Draftsman/Consent for Repiling

[Anthonyacat]

Hi All

Have just had my third quote for a full repiling of our new home, and each has told me that a consent will be required. Although one of them said 'most people' get a consent done, it's always been my preference to do things legally.

So now I'm looking for a draftsman who does this sort of work, who can get the consent approved. The price is my biggest concern here as my understanding from speaking to the repilers is that the drawings are a box-checking exercise and they don't tend to follow the plans all that much anyway. Drafting is of course an artwork, and beautiful design and elegant drawings are incredibly important in some areas, but under my house? Not so much.

Can anyone recommend a draftsman they've used or know who can throw together a cheap-but-council-approvable plan so we can get this underway quickly?

Or I guess, recommend a more expensive draftsman, with a few reasons why my above thinking is wrong.

Anthony



Just writing the word Draughtsman here with alternative spelling, so people can find this post in future if they're searching for that keyword.

[jimO]

im a firm believer in not giving the council hundreds of dollars for rubber stamping a bit of paper

[Anthonyacat]

Hundreds? It's been a while since you got a consent, hasn't it... I was told that the combination of draftsman/consent will run to $4-5k, the majority of which being council fee.

I'd love to avoid the cost of a rubber stamp. But it's not the way I operate. Will one day be running for a position on a local board in a probably futile attempt to fix this sort of nonsense. But for now, operate within the law.

[archinvestor]

Hi, I am assuming this is in Auckland, but I am sure these rules apply to various places. This is taken from the exemption for building consent pdf.

Exemption from building consent.
"Replacing old rotten wooden piles under a house with new treated timber

piles in the same positions, as long as the work is not complete or substantial
replacement. "

So if your not doing every pile you could potentially avoid the requirement for building consent.

If you would like to get consent you could try contacting one of the companies that does house relocations as I am sure they deal with this stuff all the time. They might have in-house draftsmen.

[Anthonyacat]

It is complete replacement. Or at least very substantial. It needs a consent.

I'm able to do research to find a draftsman, that's not a problem at all, they're everywhere. Am looking for one that someone can recommend.

[Nick G]

Contact Hadar or John the Builder

[Meehole]

It is complete replacement. Or at least very substantial. It needs a consent.

I'm able to do research to find a draftsman, that's not a problem at all, they're everywhere. Am looking for one that someone can recommend.

We do foundation repairs/repiling in Auckland and organise a draughtsman and consent as part of our service.PM me if you want.
A Lot of cowboys out there and if it's a full repile it will need consent. The call as to whether it is "not complete or substantial" falls under Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004 and if it only requires a partial repile then we'd let you know.

[Meehole]

Hi All

Have just had my third quote for a full repiling of our new home, and each has told me that a consent will be required. Although one of them said 'most people' get a consent done, it's always been my preference to do things legally.

So now I'm looking for a draftsman who does this sort of work, who can get the consent approved. The price is my biggest concern here as my understanding from speaking to the repilers is that the drawings are a box-checking exercise and they don't tend to follow the plans all that much anyway. Drafting is of course an artwork, and beautiful design and elegant drawings are incredibly important in some areas, but under my house? Not so much.

Can anyone recommend a draftsman they've used or know who can throw together a cheap-but-council-approvable plan so we can get this underway quickly?

Or I guess, recommend a more expensive draftsman, with a few reasons why my above thinking is wrong.

Anthony



Just writing the word Draughtsman here with alternative spelling, so people can find this post in future if they're searching for that keyword.

Very concerned that you have had repilers tell you that working drawings are a box checking exercise.
Up until a change in legislation the repiler could draw up his own plans and submit to Council but now the plans have to be drawn up by a draughtsman with LBP Design.
The design requires the house to be sited on the section, show elevations and printed off in A3 to be lodged for consent.
In order to keep the costs down we draw up for the draughtsman where the piles (that we have costed) are to be placed. Reason being is that the repiler has as much if not more knowledge about what is required to comply.
The draughtsman then produces the plans for a fee cheaper than if you were to engage them yourself. We don't clip the ticket the client pays the draughtsman direct.
We even write up the consent and lodge on your behalf, and don't clip the ticket. Mugs huh?
If your repile is not straight forward, say requires repiling from the top (taking up the floor boards to access low spots) then this will need to be communicated to the draughtsman, it is not something you can do yourself because you do not know the methodology being used to repair it.
A word of warning to do your due diligence on the repiling company as well. The Repiling Specialist - Steve Morrow is in jail for tax evasion but still advertising. Another company Affordable Repiling or similar dropped a house and also left another customer hanging in Waiheke, job uncompleted without getting a consent and Auckland House Leveling has quoted jobs, promised to start and then not turned up the client then having to get someone else in at short notice. Ask for references and call them.

