddc.govt.nz

Nelson cc www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz
Marlborough dc www.marlborough.govt.nz
Tasman dc www.tdc.govt.nz

Wellington
Carterton dc www.cartertondc.co.nz
Hutt City www.huttcity.govt.nz
Kapiti Coast dc www.kapiticoast.govt.nz
Masterton dc www.mstn.govt.nz
Poirirua dc www.pcc.govt.nz
South wairarapa dc www.swdc.govt.nz
Upper Hutt cc www.upperhuttcity.com
Wellington cc www.wellington.govt.nz

Manawatu
Horowhenua dc www.horowhenua.govt.nz
Manawatu dc www.mdc.govt.nz
Palmerston North cc www.pncc.govt.nz
Rangitikei dc www.rangdc.govt.nz
Ruapehu dc www.ruapehudc.govt.nz
Tararua dc www.tararuadc.govt.nz
Wanganui dc www.wanganui.govt.nz

Hawkes Bay
Central Hawkes Bay dc www.chbdc.govt.nz
Hastings dc www.hastingsdc.govt.nz
Napier cc www.napier.govt.nz
Wairoa dc www.wairoadc.govt.nz
Gisborne dc www.gdc.govt.nz

Tarawaki
New Plymouth dc www.newplymouthnz.com
South Taranaki dc www.stdc.co.nz
Stratford dc www.stratford.govt.nz

Waikato
Hamilton dc www.hamilton.co.nz
Haurakidc www.hauraki-dc.govt.nz
Matamata-piako dc www.mpdc.govt.nz
Otorahanga dc www.otodc.govt.nz
South Waikato dc www.swktodc.govt.nz
Thames-Coromandel dc www.tcdc.govt.nz
Waikato dc www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz
Waipa dc www.waipadc.govt.nz
Waitomo dc www.waitomo.govt.nz

Bay Of Plenty
Kawerau dc www.kaweraudc.govt.nz
Opotiki dc www.odc.govt.nz
Potorua dc www.rdc.govt.nz
Taupo dc www.taupodc.govt.nz
Tauranga dc www.tauranga.govt.nz
Western Bay Of Plenty www.wbopdc.govt.nz
Whakatane dc www.whakatane-dc.govt.nz

Northland
Farnorth dc www.fndc.govt.nz
Whangeri dc www.wdc.govt.nz
Kaipara dc www.kaipara.govt.nz

Otago
Central Otago dc www.codc.govt.nz
Clutha dc www.cluthadc.govt.nz
Dunedin cc www.cityofdunedin.com
Queenstown Lakes dc www.qldc.govt.nz
Waitaki dc www.waitaki.net.nz

Southland
Gore dc www.goredc.govt.nz
Invercargill cc www.invercargill.org.nz
Southland dc www.southlanddc.govt.nz
Chatham Islands Council www.cic.govt.nz

Regional Councils
Northland Region www.nrc.govt.nz
Auckland Region www.arc.govt.nz
Enviroment Waikato www.ew.govt.nz
Taranaki rc www.trc.govt.nz
Hawkes Bay rc www.hbrc.govt.nz
Horizons rc www.horizons.govt.nz
Wellington rc www.gw.govt.nz
Enviroment Canterbury www.ecan.govt.nz
West Coast rc www.wcrc.govt.nz
Otago rc www.orc.govt.nz
Enviroment Southland www.es.govt.nz

When I have done some more research I will be looking at rentals

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[Nathan]

What percentage of real estate transactions in NZ are conducted without the aid (interference) of a real estate agent? Are private real estate transactions at all common? It would seem to reduce one of the larger cost of the deal to cut out the middle person.

Are buyer's brokers ever used....an agent whose fiduciary responsibility is to the buyer?

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Nathan,
Not entirely sure of the exact % of private sales but here are a few sites that you may find useful

www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0606/S00205.htm
www.prosale.co.nz
www.greendoor-realestate.co.nz
www.homesell.co.nz
www.houses.co.nz
www.privatelist.co.nz
www.ppp.co.nz
www.propertyhunter.co.nz
www.propertyuniters.co.nz
www.dunedin-direct.co.nz/sites/realestate/vendorsell
www.vendorsale.com
www.virtualrealty.co.nz

I am at this moment looking into private sales to try and find out how succsessful they are and would be interested to hear from anyone who sold or bought a house privately

Kind regards

Dave and Caroline

[Caroline and Dave]

Right, I am now in the position to look at renting.
When you first come over to New Zealand the vast majority of people will need to rent,whether it be for a short time or long term. The following is useful information that should help you

Residential Tenancies Act 1986

This act is impartial,it neither favours the Landlord or Tenant but provides protection for both sides. To be able to rent successfully it helps to know your rights and have a general understanding of the law as regards renting in New zealand.
A Landlord cannot let a property without complying with the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. This act also applies to the Tenant.

