Question 1

What does "fixed price" actually mean?

Accepted Answer

It means that once your design is finally approved and the contract is signed, the price is locked. That number is what you pay. It is not an estimate, it is not a quote stuffed with allowances that fill in later, and it is not a "from" price that grows once your real selections go in. If we have underpriced the job, that is our problem, not yours. A small number of things written into the contract can still move the price, and we would rather you knew what they are before you sign.

Question 2

So what can change the price after it's locked?

Accepted Answer

Four things, all named in the contract before you sign it:

• Variations you ask for. Change your mind on a spec after signing and that change is charged at cost, plus a 15% margin on materials and subcontractors. You approve every variation before we act on it.

• A specified material becoming unavailable. If a product can no longer be supplied, you either pay the difference for an alternative or pause the project until it is available.

• Events outside our control. Bad weather and similar delays carry cost.

• Waiting on design clarifications. If we need an answer from the designer and cannot get on with other work on site, that waiting time is chargeable.

Nothing on that list is us coming back for more because we got our numbers wrong. Our labour, our margin and our programme are our risk.

Question 3

How much does it cost to build a house in New Zealand?

Accepted Answer

Nobody can answer that honestly in one number, and you should be wary of anyone who tries. The per-square-metre figures quoted publicly usually leave out the section, the earthworks, the driveway, the consents, the landscaping and the level of finish you actually want, which is why they always look low.

What drives your number: the section and what it takes to build on it, the size and shape of the home, the level of finish, and what materials and labour cost at the time you build. We work yours out properly during design, then lock it.

Question 4

Why don't you publish prices or "from $X" packages?

Accepted Answer

Because a "from" price is the cheapest possible house on the easiest possible section, and almost nobody builds that house. Add the site works, the consents and the finish you actually want and the number has moved a long way from the one that got you in the door. We would rather give you one real number for your home on your section, and then stand behind it.

Question 5

Does a fixed price mean a fixed spec?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and that is the trade. The price is locked against a specification you have seen, chosen and signed off, down to the fittings. That is why we spend real time on design before we quote. Change something afterwards and it becomes a variation, priced and approved before we build it. Get it right on screen and the number holds.

Frequently asked questions

What does "fixed price" actually mean?

So what can change the price after it's locked?

How much does it cost to build a house in New Zealand?

Why don't you publish prices or "from $X" packages?

Does a fixed price mean a fixed spec?

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