It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want a unique design home. The Obsidian Constructions Team has been building and developing houses for more than 10 years. We understand the process and take pride in what we do.

We manage the entire project from concept, design plans, initial costing, building consent approval, house plans and final quote to the build, regular client meetings and code of compliance.

Our design build process is focused on ensuring that the client, architect, builder and related trades all work together to deliver the agreed outcomes on-budget on-time. Being certified builders, we are able to resolve any building design issues or unforeseen situations with our practical building knowledge.

The process of building your own home. 

Building a new home can be a very rewarding experience, and needn’t be difficult or confusing. Most people struggle with their first new build project because they are unsure of the process, so we have developed this short guide to let you know what you can expect during the process of building with Obsidian Homes.

Step 1 Finding land

This can be the most difficult part of the process for first time home builders as land in Auckland has become in short supply. However, there are many ways to consider a good location to build a home – this could be through the purchase of a house and land package, a site within a large subdivision on the outskirts of Auckland, a subdivided site within established areas, or you could choose to subdivide and build on a larger piece of land.

Step 2 Choose a builder and a plan

If you want your home built quickly and efficiently, choose a plan that your builder is familiar with and has built on previous occasions. Most people who find the building process hard are those who design and build a bespoke home – where everyone is unsure of the outcome until the home has been built. Ashcroft’s range of house designs contain a generous number of the features and benefits that customers desire from a home, while ensuring the actual construction of the house will be efficient and economic too.

Step 3 Refine your plan with your fixtures and fittings

This is the point at which you need to work with the project team to ensure your house plans and specifications reflect all your needs and desires. It can be hard at this stage to visualise your completed home and to consider all the different components of it, but good decision making and thought now, will save costs and time later. You may want to make minor changes to the layout, change a ranchslider to bifold doors, or add a heat pump for added comfort. All this can be discussed with your Property Development Consultant who will give advice on how these desires can be achieved and the cost.

Step 4 Finalise finance with your bank 

At this point you will have a full estimate for your home and we can provide a draft contract for your bank to review. Depending on the level of borrowing you need the bank may require a registered valuation of the completed home. We can assist with finding a valuer if you wish, and the plans and specifications we have prepared will be all that they need to prepare their valuation.

Step 5 Signing your build contract

You will now have a copy of your contract and we recommend having your lawyer review this for your own peace of mind. Once you have finance confirmed and the go ahead from your lawyer then we will arrange for both you and our company representative to sign the contract. A deposit will then get things started!

Step 6 Permits and consents

For first time builders this is usually the most frustrating time – it feels like nothing is happening! You will have paid some money and be anxious to see progress, but your Ashcroft Homes team will be busy, sending plans and reports through to council, getting consents and processing fees in order to get things underway. This part can take several months. Along the way, we’ll keep you fully informed on the progress.

Step 7 Choose your colours

The fun part starts! We will arrange a meeting in our office to select colours. You can choose your own colours or seclect from a range of set colour schemes that have been designed by expert residential colour consultants to help make the process easier – there are 5 exterior schemes and 3 interior, so enough options to give you personal choice without being overwhelming.

Step 8 Construction begins!

A carefully planned and staged event, Obsidian Homes will schedule and organise all suppliers and contractors to complete your development to our strict timelines and workmanship standards. This is the exciting part as progress is evident, and we will keep you informed of what is happening and what you can expect. We will also give you a tour of your new build project at certain periods during the construction and answer any questions along the way. During the build, council inspectors check that our construction methods have met their requirements and that we are following conditions set out in the building consent.

Step 9 Quality Assurance Audit and Code Compliance

Once we have finished the build, we schedule our independent Quality Assurance Inspector to review all work and ensure that every house meets our strict criteria for quality. We also book an inspection with the council to review the finished building work and apply for the Code Compliance Certificate. Final sign off for building work is done by the inspector on site, with Code Compliance Certificate usually taking around 4 weeks from that point.

Step 10 Handove

Once practical completion has been achieved we will arrange a date with you to walk through the building, hand over the keys, and congratulate you on your new home.