Landlord's obligations

: Provide a Tenant with a signed copy of the Tenancy Agreement before the tenancy starts.
:Forward any bond money received to Tenancy Services within 23 working days of receiving it from the Tenant/s
:Ensure property is habitable at the beginning of the tenancy
:Keep the property in a reasonable state of repair
:Ask for no more than 4 weeks bond
:Ask for no more than 2 weeks rent in advance
:Give any tenant at least 60 days notice of a rent increase
:Pay all outgoings of ownership of the property,such as rates,buildings insurance etc
:Provide the Tenant with a minimum 24 hours notice if they wish to enter the premises for repairs unless an emergency occurs

A Landlord can also put a limit in the tenancy agreement to how many people can live in the property at any one time. Prohibit,again through the Tenancy Agreement any sub letting of the property or not allow the tenancy to be transferred to anyone else.
State whether or not they allow pets on the premises.

Tenants obligations

: Pay the rent on time and in full.
:Not use the property unlawfully.
:Pay all utilitie bills, gas,electric,telephone etc. This may also include any water rates for the property.
:Inform Landlord of any repairs that may need doing
:Pay for any damage caused whether by accident od deliberately
:Allow landlord to have access to carry out repairs as long as 24 hours notice is given. The Landlord has a right to enter the property in case of an emergency such as a burst pipe etc,but not for routine work.
:Leave the property in a reasonable condition and return all keys at the end of the tenancy.
:Refrain from disturbing the comfort ,peace and privacy of any neighbours.
:Not to make any alterations to the property withoutgetting landlord's permissionin writing.

I would reccomend all tenants to read the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 before they sign anything. Even then if something that has been put into an agreement that is not in the line of the law then the Landlord cannot enforce it. www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Tenancy/what-we-do/rta/pdf/residential-tenancies-act.pdf

Tenancy Agreements

When you agree to rent a property you must sign a tenancy agreement. The minimum requirements of a tenancy agreement are

:The full name and address of the landlord and tenant.
:The address of the premises
:The date of the tenancy agreement
:The commencement date of the tenancy
:The landlord's and tenant's addresses for service( The address for service is an address in New Zealand where notices and other documents relating to the tenancy will be accepted by the tenant or the landlord.The address for service cannot be a post office box.
:Whether any tenant is under the age of 18
:The amount of any bond
:The rent payable
:The frequency of rent payments
:The place or bank account no where the rent is to be paid
:A statement(If applicable) that the tenant is to pay any fee or other chargefor services rendered by a solicitor or real estate agent relating to the property
:A statement (If applicable) that the tenant shall pay for any metered water provided to the property
:A list of any chattels provided by the Lanlord and an inspection report on the condition of the property.
:If the tenancy is a fixed term tenancy, the date on which the tenancy will terminate.

A property management firm who are registered as members of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) are entitled to charge tenants a letting fee as a commision for finding you a property of one weeks rent plus gst. Anyone who is not registered with REINZ cannot charge a letting fee to the tenant.

Another important part of the tenancy agreement is a property inspection form. This lists all fixtures and fittings on the premises,the conditions,any problems. It should also include any chattels ,furniture etc.If the landlord does not produce one then you must insist that one is made out.
This acts two ways. It protects the tenant in that you have an exact report on the condition of the propertywhen the tenant moved in and it also protects the landlord.( Neither party can dispute something is missing etc when it was never on the property inspection list in the first place( In the UK these lists are known as an inventory)
It is in the tenants interest to ensure that what is on the list is actually correct.

There are two types of tenancy

Fixed Term Tenancy

A fixed term tenancy exists for a specified length of time which is usually 6 months or 12 months.
Both the start and end dates must be written into the tenancy agreement. Neither party can legaly break the agreement. In exceptional circumstances,either party have the right to apply to the tenancy tribunal to end the tenancy.Be very careful if taking on a fixed term tenancy that you can cover the rentfor the full time. Also if there is the possibility that you may have to move out of the area before the tenancy expires ,then it is not a good idea to take out this type of tenancy.

