Planning your build for long-term affordability
January 15, 2025
Housing affordability is a serious issue and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. While we regularly focus on initial construction costs, few of us consider the ongoing cost of maintenance and refurbishment when planning new builds.
Builders have a huge role to play in helping bring the lifetime cost of housing down for New Zealanders, whether that’s through thoughtful design, choice of materials or having conversations with homeowners about how to get the most out of their homes over the years.
New Zealand introduced requirements around the durability of building components in 1992. As durable as these components are, they still require maintenance. A 2022 Affordable Housing for Generations study found that low maintenance is a national problem in New Zealand. The only residential buildings required to have a maintenance plan are apartments and townhouses covered under the Unit Titles Act, whose long-term plans need to last at least 10 years. In other types of dwellings, BRANZ has found that households typically spend only around a third of what’s required.
So, what should builders and planners keep in mind, and what should you be discussing with your clients before they build?
Height is one consideration. BRANZ found those living in medium-density homes had accessibility issues relating to building height or tight spaces that kept them from carrying out their own maintenance. It’s something to think about when it comes to planning multi-unit housing, especially when it’s more than three storeys. Hiring scaffolding and safety equipment can add considerably to the ongoing cost of maintenance.
Practicality is another. Things like overheight windows may look distinctive, but are they easy to clean or fit with off-the-shelf blinds and curtains – or will they require more expensive made to measure options and specialist contractors to reach? Likewise, having recessed lightbulbs and electronics above a stairwell void or located in extremely high ceilings can present problems when they need to be replaced.
The other consideration is communication. Interestingly, further BRANZ research found that conversations about comfort and the health benefits of certain features during the planning stages tended to have greater impact than about product performance or efficiency. This is partly because many first home buyers plan to trade up within five or six years and fear they won’t see a return on value-add features.
Rather than talking about components being more durable than comparable products, emphasise how this will impact customers’ lifestyle, requiring less hassle to maintain and giving them a warmer, healthier home that will pay for itself in comfort. You can also encourage them to look beyond the appearance of the home to how they’re going to live in it.
Finally, direct homeowners to the BRANZ website for information on recommended maintenance schedules. Getting these factors right in the planning and pre-build stage is what will truly make Kiwi homes more affordable, not just for the current owner, but for future generations as well.
