1. Slope and access
Look at the route from the road to the proposed home and where deliveries would turn and unload. Bring available site levels and access information to the builder conversation. Ask what work is needed for construction access as well as the finished driveway.
2. Services at the boundary
Ask for the service information for the exact section. Record the proposed water, wastewater, power and communications arrangements, connection points and routes to the house. Do not infer the services provided from another development or a nearby property.
3. Covenants and the fine print
Obtain the property documents and any development design requirements. Check the proposed house size, cladding, fencing and outdoor work against them with the relevant advisers. Bring unresolved requirements into the design conversation before you settle on a plan.
4. Ground and geotech
Bring the available ground information and ask what additional investigation is needed for the proposed home. Photographs, a coastal address or the appearance of the land do not establish the foundation design. Have the site-specific questions assessed by the relevant specialists.
5. Sun, wind and the free stuff
Look at the sun, outlook, neighbouring buildings and outdoor shelter alongside the proposed layout. Ask how those factors affect the living spaces and the house position. Explore orientation early, while different positions and layouts are still available to compare.
Share the address with the Auckland North team and ask about a free site evaluation. Bring the documents you have and a list of unanswered questions. Use the conversation alongside your own property due diligence and specialist advice.
Create a known / unknown property brief
Put the section plan beside a two-column list. In the first column, record what the property documents actually establish. In the second, put anything inferred from an agent’s photograph, a neighbour’s build or an incomplete description.
- Which document supports each assumption?
- Which unknown could change your preferred design?
- Who can answer it before you commit?