Four Designs Home, Three Years in the Making That Costs $200,000: A Battle for a Family’s Dream Home

Four Designs Home, Three Years in the Making That Costs $200,000: A Battle for a Family’s Dream Home

It has been three years with over $200,000 spent on obtaining a permission to build a new residential property. But, this house is not the dream home the family has initially sought on having.

The permission for Matthew Beaven and Laura Jones to build a new home was granted in July this year. Beaven and Jones hoped to begin building their new home prior to Christmas time.

The couple, though, deals with a substantial boost in building expenses. Beaven holds on to the expectation that the process of granting consent can last for a minimum of one year, with expenses totaling into $ 100,000. But, now the consent process has lasted for three years, with four house designs, and $200,000 expenses paid out to architects, planners, geotechnical, and sun-shading reports made.

Christchurch city council designated Commissioner David Mountfort, refused the acceptance of the first consent in 2019. Beaven turned in two designs after he submitted an application to the commissioner. Beaven got his hope up that the second option would be approved, as it’s less intruding.

Mountfort refused to give consent. The commissioner claimed that the new house would block the nearby homes, and imposes an influence on the opinions of its occupants.

Since that time, to date, the house has been remodeled twice. Another commissioner has approved a home remodel to be conducted twice in July. The extensive process of providing consent, though, has imposed upon a major financial strain on Beaven and his family.

The consent costs are unbudgeted. On the other hand, costs of building the property have also increased in the last two years that have passed. The house that’s in pending to be provided consent is now covered in steel. The homeowners of the home cannot afford to have the original timber cladding to cover the residential premises.

Beaven and Jones had planned on keeping their residence at the section’s bottom as an asset that’s good for leasing. However, the couple has now lost the means suggested that’ll enable the couple to afford rent.

Beaven filed a complaint against Mountfort’s behavior due to being unhappy with the decision given. The complaint was filed against Mountfort’s behavior in the Ministry for the Environment in 2019. The ministry passed on the case to the council.

Council resource head gives a consent to John Higgins. Higgins checked on the complaint due to Covid-19. But, no other concerns materialized.