Building & renovation: say what exactly you’re looking for

Building and renovation in New Zealand: prices, consents and requests

Updated 1 November 2026

In Auckland, a standard renovation costs roughly NZ$2,000 to NZ$4,500 per square metre in 2026, high-end work runs above NZ$5,500 per square metre, and a full-home renovation typically starts at about NZ$95,000 and can reach NZ$700,000. Costs vary by city and by the scope of work, so the quickest way to get a figure for your house is a request on BlaBlaPrice.

Building consents and licensed builders

Building work must comply with the Building Code, and unconsented work can bring fines of up to NZ$200,000, plus a further NZ$10,000 for work that continues. Restricted building work needs a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) or proper supervision: an unlicensed builder was fined NZ$5,600 for doing it without either. Check with your council before you start, and ask any builder for their LBP licence number.

Consent fees and GST

Consent costs depend on the work. In Auckland, minor renovation consents start around NZ$400 to NZ$1,500, extension and re-cladding consents can run NZ$2,500 to NZ$5,000 or more including inspections, and a building consent for work under NZ$5,000 starts from a NZ$1,282 deposit. Levies and quotes carry GST at 15%, so ask whether a quote includes it.

Season and weather

Seasons are reversed in New Zealand: summer runs from December to February, and winter from June to August. Winter is harder for outdoor work such as re-cladding, roofing and concrete, so ask builders to plan exterior jobs for the warmer months. Indoor work like kitchens and bathrooms can go ahead through winter.

How renovation is priced and delivered here

Auckland renovation prices are quoted per square metre of floor area, so ask for the rate per square metre as well as a total, and whether each figure includes GST. Costs vary by location: a renovation calculator used for New Zealand asks for your address to set location factors, so an Auckland figure may not match Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton or Tauranga.

What to write in your request

Say what you want changed: a kitchen, bathroom, extension, re-cladding or a full home. Give the floor area in square metres, the year the house was built if you know it, and whether you need design work or already have plans. Add your budget range and your city. Builders answer with a price, a timeline and whether they hold an LBP licence.

Post your request on BlaBlaPrice in your own words and add photos of the space if you have them. BlaBlaPrice's assistant asks for missing details, looks through sellers' websites and price lists in New Zealand, and shows the prices and businesses it finds. Registered sellers reply in the chat with their price and terms, and your contacts stay hidden until you decide to share them. You can also browse Home & garden or read how BlaBlaPrice works.