Your questions, answered honestly.
Renovating your Auckland home is a big call. We’ve gathered the questions clients ask us most — how design-and-build works, what renovations cost in NZ, council consents, and exactly what’s covered by the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee.
How design-and-build works at Add Value Renovations
What we manage, what you decide, and why one contract beats juggling architects, designers, and builders separately.
Do you manage all aspects of renovations?
Yes — we handle everything from initial design and council consents through to the final build. As a design-and-build company, one contract covers the whole job. You deal with one team, one point of contact, and one fixed price.
No separate architect. No gaps in responsibility. Just your renovation done properly, start to finish.
See our 4-step renovation processWhat does an initial consultation involve?
Your free 30-minute consultation is a focused conversation about your home, your goals, and what’s realistic for your budget. We’ll look at the site if needed, give you an honest read on feasibility, and outline the next steps — including whether a full QS Report makes sense for your project.
No sales pressure. Just clarity.
Book your free consultationHow do I know if my renovation or extension is feasible before spending money?
After your free consultation, we can commission a QS Report. This gives you a finalised scope, preliminary cost planning, a full quantity survey, three hours of on-site consultation, and unlimited phone and online support.
It tells you exactly what the job costs and whether it stacks up — before you commit to anything.
Do you provide design consultation?
Yes. Design is part of our process — we don’t just build what we’re handed. Our design consultation helps you work through layout options, material choices, and what will add the most value to your specific home.
For larger projects we can bring in architects or specialist designers as part of the one contract.
What’s the difference between design-and-build and getting separate quotes from an architect and builder?
With separate contracts, you hire an architect, pay for drawings, then go to market to find a builder — and hope the two of them align. Design-and-build means one company manages both.
You get one contract, one fixed price, and one team responsible for the result. No gap between what was designed and what gets built. No finger-pointing if something doesn’t fit.
What Auckland renovations actually cost in 2026
Realistic numbers, what a fixed price actually covers, and how our 21-section QS process protects you from mid-build surprises.
How much does a typical Auckland home renovation or extension cost?
As a rough guide for Auckland in 2026:
- Kitchen renovations — typically $50,000–$150,000+
- Bathroom renovations — typically $25,000–$80,000+
- Home extensions — $2,500–$4,500 per m² depending on complexity and design
- A 50m² rear extension — typically $125,000–$225,000 all-inclusive
Every home is different — the most accurate number comes from our QS Report.
Try the Instant Cost EstimatorHow do you ensure transparency in pricing?
Every project is priced using a 21-section quantity survey — a line-by-line breakdown of every trade, material, and labour cost. You see the full scope before you sign.
Our fixed-price contract means the number doesn’t change unless you change the scope. No surprises mid-build.
Why is a fixed price better than an estimate?
Estimates are what builders give when they haven’t done the work to know what a job actually costs.
A fixed price means we’ve scoped the job properly — every trade, every material, every contingency — before we ask you to sign. You know the number going in, and it doesn’t change.
That’s the only way to protect yourself on a renovation.
What needs consent, and what we handle for you
When you need building or resource consent, when you don’t, and how we manage every Auckland Council application end-to-end so you never have to chase a planner.
Do I need a building consent to renovate?
It depends on the work. Most structural renovations — removing walls, extending the footprint, adding plumbing, altering rooflines — require building consent through Auckland Council.
Cosmetic work like painting, flooring, or replacing kitchen cabinets in the same location typically doesn’t. We’ll confirm exactly what’s needed at your consultation and manage all consent applications for you.
Do I need resource consent for a home extension in Auckland?
Many Auckland home extensions can be built as a permitted activity — no resource consent required. But it depends on your site: zoning, boundary setbacks, and the proposed height all matter.
Higher-density urban zones and heritage overlays add complexity. We check your specific property’s rules as part of the feasibility assessment and handle any resource consent applications if required.
Read more about Auckland home extensionsHow long it really takes, and when we can mobilise
How long the design and consent phase takes, current build lead times, and what to expect from first call to keys-in-hand.
How long does the design and consent phase take?
For most Auckland home renovations, allow 6–12 weeks for the design and consent phase. Simple projects with no building consent required can move faster.
Projects requiring consent through Auckland Council need a minimum of 20 working days statutory processing time — often longer if council requests further information. We manage the consent process end-to-end, so you don’t need to chase anyone.
How soon can I start my project?
After your QS Report is signed off, build lead times currently run 6–10 weeks depending on trade availability and consent timing.
We’ll give you a realistic programme upfront — including when we can mobilise — so you can plan around it. Projects requiring building consent need to allow for council processing time before the build can begin.
How long does a renovation or extension take from start to finish?
From your first consultation to practical completion, allow 4–9 months for a standard Auckland renovation or extension — including design, consent if required, and the build.
- A straightforward bathroom renovation — typically 8–12 weeks on-site
- A rear extension with building consent — typically 12–20 weeks on-site
We provide a full project programme before any work starts so you know every milestone.
Can I live in my home during the renovation?
For most kitchen, bathroom, or single-room renovations — yes. For full home renovations or extensions affecting essential services (kitchen, sole bathroom, roof), most clients find it easier to move out for at least part of the build.
We’ll discuss this at your consultation and build a phased programme around your living arrangements, so the disruption is planned, not improvised.
The credentials behind your renovation
What the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee actually covers, the credentials backing every job, and how we handle anything that needs attention after handover.
Are you Registered Master Builders and Licensed Building Practitioners?
Yes. Add Value Renovations is a Registered Master Builder, which is what allows us to issue the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee. Our team also includes Licensed Building Practitioners (LBPs), required by law for any restricted building work in New Zealand.
Both credentials are independently audited — they’re not marketing labels, they’re regulated trust signals.
What is the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee?
The Master Build 10-Year Guarantee is New Zealand’s leading residential building warranty, backed by Master Builders — not just the builder.
It covers:
- Structural defects — 10 years
- Weathertightness — 10 years
- Non-structural defects — 2 years
If something goes wrong — even if AVR is no longer trading — the guarantee is backed by Master Builders independently. That cover stays with the property.
Read more about the 10-Year GuaranteeWhat happens if something goes wrong after my project is finished?
Call us. We stand behind our work and treat defects as a priority.
For anything covered by the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee, you have independent protection through Master Builders — separate from AVR — so you’re covered even in a worst-case scenario. We also carry $2 million in public liability insurance.
Most post-completion issues are minor and resolved within days. We don’t ghost.
Which Auckland suburbs do you work in?
Based in Newmarket, we work across central and greater Auckland — including Remuera, Epsom, Mt Eden, Ponsonby, Grey Lynn, Herne Bay, Parnell, Newmarket, Mission Bay, St Heliers, Kohimarama, Glendowie, Meadowbank, Orakei, plus West Auckland and the North Shore.
If you’re unsure whether your suburb is covered, give us a call — we travel for the right project.
See all Auckland suburbs we serveRenovate with confidence.
We’re Licensed Building Practitioners backed by the Master Build 10-Year Guarantee. Talk to us about your renovation — we’ll guide you every step of the way.
Master Build
10-Year Guarantee
Licensed Building
Practitioners
Public Liability
Insurance
House of the Year
Gold Award 2025
Free consultation · No obligation · Serving all of Auckland