Japan Homes Limited

We love Auckland – and the people who live here. However, Auckland has been struggling with a housing shortage for quite a few years now (and a few more to come, we suspect!) – so we wanted to do our bit to ease it.

Japan Homes was born in 2008, offering a unique approach to building unlike any other construction company around.

Omotenashi – showing our customers we care:
Omotenashi is the Japanese word for hospitality – something that is taken into consideration across all aspects of our business. When meeting our clients, we listen without interruption and give honest input without shying away from the truth on all occasions. Throughout the process of building, we like to share every aspect of your project with you through our cloud-based software Builder’s Trend. It’s all a part of our belief that open and honest communication is key to establishing great long-term relationships.

A balanced approach to design:
Feng Shui is another important element that we integrate into each project so you can get the most out of your new home. This traditional approach to design and lifestyle takes into account the way your surroundings can affect your physical and mental health, relationships and success.

Living a Japanese philosophy:
With each and every project we take on, we remain faithful to our Japan Home principles. We focus on health and safety above profit and, along with our deep-rooted honesty, we’re always striving to relieve the stress that comes with building a home, because your happiness is our happiness.

Our passion for creating Kiwi homes, combined with our Japanese philosophy, means our clients enjoy a stress-free new home built with love and care that both they and future generations can be proud of for years to come.

Our experts have formulated an 8 step process to get your project from your first ideas to your final dream home.

1. Budget:
Start by making a budget so you know how you’ll finance your project and how much you can afford to put into it.

2. Decide:
It can be hard to narrow down what you want in your dream home. Take our online questionnaire to define your wants and needs for your new home.

3. Research:
Each project is different, so our team of experts will research the factors you need to consider with your property, reporting back on the feasibility.

4. Resource:
The first step to getting underway, we’ll manage our time effectively to obtain land use and subdivision content to avoid any unnecessary delays.

5. Prepare:
Whether civil works, environmental factors or right of way, we’ll get your property laid out properly to secure permission from all the appropriate agencies.

6. Consent:
We take your detail-focused, effective, compliant home plans to the council to get the building consents we need to carry out the project.

7. Construction:
Our team works quickly and diligently,
maintaining a stress-free, tidy, on-time process throughout construction from start to finish.

8. Maintenance:
Enjoy your dream home with a Master Builder 10-year guarantee and a free annual check. A stress-free process for years after completion.

Japan Homes specialises in new builds, where we can take you through a complete construction process from conception to the final result.

New Homes:
Our team will use their wealth of building knowledge and Japanese style to build the new home that you’ve always wanted. After it’s constructed, your new home is protected under a 10-year Master Builder Guarantee. We know our homes are built to last, so your family can enjoy living there for years and years.

Land Development:
We can provide high-quality subdivision plans that factor in the environment, neighbours, project costs and property value, before getting the necessary council authority required to begin developments including resource, subdivision and building consents.

Architect Designs:
Need more than what our standard home plans have to offer? Our talented architects can design your home plan tailored just for you with our Japanese residential architecture design skills (world-famous for functionality and beauty).

Strong Project Management Skills

Accurate Time Management:

We have strong project schedule management skills. We will input all schedule data of your project in the project management software “Builder Trend” which enables us to easily and quickly manage design and construction schedule. We frequently update the system and provide the shortest project schedule, resulting in far shorter construction time than other builders. The quick construction saves time for you to stay at another place during the construction. Further, it can save your money if your project is for an investment purpose because the quicker the construction finishes the earlier you can start renting the house.

Quality Control:

Japan Homes is eager to get the best quality of our work and continuously strive to improve all functions involving everyone – from our company director to sub-contractors. For example, we use 5S of KAIZEN to improve site work quality When come to site we Sort out everything, Set everything in order, Clean everywhere, Standardize all general work and Sustain these improvements. In addition, we will provide an annual free inspection of your house after its construction is complete to keep the best quality.

