What the approval process actually involves, how long each stage takes, and the documents that cause the most delay.
The sequence
Architectural approval, structural approval, NEMA where applicable, and NCA project registration. These are partly parallel, but structural approval cannot be lodged before the architectural set is stable, so the practical critical path is drawings first.
Realistic durations
On a straightforward residential plot in 2026:
- Architectural submission to consent — 4 to 8 weeks
- Structural submission to consent — 3 to 6 weeks, overlapping
- NCA project registration — under 2 weeks once consents are in hand
- NEMA (where required) — add 4 to 6 weeks
What actually causes delay
Not the county. It is almost always incomplete title documentation, an unresolved boundary discrepancy, or a change of scheme after submission. Get the land documents clean before drawings begin and the process becomes predictable.
Want these numbers for your own project?
Run the estimator for an indicative range, or send us the drawings and we'll return a costed BOQ.