Ph: 027 478 0047 |   grant@totalbuild.co.nz

FAQs

Master Builders Association Membership and Master Build Services Guarantees
Totalbuild Ltd is a registered Master Builder with the New Zealand Registered Master Builders Association. 

The Association has strict membership criteria involving, among other things, requirements in respect of trade qualifications, periods of service, financial stability of the business, and references. 

By choosing a registered Master Builder clients may have confidence that there has been an external check by the Association of the builder’s trade practices, experience and business acumen. In addition, the Association offers Master Build Services Guarantees to its members. 

Totalbuild offers all clients of building work over $25,000.00 the Standard 10 Year Master Build Guarantee as part of the relevant building contract. 

The 10 Year Standard Guarantee provides optional cover for Loss of Deposit and Non-Completion. It also covers you for Defects in Materials and Workmanship and Structural Defects.  The Maximum Aggregate Cover provided by the 10 Year Standard Guarantee is up to the lesser of the contract price or $100,000 including GST. 

There are other Master Build Services Guarantee products available with different coverage levels and which may be included within the contracts offered by Totalbuild. Please feel free to ask us about these.

How do we start the ball rolling?   
Call us for a chat or email us with your thoughts and we’ll come back to you as soon as we can.  Grant & Toni  will talk through some of the building options open to you taking into account your needs, dreams and budget.      

Can we amend your plans?   
Yes – you will find some of our designs on this website and we have more concepts available to show you.  Often clients will like to use one of these plans as a base and then make changes from there to create something that is unique to, and best suits, them and their family.
What kind of contracts do you offer?   
This really depends on what kind of build you are looking at. The three options are a full fixed-price contract, a labour only contract and a managed labour contract. We most commonly offer full fixed price contracts.   With a fixed price contract we price your home based on all the decisions we have, collectively, made along the way as the plans have been developed.  We endeavour to keep our Provisional Cost or PC sums to a minimum - these are discretionary costs that are within your control, such as your kitchen joinery or flooring choices or costs that are unknown at the time of signing.   

What about driveways, fences etc? 
We can organise the completion of driveways, fencing and landscaping to finish off your new home for you if you wish.  

How long will it take to build?   
This does depend on what is involved with the building of your home. Naturally, more complicated homes require more care and effort and as a consequence these may take a little longer. As a rough guide to the process: 

o Once you have decided on final drawings and specifications we will be able to give you a fixed price for the contract and the contract will be signed.

o After that we need to allow about four working weeks for the Council to approve your Building Consent before we can start on site.  

o As a guide, we allow about 18-20 weeks for a single level, mid-sized, home and 20-26 weeks for a two-storey home.   

Who will be building our new home?   
We are the builders, rather just being a building company, so we will work directly with our subcontractors to ensure that your new home is finished to an exceptional standard and that it is something that both you, and we, can be proud of.