Building Consent Documentation

Building consent documentation is the engineering evidence behind your consent application: the drawings, calculations and Producer Statements that show Auckland Council (or any NZ council) that your design complies with the Building Code. A complete, well-organised documentation package is the single biggest factor in how quickly your consent is granted.

GV Reviewed by Gajanthan Vethanathan, CPEng #1030007 · Director, Stable Structure Updated 13 August 2026

What does consent documentation include?

Detailed structural drawings your builder can price and build from
Engineering calculations covering gravity, wind and earthquake loads
A PS1 (Producer Statement, Design) signed by a Chartered Professional Engineer
Specifications and construction details for the structural elements
Responses to council Requests for Information (RFIs) at no drama
Coordination with your architect, designer or draughtsperson

What is a PS1 and why does council want one?

A PS1 is a formal statement from a qualified engineer that the structural design complies with the New Zealand Building Code, most commonly clause B1 (Structure). Where a design goes beyond the standard NZS 3604 timber-framing rules (larger spans, steel beams, retaining, difficult ground), council relies on a PS1 from a CPEng engineer instead of checking the specific engineering design themselves. Our PS1s are signed by our director, a Chartered Professional Engineer, and are accepted by councils across New Zealand. If you want the full picture of how producer statements work, read our plain-English guide below.

Guide: What is a PS1? Producer statements explained (PS1 vs PS4)

How much does a PS1 cost in Auckland?

It depends on what sits behind it: a single engineered element (a beam, a deck, a standard retaining wall) is a much smaller piece of work than full structural design for an alteration or new build. The real cost drivers are the number of structural elements, ground conditions, how complete the architectural drawings are, and whether geotechnical input is needed. We quote every job as a fixed fee up front from your plans, usually within one business day, so you know the exact number before any work begins and it never moves mid-project.

How long does it take?

For straightforward residential elements, allow one to two weeks from receiving your plans to issuing consent-ready documentation. Full new-build packages typically take three to six weeks. Once lodged, council has 20 working days to process a consent; clean documentation is what keeps that clock from restarting with RFIs.

Auckland Council specifics we handle for you

Auckland Council reviews structural documentation closely, and an incomplete package triggers an RFI that stops the 20-day clock. We prepare documentation to match what Auckland's processing engineers expect to see: clear load paths, referenced standards (NZS 3604, NZS 1170, NZS 3101, NZS 3404), buildable details and a tidy calculation set. When an RFI does arrive, we respond directly to council so your application keeps moving.

What we need from you to start

The short list: your architectural or draughting drawings (PDF or CAD), the site address, and any geotechnical report if one exists. From that we confirm the engineering scope and give you a fixed quote, usually within one business day. If your designer is still drawing, we are happy to work alongside them so the structure and architecture develop together instead of the engineering arriving as an afterthought. Owners managing their own consent are welcome: we explain each document in plain English so you know exactly what you are lodging and why council wants it.

What council actually checks

A processing engineer at council is looking for three things: a complete load path (every load has a named route to the ground), referenced design standards with calculations that match the drawings, and details a builder can actually construct. Packages fail on mismatches: a beam on the drawing that never appears in the calculations, a bracing schedule that disagrees with the plan, a detail copied from a different job. Because our drawings and calculations are produced together by the same engineer, those mismatches do not happen, and that is the single biggest reason our applications move through without RFIs.

Common questions

Is a PS1 a guarantee of the build?

No. A PS1 covers the design. Verification that the build matches the design is a PS4, issued after construction monitoring. Many projects need both, and we provide both.

Can you work from my draughtsperson’s plans?

Yes. We regularly provide the engineering and PS1 to sit behind plans from architects, designers and draughtspeople. We slot into your existing team.

My consent got an RFI. Can you help?

Yes. We prepare the engineering response and liaise with council, whether or not we produced the original design.

Do minor renovations need a PS1?

Only where there is specific engineering design, such as removing a load-bearing wall or adding a steel beam. If your project stays fully within NZS 3604, a PS1 may not be needed. Send us your plans and we will tell you straight.

Why owners and designers use us for consent documentation

Consent documentation is where an engineering consultancy either saves you weeks or costs you weeks. Ours is prepared by the same chartered engineer who signs the PS1, which is exactly the accountability council wants to see, and exactly what gets your project to site sooner.