[Timmurray]

I used Darren Elmes at BuildArt Architechture (021 1443479, [email protected]) for drafting & consenting on a supporting wall replacement.

He was far cheaper than some other quotes I had, and still provided quality work.

[Anthonyacat]

Thanks Tim. Will be in contact. My other leads have fallen flat so far.

[Meehole]

What about the draughtsmen that the repilers use that have already priced your job? Could you get their contact details? You will need to consider that if you have had the job already costed that they will need to be repriced using your plans. Otherwise you could always engage an engineer, they can draw plans up for a repile but if it is full or substantial it will still need a consent.
Don't any of the repilers that you have had price the job do their own plans?

[John the builder]

A word of warning to do your due diligence on the repiling company as well. The Repiling Specialist - Steve Morrow is in jail for tax evasion but still advertising. Another company Affordable Repiling or similar dropped a house and also left another customer hanging in Waiheke, job uncompleted without getting a consent and Auckland House Leveling has quoted jobs, promised to start and then not turned up the client then having to get someone else in at short notice. Ask for references and call them

.

Meehole;
if you are going to bag your competitors on this blogg would it not be fairer to do so honestly and not hide behind a non de plume?

[Anthonyacat]

What about the draughtsmen that the repilers use that have already priced your job?
Unavailable for the next little while - we want the job to start urgently, as there are other repairs to the house that are truly urgent and doesn't make sense to do beforehand.

You will need to consider that if you have had the job already costed that they will need to be repriced using your plans.
The repiling costing excluded the plans/consent process.

Otherwise you could always engage an engineer, they can draw plans up for a repile but if it is full or substantial it will still need a consent.
A nice thought - will any engineering place do this? I've been speaking to people who call themselves draftsmen/draughtsmen, who mostly seem to be architects.

Don't any of the repilers that you have had price the job do their own plans?
Yes, one does, but the price was a full $10k more than the others, even after estimated plan-costs are taken into account.

[Meehole]

.

Meehole;
if you are going to bag your competitors on this blogg would it not be fairer to do so honestly and not hide behind a non de plume?

It's public knowledge, just have to scroll through the paper or google. Or just check the Companies office.
Surprising how many people don't check out people or companies before giving them a job.

[Meehole]

What about the draughtsmen that the repilers use that have already priced your job?
Unavailable for the next little while - we want the job to start urgently, as there are other repairs to the house that are truly urgent and doesn't make sense to do beforehand.
That is very wise. Many times clients have had additions built crooked to match the sloping house then when repiled the additions are out of alignment

You will need to consider that if you have had the job already costed that they will need to be repriced using your plans.
The repiling costing excluded the plans/consent process.
Unless the costings you already have are extremely detailed in the way the repair is being done then you can't really compare apples with apples. Sometimes a contractor will price low to secure the job and then hit you with variations and the job can end up being more expensive than the others. If you have a set of consented plans then everyone sings off the same song sheet so to speak.

Otherwise you could always engage an engineer, they can draw plans up for a repile but if it is full or substantial it will still need a consent.A nice thought - will any engineering place do this? I've been speaking to people who call themselves draftsmen/draughtsmen, who mostly seem to be architects.
Unfortunately due to the requirements of the Council and legislation you now have to spend buckets of money on getting a set of drawings produced by someone with an LBP Design to submit with the consent application. Some engineers have LBP Design and if you can find one that works for himself then that would be the cheaper option than going through a Company. Not sure if that is a cheaper or more expensive option though.

Don't any of the repilers that you have had price the job do their own plans?
Yes, one does, but the price was a full $10k more than the others, even after estimated plan-costs are taken into account.

Wow that is a big difference.
Must be a reason why tho? Perhaps the others were low as they were counting on variations??