How do I choose a builder for a kitchen renovation in NZ?
Short answer
Match the builder to the scope. A like-for-like refit can be handled by a kitchen or joinery company, while a layout change needs a builder who can coordinate consents and the other trades. Compare itemised quotes against the same written scope, and look into the company's history before you sign.
Source: Building Performance (building.govt.nz): contracts and disclosure requirements. Updated July 2026.
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Check a builderKey facts
- A like-for-like refit and a layout change need different people
- Moving the sink, dishwasher or gas hob usually triggers a building consent
- Residential building work of $30,000 or more requires a written contract
- Check the company's registration status and trading history before you sign
Work out the scope before you look for anyone
The scope decides who you need. If the new kitchen keeps the same layout, the work is mostly cabinetry and finishing, and a kitchen or joinery company can often run the whole job.
If you are moving the sink, the dishwasher or a gas hob, or removing a wall to open the space, you are into consented territory. That job needs a builder who can manage the consent and bring in the plumber, the electrician and any engineer at the right time.
How to shortlist
Ask each candidate for kitchens they have completed in the last year or two, and ask to speak with one of those homeowners. A builder who does kitchens regularly will have no trouble with either request.
Where the work involves structure, ask whether a Licensed Building Practitioner will do or supervise it. Structural alterations are restricted building work and legally require one.
- Recent kitchen projects, not just general building work
- A past client you can actually talk to
- An LBP on the job if structure is involved
- A clear answer on who manages the plumber and electrician
Compare quotes on the same scope
Write one scope document and give every builder the same one. Quotes built from different assumptions cannot be compared.
Ask for itemised quotes and look hard at provisional sums and exclusions. A low headline number with large provisional sums is not a low quote, it is an estimate wearing a quote's clothes.
Look into the company before you commit
Quotes usually carry a trading name. Get the legal company name, then confirm the company is registered and in good standing, and see how long it has been trading before you sign anything.
If the entity quoting you was incorporated recently, ask about it. There can be a good reason, such as a restructure, but it is worth hearing that reason before you sign.
Get the paperwork right
For residential building work of $30,000 or more (including GST), the law requires a written contract, and the builder must give you a disclosure statement and a standard checklist before you sign. Even below that threshold, put the agreement in writing.
Knowing the rules is half the job. The other half is knowing who you're hiring. Check any NZ builder against the public record: company status, licensing and insolvency notices, from the official NZ sources.
Planning the project? See the costs
Related questions
Sources: Building Performance (building.govt.nz): contracts and disclosure requirements; Companies Register (companiesoffice.govt.nz). General information for NZ homeowners, not legal advice. Building rules change and vary by council, so confirm critical details on the official source before acting. Last updated 2026-07.