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#163825 05/18/07 07:42 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
For you guys that know me well, I've been working on building on a block of land that I had gifted to me as part of a will.
Being in New Zealand, things aren't that simple as sticking a house on a bit of dirt.
Please bear with me as I try and explain what is going on here.
This all started 3 years ago when I sought permission to build on the section, which is 1 Acre in size.
I drew up plans and had an architect look them over and fix them up to Council standards, no problems, building consent was granted.
What I had no idea of was that you have to ask permission from everyone around you to build a house or erect fences, no matter how high.
A guy down the road complained that it would quote block his view of the mountains unquote.
I had to get Resource Consent under the Resource Management Act to have a water bore sunk and luckily no-one complained about that.
Although it is for my own use I had to get Resource Consent for a 15 metre high Radio tower, the local Council said it was a mere formality, as no-one ever complains about things like that, but I aren't holding my breath.
Onwards and upwards, I had to get Resource Consent for my Waste Water Treatment Plant.
This caused a real headache, as they used to be called Septic Tanks, now you have to have all sorts of monitoring of the out-flow and various alarms built into the unit itself.
This house has cost me a lot before it has even been started.
Lets see:
Planning Permission- $900
RC-Water Bore-$3000
Drilling the Bore-$30,000
RC-Radio Tower-$9000
Permit to build the house-$2000
W/Water permit-$4500 + $1000 per year monitoring costs for 3 years after the initial installation.
Having paid all that, I was informed yesterday that my builder has filed for bankrupcy(sp?).
Roof is on the house and the brickie hasn't started yet, no windows or doors.
Don't worry we'll work something out.

Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 233
K
Member
Just so long as you have not payed the builder for any work that he has not done yet.


der Großvater
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Mike, I could not agree with you more. Things have been turned topsy-turvy, where it seems everyone has a say in the use of your property ... except you!

I always hear these controls justified with the argument that "some fool will do something really silly" if there are no controls. What folks don't seem to realize is that these controls now give the fool power over everyone else's property, as well as his own!

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,803
Member
Where would we be if everyone did exactly as they liked, paid no dues, didn't comply with Codes or Laws and stuck two fingers up to authority?

France.



Wood work but can't!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 869
Likes: 4
R
Member
Bureaucracy madness i call it.
They charge like wounded bulls !

Hope you haven't paid your builder yet.


The product of rotation, excitation and flux produces electricty.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
OK Guys,
I was pretty wound up when I wrote this thread.
I have paid the Builder 2 Progress payments, consisting of $45,000 to get the work started and a further $40,000 to get the roof on the place.
NZ$85,000 later, the brickie hasn't started and there has been practically no input from the Architect who I paid to oversee the construction.
I've been on the phone continuously with all parties.
I found out that the builder is being sued for a council mistake on another house he built recently and the people cannot get a final Certificate of Completion because of the Council screw up.
This could ruin the guy, and I have the greatest sympathy for him.
All I want, is for my house to be finished to the lock-up stage, as long as there are bricks around it and it has lockable doors and windows, I can finish it.
I can organise my own Sub-Contractors (who are also livid of the fact that the plan hasn't worked out).
We are paying rent here and the house pretty much sucks, we want to get into our new place, no matter what that takes.

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 404
Member
Originally Posted by Alan Belson
Where would we be if everyone did exactly as they liked, paid no dues, didn't comply with Codes or Laws and stuck two fingers up to authority?

France.



I'm glad you said that, and not me. laugh

Last edited by noderaser; 05/20/07 01:54 AM.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
We are stuck renting at the moment.
$270/week is leaving this place for nothing but a roof over our heads.
As well as paying RATES on our new property.
It has it's own water bore (so town reticulation, doesn't come into the equation, why are we paying town rates?)
Also there is no street-lighting out there so that part of the rates don't come into it.
(Can I get credits from maintaining AshVegas' street-lights?.)
There is also no rubbish collection out there, so I'm told, a big 44 gallon drum lined with PVC lining can be had for $15 whenever you need it emptied.
We are required to pay an easement to a guy that doesn't exist (only on paper), of $500 a year.
The guy down the road from our new place, thinks he "might" change his mind about someone building in his "view".
I hope he does, it will show him for the idiot that he is.


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