I Am Developer

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I Am Developer We are a property development consultancy and creative development studio. We help Kiwis unlock the maximum value from their land.

28/10/2026

Subdividing? These three costs catch people out.

1. Watercare’s infrastructure growth charge (IGC) is $25,520 + GST per new lot (2026/27), for a single new water meter. 

2. Civil works to connect power, data, water, wastewater and stormwater, plus your driveway, can run anywhere from $20k to $100k+, depending on your site. 

3. And development contributions are approx. $20k per new lot, with some areas much higher, up to $119k.

Together, they’re often over a third of the total cost of a two-lot subdivision.

See the full breakdown, stage by stage, on our subdivision process page. Link in bio.


27/10/2026

The cheapest part of any development is the part a lot of people skip: the feasibility report.

Before you buy, design or borrow, we check what the zone allows, what could stop or slow you, whether the pipes can take more homes, and roughly what it’ll cost. You get your options and a clear go or no-go.

Sometimes the answer is don’t do it. That’s still the best money you’ll spend.

Thinking about a site? Book a free 15-minute call, link in bio.


26/10/2026

Thinking about subdividing? 
We’ve mapped the whole process: every stage, how long it takes, who’s involved and what it costs, from first feasibility to new titles.

You can also download the full subdivision flow chart as a PDF, free.

Tap the link in our bio, or head to subdivision.iamdeveloper.co.nz

FYI it looks good on your phone, but even better on desktop.


Another resource consent approved! Here’s what that actually means, and what it doesn’t.
Our Wai O Taiki Bay project jus...
22/10/2026

Another resource consent approved! Here’s what that actually means, and what it doesn’t.

Our Wai O Taiki Bay project just got the green light: four new homes and a four-lot subdivision, under a joint land-use and subdivision consent. Approved doesn’t mean you can start building yet, but it’s one hell of a stage to get ticked off. Building consent and engineering plan approval come next.

Lodged in May, approved in October. Huge thanks to the team who got this over the line: Blueprint Planning, Tripp Andrews, The Traffic Group, Shire Engineering and PeoplePlaceNature_nz.

Got a site in mind? Book a free consultation at iamdeveloper.co.nz, or tap the link in our bio.


20/10/2026

Thinking about subdividing but don’t know where to start? Here’s the whole process in four stages:

01 Plan: feasibility, scheme design, survey and geotech

02 Consent: resource consent, service connections, engineering plan approval

03 Build: surveying and LT plans (223), on-site works (224c)

04 Titles: 223 and 224c approved, lodged with LINZ, new titles

Save this so you’ve got the flow chart when you need it. Or ask us if you’d like a copy of ours.

Got a site you’re thinking about? Book a free consultation at iamdeveloper.co.nz, or tap the link in our bio.


Possibly the most valuable thing we’ll ever tell you: this won’t work.A family had held their rental for 23 years. They’...
18/10/2026

Possibly the most valuable thing we’ll ever tell you: this won’t work.

A family had held their rental for 23 years. They’d never developed before. The zone said yes, so subdividing off the back and building a duplex looked possible on paper.

But the site was steep. Multiple retaining walls, a difficult driveway to the lower part of the site, and site works that are hard to price until you’re in. Local agents also told us sloping sites sit on the market longer.

Our advice: don’t do it.

18 months later, they sold, freeing up cash for something else.

Most people around a project get paid when you go ahead. We’d rather tell you no before you spend.

Want to know if your site actually works? Book a free consultation at iamdeveloper.co.nz, or tap the link in our bio.

16/10/2026

We’re on day 39. Council has 20 working days under the RMA to process a resource consent.

The clock stops once, while you answer Council’s questions (an s92 request). After that, it keeps running, even while you’re replying. Of our 48 working days so far, 37 have been with Council and 11 with us. We waited 14 working days for the Council engineer’s reply, and in the end nothing material changed.

If you’re about to lodge, hope for 20 days, plan for longer, and always keep your eyes on the clock.

Thinking about subdividing? Book a free consultation at 
iamdeveloper.co.nz, or tap the link in our bio.


15/10/2026

It’s not what you know that trips you up on a development. It’s what you didn’t know to ask.

Zone, wastewater and stormwater, overlays, designations, notable trees, the list goes on. Plenty of people only find out about them after they’ve bought, or after they’ve paid for design.

A free consultation costs you an hour. Link in our bio.

12/10/2026

That power line outside your house now has a say in what you can build.

New national rules for electricity networks (the NES-ENA) now cover subdivision, earthworks and new buildings near the everyday power lines on residential streets, not just the big pylons.

If you’re planning to subdivide, add a unit or extend towards the street, check where the lines are before you pay for design.

Not sure if it affects your site? Book a free consultation at iamdeveloper.co.nz, or tap the link in our bio.

Why would you trust us with your project? Because we’ve done it ourselves.We’ve renovated our own homes, including one t...
11/10/2026

Why would you trust us with your project? Because we’ve done it ourselves.

We’ve renovated our own homes, including one through lockdown with two kids under three. We’ve subdivided our own sites, built townhouses and relocated six houses. We’ve made money, and we’ve lost money too.

Every project was different. The process wasn’t. That’s what we bring to yours.

Thinking about a project? Book a free consultation at iamdeveloper.co.nz, or tap the link in our bio.

Address

2/11 Smale Street, Point Chevalier
Auckland
1022

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

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