Thinking of subdividing your own property?

With the recent changes to the main centres’ planning rules, there’s more scope to subdivide and develop your property – in some regions even without a resource consent. If you’re keen to explore the opportunities, a Herriot Melhuish O'Neill Architects director will take you through the seven stages of the process

Free initial consultation

First up, you’ll have a free initial consultation with director, a registered architect, who will explain the process, timing and fees. If the project proceeds, the director will be the lead architect and remain involved throughout the design and delivery stages.

This first stage is the FEASIBILITY phase. We’ll meet with you to discuss your aims and expectations for developing your site. HMOA will support you to get to know the market and thoroughly investigate the feasility of the project.

During this phase, you’ll need to decide on the number and type of units or townhouses.

HMOA will develop a brief and create a Site Analysis Report, which will include current and proposed planning rules relevant to the project.

We’ll visit the site to confirm key issues, such as site conditions, sun paths, position of views, neighbouring buildings and landforms. Your site will need to be surveyed before we can begin the design – we can help facilitate this.

Once the Site Analysis Report is completed, and we have the topographical survey, the second stage of feasibility involves some 3D studies (bulk and location) to determine what can be done ‘as of right’ on your site – and any planning implications.

What to discuss with us when developing the brief:

• budget
• number of units or townhouses
• number of bedrooms in each unit
• aspect/outlook – priorities for sun and views
• pedestrian access
• car parking
• materials – is sustainability a key issue for you? How eco-friendly do you want to be?

This next stage is CONCEPT DESIGN, when we prepare concept sketch plans and a computer model.

HMOA will present you with:

• a site plan, showing the position of the units or townhouses in relationship to the site, views, contours and existing house or buildings
  
  
• proposed floor plans (1:100 scale)
  
  
• computer model and rendered views

Concept plans may be re-worked as necessary until you are happy with the scheme. At this stage, further analysis is done, and any potential issues are discussed with a council planner.

A rough estimate of costs will be discussed, but only based on square metre rates.

We may also advise you on getting feedback from a valuer or realtor.

During this next stage, DEVELOPING THE DESIGN / PRELIMINARY DESIGN, once concept plans are approved, the design is developed in more detail in consultation with a structural engineer.

Before proceeding to the next stage, HMOA strongly recommends that clients engage the services of a quantity surveyor to estimate a full breakdown of costs.

HMOA's architects coordinate these consultants and gather fee proposals for you. Once this stage of the design is confirmed, and if a resource consent is required, HMOA puts together the necessary documentation and writes an Assessment of Environmental Effects for neighbours to sign-off on.

We then lodge the consent with the council. If neighbours are happy to sign-off, and the project is not publicly notified, it will take a minimum of four weeks for the Council to process this documentation (although it can often take longer).

Valuation estimates for townhouses can be attained at this stage from a registered valuer or realtor.

This stage is called DETAILED DESIGN & DOCUMENTATION and involves the preparation and coordination of all the drawings and specifications required for a building consent, tendering the project and for construction. 

It is HMOA's role to lodge the building consent application.

The time for a council to process and approve a building consent can vary depending on council workloads and the complexity of the project.

Finding a Builder

We recommend that at least three builders tender for your project. We can advise on and manage this process for you. Depending on the scale of the job, builders are usually given three to four weeks to provide a tender price.

Additional time is usually required for negotiation and confirmation of the contract between you and the successful builder. With some projects, it is better to negotiate with one suitable builder. This can speed up the process and provide more surety on cost and quality.

Contract Management

We always recommend that the New Zealand Institute of Architects Standard Construction Contract (NZIA SCC) is used. On projects with difficult time constraints, and/or when builders are very busy, we recommend engaging a contractor as soon as possible for a negotiated and/or partial tender process.

This stage is known as PROCUREMENT / TENDERING & NEGOTIATION.

In the CONSTRUCTION PHASE, architects are involved with CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND SITE OBSERVATION.

During construction, HMOA play a pivotal role by:

• administering the construction contract between you and the builder

• regularly visiting the site to review quality, compliance and progress

• responding to the builder’s queries

• issuing all instructions to the builder

• certifying all payments to the builder

• processing all contract variations

• carrying out site observation

• coordinating regular site meetings

Architects' involvement during the construction stage is strongly recommended as it is a critical, although often misunderstood, part of the design, cost management and quality control process. 

Once we have issued a Practical Completion Certificate and compiled a list of remedial work, the POST CONSTRUCTION stage may involve further site visits to check on the builder’s progress and deal with any issues during the Defects Liability Period, which is usually three months.

Final accounts are processed, and a Final Certificate of Payment is issued once the builder has achieved Final Completion.

We also offer an Operation and Maintenance Manual, which includes colours, finishes, warranty and product information.