Identification and analysis of building consent, inspection and approval costs: Changes in building consent fees
Residential
Table 2 compares maximum, minimum, average and median building consent fees for houses as a percentage of the building cost in 2000/01, 2004/05 and 2006/07 for the councils who provided information. Charts 2 and 3 show these changes graphically.
Table 2: Building consent fees as a percentage of building cost
| |
House 145 m2 |
House 202 m2 |
| 2000/01 |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
2000/01 |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
Maximum |
| 1.11% |
1.16% |
1.31% |
0.87% |
0.94% |
1.12% |
Minimum |
| 0.16% |
0.26% |
0.29% |
0.13% |
0.21% |
0.25% |
Average |
| 0.66% |
0.71% |
0.78% |
0.54% |
0.60% |
0.67% |
Median |
| 0.61% |
0.72% |
0.74% |
0.53% |
0.60% |
0.62% |
Table 3, and Charts 4 and 5, show the maximum, minimum, average and median building consent fee for each of the 2000/01, 2004/05 and 2006/07 years.
Table 3: Building consent fees for small and large houses
| |
House 145 m2 |
House 202 m2 |
| 2000/01 |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
2000/01 |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
Maximum |
| $1,680 |
$2,280 |
$3,202 |
$1,680 |
$2,280 |
$3,202 |
Minimum |
| $240 |
$498 |
$694 |
$240 |
$498 |
$694 |
Average |
| $996 |
$1,383 |
$1,856 |
$1,034 |
$1,446 |
$1,886 |
Median |
| $920 |
$1,395 |
$1,759 |
$1,005 |
$1,455 |
$1,760 |
Non-residential
Data on processing, inspection and approval costs for non-residential buildings was sought from 17 large metropolitan and provincial urban councils. Where possible, fees were calculated using published fee schedules, and the calculations sent to councils for confirmation. The calculations were based on descriptions of two non residential buildings (as used for example purposes on the the Department’s website), with supporting detail on specified systems and other assumptions. Where it was not possible to calculate the fees using published fee schedules, councils were asked to provide processing, inspection and approval costs for the years 2004/05 and 2006/07. In some cases it was possible to calculate fees for the industrial building from the published schedule, but not the commercial building. This is because some councils set a dollar limit on building value above which all processing, inspection and approval fees are set on a case-by-case basis.
As a result of this exercise, data was collected from 13 councils for the industrial building, and 11 councils for the commercial building. Some councils declined to provide information on the basis that every case is different, and variables such as the quality of accompanying documentation make it impossible to provide an estimate for a theoretical case.
Table 4 compares maximum, minimum, average and median building consent fees for a 414 square metre industrial building, and a commercial building of 896 square metres, as a percentage of the building cost in 2004/05 and 2006/07. Charts 6 and 7 show these changes graphically.
Table 4: Building consent fees as a percentage of building cost
| |
Industrial |
Commercial |
| 2004/05 |
2006/07 |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
Maximum |
| 0.91% |
1.01% |
0.58% |
0.67% |
Minimum |
| 0.18% |
0.30% |
0.08% |
0.17% |
Average |
| 0.58% |
0.69% |
0.35% |
0.40% |
Median |
| 0.67% |
0.72% |
0.38% |
0.46% |
Table 5, and Charts 8 and 9, show the maximum, minimum, average and median building consent fee for each of the 2004/05 and 2006/07 years.
Table 5: Building consent fees for industrial and commercial buildings
| |
Industrial |
Commercial |
| |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
2004/05 |
2006/07 |
| Maximum |
$3,593 |
$4,857 |
$5,112 |
$7,002 |
| Minimum |
$714 |
$1,436 |
$714 |
$1,836 |
| Average |
$2,344 |
$3,293 |
$3,072 |
$4,344 |
| Median |
$2,700 |
$3,460 |
$3,404 |
$4,835 |
