New builds
New build builder in Christchurch and Canterbury
We build new homes and additions across Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri, with one point of contact from the first look at your plans to handover.
What's included
What a new build covers
New homes
Your house built from the consented plans: floor, wall framing, roof, cladding and joinery, then linings and finishing carpentry.
Additions and extensions
An extra bedroom, a bigger living area or a new wing, joined to your existing house so the roof lines and floor levels meet cleanly.
Framing and roofing
Wall frames, trusses and rafters set out and fixed to the plans and to NZS 3604, the standard for timber-framed houses in New Zealand.
Fit-out and finishing
Interior doors, skirting, architraves, wall panelling and built-in plywood joinery.
Process and timeline
How a new build runs
Typical timeline
Once consent is issued, a standard single-storey house usually takes six to nine months on site. Design and consent add time before that, and larger or complex homes take longer.
- 01
Design and engineering
Your architect or designer draws the plans. Many Canterbury sections also need a geotechnical report and engineer-designed foundations.
- 02
Quote
We price the plans as a written quote, with anything still to be decided listed as an allowance so nothing is hidden.
- 03
Building consent
The plans go to your council for building consent. No building work starts until consent is issued.
- 04
Foundations and frame
Site works and foundations, then the floor, wall framing and roof. The council inspects at set stages along the way.
- 05
Closed in
Roofing, building wrap, windows and cladding make the house weathertight so the inside work can start.
- 06
Linings, fit-out and sign-off
Insulation, linings, doors and trims, then the council's final inspection and the code compliance certificate (CCC).
Local knowledge
Building new in Canterbury
Ground and foundations
After the earthquakes, residential land on the flat was mapped as TC1, TC2 or TC3. Your section's category and a site investigation decide what foundation the house needs.
Nor'west wind
Every site has a wind zone under NZS 3604. Bracing, roof fixings and cladding are set to it, and exposed sections on the plains often sit in the higher zones.
Three councils
Christchurch City, Selwyn District and Waimakariri District councils each run their own consents and inspections. We work to whichever one covers your section.
Cold winters
Insulation and windows have to meet clause H1 of the Building Code. Canterbury frosts make the warmer options worth pricing at the design stage.
Our work
Recent projects
Do I need plans before I get in touch?
No. Talking early helps, because cost and buildability are easier to change on paper than on site. A firm quote needs consented or near-final plans.
How long does a new house take to build?
Once consent is issued, a standard single-storey house usually takes six to nine months on site. Bigger or more complex designs, wet weather and material lead times can stretch that.
What do TC1, TC2 and TC3 mean?
They are the technical categories given to residential land on the flat in Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri after the earthquakes, based on how the ground could behave in a future quake. TC1 land usually takes standard foundations. TC2 and TC3 land often needs a geotechnical report and engineer-designed foundations. Canterbury Maps shows the category for your section.
Do you build additions as well as whole houses?
Yes. An addition follows the same steps as a new house: design, consent, build, inspections and a code compliance certificate at the end.
Areas
New builds across Canterbury
Council, ground and weather notes for each area we work in.
Other services
Renovations
Extensions, re-clads, interior refits and character upgrades for homes of any age.
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Decks and outdoor
Decks, steps and pergolas built for Canterbury sun, frost and the nor'wester.
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Bathrooms
Complete bathroom renovations: strip-out, waterproofing, tiling, showers, vanities and fit-out.
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Get a quote for your new build
Call us on 027 960 3400 or send the details online. Quotes are free and written.