$4500 for drawing up plans for a small bathroom in existing laundry?? Ouch!

[mrsaneperson]

That is what i have been quoted from a local draughtsman.

$4500 to draw up a bathroom plan whereby i have provided the to-scale drawing, detail and measurements already .
Most of the expense he tells me is the council requirement for him to re-draw the entire house plans showing the new bathroom facility incorporated.

It seems somewhat unnecessary that Council requires this thereby the costs for doing so are substantially increased!

If this is the typical fee i can see how unaffordable the project then becomes.

What is everyone else finding in terms of drawing quotations?

[Nick G]

Sounds fair for the work described, get a second quote to compare.

Councils have become awful and are asking a lot more, which is killing projects. I've just been hit with needing resource consent to get a small fire-rated window added. Why? An extra $1600 in fees. I predict a 10% rents jump at least per year for two years in NI main cities because of the difficulty in adding new housing. Perry, see you in 2020.

[AlexL]

Sounds reasonable to me too - councils do generally required the entire property drawn up for any modifications/additions to a house.
Don't forget council is going to charge you an arm and a leg to get that through their department...

You can see why many people avoid doing work that needs consent - or do it without the council knowing.

[Davo36]

Is council consent needed for upgrading a bathroom?

Nick, I hear ya. Many people have a go at developing some residential property. Either houses or apartments. They find the process so difficult many don't do it ever again.

[mrsaneperson]

Well i see it as an unnecessary costly imposition by council on ratepayers. The original plans should be fine as they are already approved by council.

All that should be needed is the implementation of the added bathroom facility into a LIM report, which is quite simple given the space is being housed inside an existing space on an already approved plan drawing that shows an existing laundry.

This is exactly the kind of thing that drives people nuts to do things illegally and without consent.

[Nick G]

You're right but councils don't care.

Ask a second draughtsman anyway.

[Bob Kane]

All that should be needed is the implementation of the added bathroom facility into a LIM report, which is quite simple given the space is being housed inside an existing space on an already approved plan drawing that shows an existing laundry.

That's what I think is required.
You shouldn't need to redraw the whole house - take the existing house plans and redo the bathroom bit.

[mrsaneperson]

That's what I think is required.
You shouldn't need to redraw the whole house - take the existing house plans and redo the bathroom bit.

Any draughting people on board? I had a bathroom done in a rental a few years back and was forced to comply in that the whole plan of the house had to be re-drawn as well.

[Wayne]

What is it that you are doing to the bathroom that requires a consent anyway?

[mrsaneperson]

What is it that you are doing to the bathroom that requires a consent anyway?

Adding a shower, toilet and vanity to the existing laundry setup

[John the builder]

Adding a shower, toilet and vanity to the existing laundry setup

Get plan house from council indicate the area on the changes
take your scale drawings into council and ask them if that is sufficient for minor consent . It should be.

explain that 4500 is what you expect to pay for the plumber!!!!! not the plans/consent

[mrsaneperson]

Thanks that sounds fair and reasonable , i will look into that.

[GLin]

Good draughtsmen are sometimes very hard to find.

The quick and reliable ones generally will charge more.

The reliable (usually slow) ones generally will charge more, as they will be in high demand, especially in Auckland.

The unreliable, slow, bad quality, well you get what you pay for generally.

[John the builder]

you can also apply for an exemption from the requirement for consent item 2 in schedule 1

[Don't believe the Hype]

Good draughtsmen are sometimes very hard to find.

The quick and reliable ones generally will charge more.

The reliable (usually slow) ones generally will charge more, as they will be in high demand, especially in Auckland.

The unreliable, slow, bad quality, well you get what you pay for generally.

GLin - welcome back Gary