Building Costs Wellington: What to Budget for When Building a Miro Home

When you’re planning to build a new home, working out your budget involves more than simply choosing a house plan.

The cost of the home itself is obviously a big part of the equation. But your section, site conditions and some of the choices you make can also affect the overall amount you need to allow for.

At Miro Homes, we aim to keep the building process straightforward and costs clear from the outset. Our standard specification already includes many of the things you need to complete your new home.

However, there are some costs that sit outside our standard specification or only apply when they’re required for a particular site.

So, if you’re looking at building costs in Wellington, what should you allow for when setting your overall Miro Homes budget?

First, what is already included in a Miro Home?

Before we get into the potential additional costs, it’s worth clarifying that a Miro Homes build already includes a comprehensive standard specification.

Among other things, this includes:

• Council fees

• A standard site scrape to the building footprint

• A raft slab with insulated floor

• Services and drainage laid from the boundary, with a 15m allowance

• Double-glazed, thermally broken windows

• Insulation and GIB interior linings

• A 7.5kW heat pump to the living area

• Level 4 plastering and painting

• Bathroom and kitchen appliances

• Selected flooring from our standard range

You can see the full What’s Included and What’s Not Included on our About page.

That distinction is important when comparing building options. Something that appears to be an “extra” with one build may already be included with another, so make sure you understand exactly what is covered before comparing costs.

What additional costs might you need to budget for?

This is where your individual project comes into the picture.

No two Wellington sections are quite the same. A relatively flat, straightforward site can have very different requirements from a steep or exposed section, even if exactly the same Miro Home is being built.

Here are some of the main costs that may need to be considered.

1. Additional earthworks and retaining

Our standard specification includes a site scrape to the building footprint, but some sections require considerably more preparation before construction can begin.

Depending on your site, this could include additional excavation, earthworks or retaining walls.

This is particularly relevant in Wellington, where sloping and uneven sections are common.

The amount of work required will depend on the individual property, which is why understanding the site early is so important.

If you’re considering a section with a slope, our guide to building on a sloping section in Wellington explains some of the challenges to consider before you build.

2. Site-specific foundations, engineering and piling

A standard raft slab is included in a Miro Homes build.

However, the ground conditions or characteristics of your section may mean a standard foundation isn’t suitable.

Some sites may require site-specific foundation design, structural engineering or piling. These requirements generally can’t be determined simply by looking at a house plan. They relate to the land the home is being built on.

This is another reason we encourage people to consider the house and section together rather than choosing a home without first understanding whether it’s suitable for the site.

We’ve covered this in more detail in Why Some House Plans Don’t Work in Wellington.

3. Additional drainage and services

Miro Homes includes services and drainage laid from the boundary with an allowance of 15 metres, based on the assumption that the services being connected into are fit for purpose.

Depending on the property, however, additional work may be required.

This could include drainage and services beyond the standard allowance or requirements such as sewer, detention or water tanks.

Again, this is very site-specific. A straightforward section with services readily available may have quite different requirements from a rear, infill or newly subdivided site.

If you’re considering creating a new section, have a read of Subdividing Your Property in Wellington: A Practical Guide to Building a Second Home. It explains some of the access, services and site considerations that can affect a subdivision project.

4. Resource consent, surveying and other consultants

Council fees are included in a Miro Homes build, but that doesn’t necessarily mean every possible planning or professional cost will apply in the same way to every project.

If your particular project requires resource consent, surveying or other consultants, these costs sit outside our standard specification.

Whether they’re required will depend on your site and what you’re proposing to build.

For example, subdivision creates a different set of requirements from building a home on an existing, straightforward residential section.

If you’re considering subdividing, our article Can I Subdivide My Property in Wellington? is a useful starting point.

5. High wind and coastal sites

Anyone who has spent much time in Wellington knows that wind isn’t exactly a rare occurrence!

Some properties are subject to Specific Engineering Design (SED) wind requirements, while coastal locations can introduce their own considerations.

If these apply to your site, they may affect the engineering, materials or construction requirements for your home and therefore need to be factored into the overall project budget.

This is another cost that isn’t automatically relevant to every Miro Home. It depends on where you’re building.

6. Landscaping, fencing and outdoor areas

It’s easy to focus so much on the house that the areas around it become an afterthought.

Hard and soft landscaping isn’t included in the standard Miro Homes specification. This includes items such as:

• Fencing

• Footpaths

• Gardens

• Letterbox

• Other landscaping around the property

How much you choose to spend here is largely up to you.

Some homeowners may want extensive landscaping completed straight away, while others may prefer to tackle gardens and other outdoor projects gradually after moving in.

Either way, it’s worth allowing for these costs in your overall budget rather than reaching the end of the build and suddenly remembering that the garden still needs some love.

7. Upgrades from the standard specification

One of the ways Miro Homes keeps building more straightforward and cost-effective is by working from a set range of pre-designed house plans and a standard specification.

That doesn’t mean you can’t choose upgrades.

If you decide you would prefer particular finishes, fixtures, flooring or other items outside the standard specification, however, you’ll need to allow for the difference in your budget.

This is where having a clear idea of your priorities can help.

If keeping the overall cost down is important, sticking closely to the standard specification can help you avoid lots of smaller upgrades gradually adding to the final cost.

Our article Pre-Designed House Plans NZ: Are They Better Than a Custom Design? explains why a plan-based approach can help make both the design and building process more predictable.

Why your section can make such a difference to building costs in Wellington

Two people could choose exactly the same Miro Homes plan and still end up with different overall project costs.

Why?

Because they’re not building on the same piece of land.

One section might be relatively flat with straightforward access, suitable ground conditions and services nearby.

Another might involve a slope, retaining, additional drainage, difficult ground conditions or site-specific engineering.

That’s why looking at a house plan in isolation doesn’t tell you the whole story.

In fact, one of the biggest mistakes people make when building a house in Wellington is underestimating how much the site itself can influence the project.

Budget for the whole project, not just the house

When you’re planning a new build, the best question isn’t simply:

“How much will the house cost?”

It’s:

“What is this entire project likely to cost on my section?”

Understanding that distinction early can make it much easier to set a realistic budget and decide which Miro Homes plan is right for you.

It can also help you identify potential site-related costs before you’re too far down the track.

Miro Homes was created to provide a simpler, more affordable approach to building. We work from a range of practical, pre-designed homes rather than creating custom architectural designs, helping to keep the building process more straightforward and costs easier to manage.

You can explore our Miro Homes house plans to see the options available.

Thinking about building a Miro Home?

If you already own a section, or you’re looking at one and wondering whether a Miro Home could work, talk to us early.

We can help you look at your site, the Miro Homes plans that may suit it, and the potential costs you need to consider before moving forward.

Get in touch with Miro Homes to talk about your section and what you’re hoping to build.