Excellent Skills In Managing Contractors:

Japan Homes is eager to get the best quality of our work and continuously strive to improve all functions involving everyone – from our company director to sub-contractors. For example, we use 5S of KAIZEN to improve site work quality When come to site we Sort out everything, Set everything in order, Clean everywhere, Standardize all general work and Sustain these improvements. In addition, we will provide an annual free inspection of your house after its construction is complete to keep the best quality.

Financial Consultation

Financial Support:

We can provide financial support for you such as providing financial advice, introducing a good mortgage broker, reducing project costs and much more. Our aim is to minimize the cost as much as possible so that you do not have a lot of burdens and enjoy completing your project stress-free.

Excellent Design

Smart Designs for Your Project:

We will provide the best plan for you within a short period of time. We take into account all aspects of your project including your financial situation, needs, family situation, neighbours, environment and all others. We will design your dream home with deep knowledge and excellent skills in Japanese contemporary home design which is famous across the world for functionality and beauty in simplicity.

About Japan Homes:

Do you work on commercial projects?
We’re experts in residential homes, so that’s our sole focus at the moment.

Do you do renovations or extensions?
Sorry, we are only focusing on new builds at the moment.

What’s your philosophy towards improvement? What is KAIZEN?
Kaizen (改善) is the Japanese word for “improvement” and focuses on continuous improvement. Originally founded by TOYOTA, we adopt this concept into our own company.

Implementing this philosophy requires a serious commitment from our team and discipline that involves all members across all areas of the company.

To progress our clients’ projects smoothly, from sales to design and then onto the build team, we use several checklists to ensure we haven’t overlooked any potential issues. If we find one, we seek the best solution as quickly as possible.

We also care about health and safety on-site, so are always checking for any hazards and clean the site every day.

Why are you so passionate about comfortable and affordable homes? How do you achieve that?
Auckland is facing a housing shortage, and the government has pledged to build 100,000 affordable homes across the country. As immigrants, we want to give back to NZ, the country that welcomed us.

With our building experience, we review designs thoroughly before getting the resource and building consents needed to start a project, making the construction process far simpler, faster and more cost effective.

We have several sub-contractor teams for each region in Auckland, and arrange subs for each project to best make use of people’s core skills. Our suppliers are all established NZ companies, and consistently provide us with high quality supplies on time.

Are you all Japanese?
We started the company with Japanese team members, but now we come from a variety of backgrounds. Check out “Our team” for more info.

What do you do? Are you a construction company?
That’s right – we’re NZ Licensed Building Practitioners, focusing on residential new builds and subdivisions throughout the greater Auckland area. Our main role is to manage the whole process of construction, from design right through to build.

Starting The Process:

I’m planning on building a home, but I currently live overseas. Is that possible?
Absolutely – we’re happy to talk through your options about what’s possible and take care of the whole process over phone and email.

What is your contract like?
For construction, we use Master Builder standard contracts, which are acknowledged by the key banks. This makes getting a bank loan approved a smooth process.

I have land to develop – where do I start?
We’re proud to have significant experience in land development across Auckland, from small multi-unit sites to larger subdivisions. Please get in touch for a free consultation to discuss feasibility.

I’m thinking of buying a piece of land. What is considered “good” land?
There is plenty of vacant land in Auckland.
In terms of construction, we advise you to find flat land, without a long driveway, and with drainage (both stormwater and wastewater) if possible. Also check that the land doesn’t have any drainage issues, floodplains, or a significant amount of trees.
Some Auckland areas may have solid rock under the ground as well. We’d recommend checking a geotechnical report if it’s available.

Quoting & Costs:

Do I need to show my bank documents to get pre-approval for a home loan? Do I need a mortgage broker? How can you assist us?
We do this sort of thing every day. We’re happy to provide recommendations of good mortgage brokers, and are always ready to prepare a final estimation (or “fixed quote”) with specifications for bank approval.