Periodic Tenancy

This is probably the best option if you have just emmigrated and need a property only untill you have established where you are going to settle. This tenancy continues until the landlord or tenantissues the stipulated written
notice required to end the tenancy.
Tenants must give their landlords 21 days notice to end the tenancy. Landlords must give the tenants 90 days notice.
Landlords that require the property for themselves,their family or employees or if they have sold the property subject to vacant possession are allowed to give the tenant only 42 days notice. Their reasons for doing so must be given to the tenant in the form of a written notice. If a Landlord does serve this type of notice ,a tenant can still serve their own 21 days written notice ending the tenancy earllier if they wish to do so.

The rest of this chapter will continue in my next post.

[Caroline and Dave]

Renting Continued

Bond Money

A landlord will usualy ask for a bond to protect himself in case of any problems when the tenant leaves the premises. This is because the landlord will be able to keep some of the bond in the following cases.

:The rent has not been paid up to date
:The tenant has damaged the property
:The property is left in an unacceptable condition
:The property has not been sufficiently emptied
:The tenant has not fulfilled any legal obligation of the tenancy and the landlord has suffered a loss as a result.
In the case that the bond held does not cover the total amount,the landlord can seek to obtain the outstanding debt from the tenant.

A bond is not compulsory but most landlords ask for them. The landlord may require a bond of up to 4 weeks rent. He cannot claim more.
Bonds must be lodged with the tenancy services centre within 23 working days of being paid.Receipts must be given for bond payments. If the property is sold with the tenants still in it then the landlord's rights to the bond pass over to the new owner of the property. The bond covers any loss to the landlord if the tenants obligations are not met but does not cover fair wear and tear.

Urgent Repairs

As stated earlier, the landlord is responsible for repairs. There are times when urgent repairs can come up. Burst pipe,electrical failure,storm damage etc.
Urgent repairs must be dealt with asap by both sides. The tenant must inform the landlord at once and the landlord must provide you with reasonable contact numbers . If the landlord cannot be contacted and the repairs are urgent and cannot wait then the tenant is entitled to get emergency repairs done and ask the landlord to reimburse them. If this happens the tenant must always get receipts for the work carried out. The tenant can only authorise the emergency side of the repair work. If a burst pipe brings a ceiling down then the burst must be fixed and the ceiling made safe,but the rest of the repair must be left to the landlord. It is worth remembering that you must have made all attempts to get hold of the landlord.

If a landlord decides to sell the property,then he must tell any tenant that the property is for sale. Once the tenant has been made aware of this then the landlord has the right to show prospective buyers around the property. This means that the tenant is obliged to give access to the landlord or an agent as long as requests are reasonable. If the tenants are on a fixed tenancy then a landlord cannot force a tenant to vacate untill the end of the tenancy.He can sell the property with the tenant in it and the new owner must wait untill the tenancy expires before asking the tenant to leave. The tenant cannot also break the agreement because the property has been sold.he can ask the new owner if they can be released from the agreement but it depends on the goodwill of the new owner. On a periodic tenancy the same notices that were mentioned earlier apply.

Insurances

It is a good thing to remember that the landlord's buildings insurance will not cover your personal belongings. It is advisable to take out your own insurance for your personal belongings. In a furnished property the landlord may have his property insured but this will not cover yours.

If you have any disputes with a landlord that you are unable to resolve you can contact tenancy services on 0800836262. They will be able to give you advise

Changes to Residential Tenancies Act

At present the government is carrying out a review of this act. As this act has not been altered since 1986,the government are looking to change it.
Some of the changes that they are looking into are
:To increase landlords and tenants awareness of their rights and obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act
:Ensure there is proper enforcement in breaches of the law
:Allow for people to have stable and secure living arrangements
:Approve the capability of the sector todeliver quality rental accommodation

There is also a consideration being made to enable more long term rental housing and to increase notice periods in such a new tenancy agreement.

For anyone who would like to know what the market rent is in the area they are looking for look here www.dbh.govt.nz/market-rent
This is very useful as you will be able to judge whether or not you feel you are paying the right rent for the area.

For general information on renting, look here www.dbh.govt.nz/tenancy-index

What I have given here is only a rough guide and you can find out more on these websites.

I trust this information is of use to you.

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[Malay-Coopers]

I'm from the US where rents are paid monthly. Are all NZ rents paid weekly or can you arrange monthly payments. e.g. every four weeks? How do people usually pay rents? Cash, check, EFT?

