People don’t usually ask about the process until they’re already looking at sections. Then suddenly, there are a lot of questions.
How does this work? Who does what? How long is it going to take?
Fair question. It’s the biggest investment most people ever make, and the timeline feels like the one thing that’s hardest to pin down. So here’s what the process actually looks like – each stage, what it involves, and what we do to keep things moving.
The first thing we do is come out and look at your site. That’s the free site appraisal – no cost, no obligation, just a proper conversation about what you’ve got and what you’re after.
From there, we move into design. Before we quote anything, we need to understand the section. Slope, access, orientation, what the ground might do. For sloping or coastal sites, this is where we bring in the engineer early. Getting the geotech and wastewater sorted at the start saves serious time down the track.
Our design team is based in Whitianga. So, when we design your home, it’s being designed here, by people who know the local lay of the land, the council and what coastal conditions throw at a build.
Preliminary design. We work from your wish list, your section and your budget. Trade-offs get talked through openly. What matters most. What can wait. Where the money is best spent.
Concept drawings and 3D model. From there we develop concept drawings and an interactive 3D model. You can walk through your home before a single board is on site. Most clients change their minds about something at this stage, which is the point. Far easier to move a wall in 3D than once it’s built.
Quote. Once the design’s settled, we work up a full fixed-price quote, including plans and consent. About three weeks, plainly itemised.
Working drawings and consent. After the contract is signed, we move to full working drawings and lodge for council consent. The Coromandel specifics matter here, more in a minute.
Imagine walking into a space filled with colours, materials, and all the things you want to touch and try for your home. That’s StudioU.
From different ceiling heights and door styles, through to window proportions, external cladding and internal tiles, it’s all there. You’re not picking off a catalogue. You’re seeing it, feeling it, understanding how it all works together.
StudioU is based in Hamilton City. It’s an easy drive for Waikato clients, centrally located if you’re coming to the Coromandel. And if Hamilton doesn’t work, our team can work through all of this from the Whitianga Showhome or Design Centre. Either way, you’re properly supported through every decision.
Take the time at this stage. The decisions made here are the ones you’ll see every day.
Here’s something nobody tells you upfront.
The official processing time for building consent in New Zealand is 20 working days. But that clock stops the moment council asks for more information. And in Thames-Coromandel, there are a few things that come up regularly: coastal hazard overlays, flood zones and stormwater, wastewater and septic design, retaining walls, geotechnical review to name a few.
If the build also triggers a peer engineering review, an FENZ assessment, or crosses into resource consent territory – and some Coromandel sites do – then we know it adds more time.
What gets consents through faster: a complete documentation package at lodgement, geotech done early, wastewater designed upfront, and a team that knows what TCDC will ask for. For anything complex, a pre-application meeting with a council duty planner is worth it. Twenty minutes can save weeks.
Every build goes through the 197-point Urban Quality Standard. That’s our structured checklist signed off at every stage of construction. It’s how our team holds themselves accountable and makes sure nothing gets missed.
Clients can also track their build through our MyUrban app. Photos, build calendar, variations, payment schedule, all visible, any time.
When we hand over the keys, the build is done.
Not nearly done. Not ‘just a few things to sort out.’ Done.
Every Urban Homes build is backed by the Master Builders 10-year guarantee and a 12-month maintenance plan from us. If anything comes up in the first year, we sort it.
Our Whitianga-based design and build team are locals. We understand the Coromandel, we know the sites, and we know what TCDC will ask. When something needs sorting, we get it sorted.
If you’re thinking about building here, let’s start with a conversation. If you have land or an old bach to move, let’s chat on-site.
We’re always up for that. Dan and I in our Whitianga office, or out on your section, whichever works for you.