How much do we need to prepare for a construction contingency?
Generally banks require 10% contingency.

What is a “preliminary estimation”? Do you provide a quote?
A preliminary estimation is an initial draft estimate based on concept plans or information. We can only confirm an estimate after we’ve had building consent approval. This is because it’s very difficult to know our final costs without detailed designs and engineering plans. During the council’s assessment, plans will sometimes need to be altered.

How much is a minor unit or a granny flat?
A minor dwelling house construction costs around $2500/m2 x 65m2 = $150,000+GST. For exclusions, please refer to our specs.

What’s included in the house construction rate?
The house construction rate is for the house itself. It generally doesn’t cover earthworks, drainage, services, landscape and driveways etc. Design (resource/building consent) is also excluded. Please refer to our specs for more details.

How much do your homes cost per sqm?
As a general rule, our house construction rates start from $1800/m2+GST and go up to around $3000/m2+GST depending on complexity, specifications and house size. Usually a smaller house gets a higher rate per sqm, because even a small dwelling needs a solid foundation and framework, and our subs have minimum costs. We’re proud to provide affordable prices, comparable to many other builders in Auckland.

Is it free for a site visit and estimate?
Absolutely! We’d love to come visit your piece of land and give you a preliminary estimation for your dream home.

Design:

What exactly is “Japanese style”?
Japanese style embodies our company value of “KAIZEN” while also incorporating the tradition of Feng Shui.
Some details that we suggest which are part of Japanese style include: an inward opening entrance door with a shoe case, Japanese OFURO style layout (bathtub and shower are next each other), toilet with washlet (bidet), and a functional kitchen layout.
We’re also able to provide Tatami mat, Koushi (wooden lattice) or even a little Japanese garden, although none of these elements are mandatory – everything can be designed to suit your Kiwi lifestyle.

What are the differences between LT and JS specs?
Our standard homes have two specs. Framing and exterior are the same, so differences are in the interior details.

• JS is Japan Homes Standard, meaning the highest quality items. For example, you might enjoy a fully tiled bathroom with a custom frameless glass shower and German brand items.
• LT is our Light Standard, which stands for more economical quality. For example, you may have floor tiles with a shower unit or a simple organiser for wardrobes. This is often a great option for first home buyers. Please see our specs for more details.

Build:

Are water and power connection fees included?
Water and power connection fees are separate from our build costs, but can be included in a final estimation.

How long will it take to build our home?
We generally allow 20 weeks from the time consents are finalised, to the completion of your new home. Every situation is different, and the complexity of the home, weather conditions and how quickly you get back to us regarding design decisions, can all impact the length of time it takes to bring your dream home to life.

What quality control systems do you have in place?
Every new home we build is overseen by our project manager who is extremely particular when it comes to quality control. We have our own stringent quality checks throughout the construction process, as well as Council inspections during construction and upon final completion of your new home.

Can I track the progress of my new home? What is Builder’s Trend?
We use clever cloud-based software, Builder’s Trend, which gives you 24/7 access to what’s happening with your new home construction. Not only will this help you understand the construction process, but it allows you to see what’s happening each day on site, the progress of construction, and when you will need to have made important decisions by. You can also see progress photos of your home as it develops.

Do you do “turn-key”?
We don’t offer turn-key homes (ones that are bought fully completed in one go). Our projects are all constructed in consultation with you, and feature progress payments.

Who applies for building consents?
We do it all for you. This is all part of the service that Japan Homes provides.

Do the house plans have approved building consent already?
Our house plans are samples, so they don’t come with pre-approved consent. However, some plans are already built in Auckland, so we can share more information or photos if you are interested.

Moving In:

What happens if something goes wrong after construction?
Your new build will have a Master Build 10-Year Guarantee. This guarantee ensures you’re covered for structural defects, including weather tightness issues, for 10 years from the date your guarantee is accepted, as well as for defects in workmanship and materials for two years once your build is completed.