We are moving to Wellington. IS it difficult to find housing rentals that would allow two large but very well behaved Newfoundland dogs?

Thank you so much for the thread it has been extremely helpful!

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi Malay-coopers. If you would like to use this link it will take you to some answers for you. I moved your post to its own thread to get more comments

Kind regards

Dave and Caroline

www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9663

[Caroline and Dave]

Been looking for some more sites and found a couple of interesting ones

www.house-buying-downunder.com
www.houses-forsale.co.nz
www.qv.co.nz
www.rpnzreports.co.nz
www.terranet.co.nz

The first two are very useful

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[Caroline and Dave]

I have just come across this website which if it gets going will be a great asset. You can check out good and bad landlords on here.You can even name and shame them.And the good thing about it is its free to join.
http://lcnz.net.nz

Dave and Caroline

[Trigirl]

hmmm - i'm not a fan of websites where people "name and shame" individuals without having the nerve to put their own name to their comments. fair enough i think if its a company - but not very nice at all when its a named person.

i understand what these guys are trying to do but i don't like how they are gong about it.

[Caroline and Dave]

hmmm - i'm not a fan of websites where people "name and shame" individuals without having the nerve to put their own name to their comments. fair enough i think if its a company - but not very nice at all when its a named person.

i understand what these guys are trying to do but i don't like how they are gong about it.

Hi Mandy

I have joined this and in order to place any report good or bad you must give your full details and explain your reasons to the administrators why you are unhappy or happy and they will then check the claims out although how they do that I don't know but thats what they claim. If this is done properly it can be a good tool. We will just have to wait and see.They are also promoting good landlords by giving them free adverts if they have a good property. Time will tell but I wish them well as long as it is monitored properly

Dave and Caroline

[Trigirl]

oh fair enough then - if its that well run then i'm all in favour of it. sorry - i'm a bit automatically down on this sort of stuff at the moment after coming across the very nasty indeed CYF "name and shame your socialworker" website last week.

[Caroline and Dave]

Some useful information for anyone trying to sell a house in NZ. Could apply to any other country as well
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/8/story.cfm?c_id=8&objectid=10425421


Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[speckythecky]

C & D,

What an excellent thread, it must have taken you hours.

Thanks for all you hard work and I look forward to using some of the information soon.

j

[Caroline and Dave]

As I have put on another thread the government is waking up to the fact that their houses are very cold,damp and not good for health
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10437608

However,unless you live in the central plateaux of the North Island or the South Island,new houses will not have to have double glazing until the end of 08.Hopefully before then,builders will be putting it in anyway.Now the government realises there is a problem here,maybe they will look at providing grants etc so people can improve their existing houses.
Even the newer houses leave a lot to be desired as regards insulation. We are staying in a rental that is only 5 years old and it is cold,full of condensation in the mornings and very noisy.Still we will not be here much longer,we should be moving to our cosy,warm apartment in a couple of weeks.

Kindest regards

Caroline and Dave

[katandbob]

Thankyou everyone for your kind comments.This next instalment is a list of council websites. These websites hold a great deal of information regarding each area.


Southland

Invercargill cc www.invercargill.org.nz

Regional Councils
Enviroment Southland www.es.govt.nz

When I have done some more research I will be looking at rentals

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

Caroline - was reading your thread and noticed that you had the wrong website listed for Invercargill - and seeing I work for them I would like to correct this

[B]http://www.icc.govt.nz/[B] Is the official Council website and has all information that you would need for regulations re housing etc

and Southland District council website is - http://www.southlanddc.govt.nz/
Cheers:)

Kat - PS Deans earlier comments and your view that they were all negative - I didn't read it as that - I actually thought they rang true, and as a person who lives on the coast but not near the coast I can positively back the claim that in a good wind my windows/house/car washing etc! Most annoying the morning after washing the car and windows LOL!
Most of the sand is picked up over on the Omaui side - carried over the hills and dumped in our direction.

Anyway - must get back to reading this interesting thread!.:nice1 ..... since I am on the January post still;)

[liamnrach]

Caroline and Dave

A truly outstanding thread! http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/sign0092.gif from us, we shall refer to this when we look to purchase our section in the future

Liam n Rach:D

[sunnyb]

Hi, this thread is great. Thank you so much for all this information.

I've heard a lot about the lack of insulation in NZ houses etc and wondered if 'straw bale' building is catching on there yet. It's really taking off in the UK, US and Australia as it's so cheap and the insulation is so good.

