The Premium Debate: Subscribers have their say on construction cost blowouts

Building and construction costs have risen 20 per cent. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

A Rotorua couple has blown their dream-home budget by $500,000 on a house that still isn't finished after two-and-a-half years. They are caught up in the building crisis in which house and land packages have jumped 20 per cent in one year. One company says a Tauranga home that cost $750,000 to build a year ago now costs $900,000.

Read the full story: Rotorua home build's budget blows out by $500k, as house construction cost jump 20pc in a year

Have your say by going to dailypost.co.nz and becoming a Premium subscriber.

It has taken me a year to build a deck from first phone call to draughtsperson to finish. I am a carpenter with 35 years' experience and feel a bit embarrassed about it but everyone slowed me down. The draughtspeople were the worst I have used - there were two of them but they were not worth the money they charged me. There will be no more building on my house - material prices are mental. The gib stopper made $1000 a day on my job - I can only dream of that money as a carpenter. Good luck to anyone building without very deep pockets.
- Mark M

The cost increases are terrifying. I can understand some of them but structural steel jumping 64 per cent in one year"? Can anyone explain why this has risen so much? I don't understand what would drive a cost increase of this magnitude. As I understand it, over 90 per cent of New Zealand's steel requirements are produced at Glenbrook.
- Paul T

If you are thinking of building at the moment, don't. If you want to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years, do.
- Mark I

So it's probably not a good time for the Government to introduce more costs with new window and insulation standards. Cost of living crisis…. Let's add more costs…. Unreal.
- Daniel S

This is New Zealand. Housing always goes up in price. Just this time it's the cost to build.
- Anaru B

It's a shame our timber mills were shut down. We now export the logs overseas for processing, with increased shipping costs.
- Kathryn M

I do sympathise with these families and their broken dreams. However, the apparent total lack of cost control measures, despite the more than adequate public warnings about cost blowouts, is difficult to understand. Anybody who suffers a drop in income will match that with a drop in their expenditure. In the same vein, if you suffer a cost rise then you must match that with a drop in size, quantity, quality etc of your expenditure.
- Alexander M

- Republished comments may be edited at the editor's discretion.</strong>

The Rotorua Daily Post welcomes letters from readers. Please note the following:

• Letters should not exceed 200 words.

• They should be opinions, based on facts or current events.

• If possible, please email.

• No noms-de-plume.

• Letters will be published with names and suburb/city.

• Please include full name, address and contact details for our records only.

• Local letter writers are given preference.

• Rejected letters are not normally acknowledged.

• Letters may be edited, abridged, or rejected at the Editor's discretion.

• The Editor's decision on publication is final. No correspondence will be entered into.

Email editor@dailypost.co.nz or bayofplentytimes.co.nz