1. What is a Building Consent?

A building consent is a legal written document which is approved by the local Council to carry out building work and that it complies with the Building Code provided and is completed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted with the building consent application.

2. Why do I need a Building Consent?

Under the Building Act 2004 you are required to have consent to carry out building work. However there are some minor building works that do not require a building consent. To carry out building work without consent is illegal, so you need to have building consent from the Council to avoid any legal complications and insurance covers.

3. Do all Builders have the same qualifications?

No, not all builders have the same qualifications as others in the industry. As from the 1 March 2012 only a ‘Licensed Building Practitioner’ (LBP) can carry out restricted work, e.g. structural.Roger Ramsey Building is a ‘Licensed Building Practitioner’ and a member of ‘Registered Master Builders NZ’ so you can trust us to build your home/renovation at the highest quality.

4. At what stage do I get a Builder involved?

Some builders will only see you once you have drawn plans. At Roger Ramsey Building we prefer to become involved in discussions as soon as possible. Why? By understanding all the costing, we can often save you a lot of money by assisting on design and materials to help you stay within your budget. To book a free consultation with us, just complete our online Project Questionnaire.

7. Do I get a Guarantee?

Roger Ramsey Building provides you with a full 730 day Guarantee against any defects in workmanship after completion of the job, plus we also offer you the Master Builders Guarantee. Click the link for further details of our full ‘Platinum Guarantee’.

8. How do I determine my budget?

Cost is determined by design and size, the more detailed and highly specified (eg. higher quality materials), the higher the square meter rate will be. Bathrooms and kitchens are commonly the most expensive rooms in the house and a lot of the cost of these is determined by the level of quality of fittings and fixtures.

9. How can I keep within my budget?

Careful planning and communication with your builder is important. Any variations during your building process will be discussed with you prior to ensure you are aware if extra costs will in incurred. Extra costs that can be overlooked by the home owner and are generally not included in the builders quote (unless stated) are landscaping, lawns, clothes line, letter box and curtains.

10. Why do some builders cost more than others?

Not all builders are created equal.Things to consider when choosing your builder are

How many years experience do they have?
Do they use quality materials
Are they specialists in the type of work you would like done
Are they a Licensed Building Practioner (LBP)
Do they offer a Guarantee

We are 100% NZ owned and operated, offering a quality building service second to none.

11. What happens if there are delays?

At Roger Ramsey Building we pride ourselves on our professional commitment and integrity and in particular, in completing a project on time.

12. What are the different contract options available?

There are four common types of contract options available. Everyone has specific needs so we are able to help you find a contract that suits you.

Full Contract – We will provide you with a written ‘fixed price’ quote to complete your project from start to finish. With a full contract we will organise everything from sub contractors to building inspections through to obtaining your final code of compliance. This allows your to be involved without the pressure or stress of hiring and supervising sub contractors or organising the right people to be on site at the right time. You know exactly what your project will cost and any overruns are our problem, not yours.

Cost Reimbursement (Charge up) – The cost of materials plus a builders margin. It’s like a ‘pay as you go’. There are no guarantees on costs but it eliminates the ‘risk factor’ by the builder which is built into a fixed price contract. It gives you the flexibility to design and change things as you go without a time consuming paper trail and it will give you a true reflection of the job cost of your project. We still organise the sub contractors and manage your project

Labour Only Contract – This contract is to supply the builders labour only for your project. For labour only you will need to hire all the sub contractors yourself and also hire a separate Project Manager unless you have the time and experience to manage the entire project yourself. This type of contract can be extremely time consuming, expensive and very stressful unless you hire a separate Project Manager or pay the Builder to do separate project management work

Project Management – A Project Manager is paid a set fee to manage, organise and oversee the entire building project for you. Your Project Manager will arrange for all the materials to be delivered on site at the appropriate time and also organise all the sub contractors when they are required

Had Problems with Builders Before?

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Has your building project run over budget and time?

Hi, I'm Roger Ramsey, founder and owner of Roger Ramsey Building. I have carefully created a team who are passionate about providing you with top quality service and communication at every stage of your build.

We know how important it is to you for your project to run well. In every project we strive to give you the very best from us.

OUR PROMISE