Have any of you come across this in NZ? We are hoping to move next year and buy some land to build a house and thought this would be the obvious choice, but only if there are builders who are experienced in how to build them !

Many thanks, B

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi,
Straw house building is taking off in NZ and has been around for a few years. take a look at these
http://www.buildyourdream.co.nz/eco_straw_bale_houses.htm
http://www.strawmark.co.nz/index.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0510/S00347.htm
http://www.strawbaleconstruction.co.nz/straw-bale-definition.html
http://www.sustainable-structures.com/newsletter.html#2005

The last one is really informative

Hope this helps

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[sunnyb]

Thanks Dave and Caroline, loads of information !
Regards, B

[Caroline and Dave]

Thankyou Tony(The Hodges) for finding this link.Thought I would put it on here as it fits in nicely.


Dave

http://www.smarterhomes.org.nz/

[Caroline and Dave]

Just found this and thought it deserved to be put here

http://www.house-buying-downunder.com/buy-house-new-zealand.htm


Kind regards

Dave and Caroline

[bartons]

Nice link, it's a useful summary and I'm going to print it out - thank you! You two are a very helpful lot!

[stee41]

Been trying to research the same thing myself, you have saved me so much time and answered so many of my questions!! well done :clap

[Syed]

Perfect...
Million Thanks from thousands to read.

[Caroline and Dave]

Hi,
Heres a few more sites I have come across.

www.passivehouse.org.nz
www.housemovers.co.nz
www.techbooks.co.nz/building&standards.asp
http://earthbuilding.org.nz
www.poweredliving.co.nz
www.houseplans.co.nz

[SNK05]

Wow....this is an excellent post, so very well researched! :clap

I've 'dabbled' on a few sites but I think all the info we could possibley need is right here! Thanx to everyone who has contributed so far....and those who likely will in the future :cheers

Sue n Kev

[Caroline and Dave]

Bump
For those new to the forum

[Caroline and Dave]

Please note,
these posts were done a year or so ago and some of the info may be out of date but the basis of it is the same. . All links I provide should inform you of any updates.
To check out the latest on building updates etc, check out these sites
www.consumerbuild.co.nz (http://www.consumerbuild.co.nz)
www.buildyourdream.co.nz (http://www.buildyourdream.co.nz)
__________________

[Caroline and Dave]

I was a bit curious as to what new build houses had in regards to heating and I was expecting to find most new builds to have some form of heating.
This is what I found.
I looked at via the net 20 properties all brand new in Auckland and apart from a couple that had under floor heating in the bathrooms 14 out of 20 had no heating at all in Auckland and 6 did. of these 6 2 of these only had a gas fire in the lounge.
Not one house had any form of heating in the bedrooms.This is one of the reasons we are building our own house.

Things faired a lot better in Christchurch. 15 brand new properties had some form of heating and 5 had none at all, which when you consider how cold the South Island gets is pretty astounding. once again nothing in the bedrooms.

Dunedin, I could not find many new builds but of the 5 I found all had some form of heating mostly heat pumps.

Wellington was half and half with 10 New Builds having heating and 10 without apart from underfloor in bathrooms in some of them.

So as you can see NZ is still rather behind in heating requirements.

[hball]

Working in the construction industry (Auckland) I can tell you that by far it is the immigrants from the UK who request 'heating' in their new home, probably due to the predominance of 'central heating' in the UK.

Fires and fireplaces are quite often installed in the more expensive homes but are considered an added 'feature' somewhat akin to stone benchtops in the kitchen. To go a step further, over the past year or two there has been a bit of a trend to install a fire simply to have a recess over for the flat screen TV!

Immigrants from other nations and Kiwis have heating way down on their wish list if at all. Again I would guess it is not something they have grown up with. Direct heating, such as wood burning stoves are still popular in rural builds however.

And just for information, homes constructed after this month will need to satisfy new energy requirements and this may lead to even less demand for heating as homes become 'naturally' warmer!

[Familyofmonkeys]

Not one house had any form of heating in the bedrooms.This is one of the reasons we are building our own house.


This is one of the main reasons we decided to build as opposed to doing up an existing building.

[IanR]

Rents down in Auckland and up in Wellington

http://www.interest.co.nz/ratesblog/index.php/2008/09/10/video-wellington-on-another-planet/

[cande]

What a fantastic thread!

[thewoodies]

Wow - that covers it all!! I will return to this thread time and time again.

Thankyou

you could publish a booklet and get people to buy it at expos:clap:clap