T Dunn Builders was established by Todd Dunn in 2016. We build high-quality new homes and additions and extensions to existing houses throughout Canterbury and on the West Coast.

T Dunn Builders is based in Waikuku Beach, near Rangiora in North Canterbury. Our location allows us to work throughout the wider Waimakariri and Hurunui districts, including Kaiapoi, Woodend, Pegasus, Ohoka, Clarkville and surrounding rural areas.

T Dunn Builders serves a wide area of North Canterbury, including Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Pegasus, Waikuku, Ohoka, Clarkville and surrounding rural areas. We undertake projects across the Waimakariri and Hurunui districts, all the way up to Cheviot. We also work throughout Selwyn, Christchurch, and the central West Coast, including Moana, Lake Brunner, and Kumara.

T Dunn Builders is a family-owned and operated building firm that’s locally based in North Canterbury. We serve North Canterbury, the wider Christchurch and Selwyn area, and the central West Coast.

We offer a range of residential building services including award-winning new builds, extensions, renovations, and granny flats.

We specialise in residential building services including new builds, extensions, and renovations, and granny flats. We are one of the few builders to specialise in barn-style homes and liveable sheds that are perfect for Canterbury and West Coast lifestyle blocks.

We want every customer we have to be a repeat customer in the future. You would choose T Dunn Builders for your project in North Canterbury if you want superior quality workmanship that’s been recognised in Master Builders Awards and showcased on TVNZ’s Grand Designs. You might also choose us if you value a track record of happy clients. Our reviews tell the story – people love working with us.

It depends on the scale and complexity of your vision for your new home, but we recommend contacting a builder at least six months before you’d like to start construction. That will give you time for the design, getting any necessary consents, and scheduling in the builder you want to work with.

Yes, we build new homes, renovations, and house extensions in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Woodend, Pegasus, Waikuku, Ohoka, Clarkville and surrounding rural areas. We also build houses throughout Selwyn, Christchurch city, and on the central West Coast at Moana, Lake Brunner, and Kumara.

Yes, we build houses, renovations, and extensions throughout the Waimakariri and Hurunui districts. Our Projects page showcases some of the work we’ve done in the region.

Yes, we complete building projects in Christchurch, including new homes, renovations, and residential extensions – including single-level and multi-story additions.

Yes, we provide a complete design and build service. For design work, we have a professional draftsperson, and we can work with architects if your vision is more of a ‘Grand Design.’

Yes, if you have existing plans drawn by an architect or designer, we can work with them to build your new home, extension, or renovation.

Yes, we can organise and manage all the trades involved in a building project. We have a great team of tradies and suppliers that we know and trust.

No, we do not do pre-purchase or pre-sale building inspections.

Yes, we do offer excavation, earthmoving and hard landscaping services. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

Yes, T Dunn Builders only builds custom new homes in Canterbury. Each house we build is designed and constructed according to the individual requirements of our customers.

The cost to build a new home in North Canterbury depends on a range of factors that can all influence the final price. The variables include its size, complexity, materials, interior fittings, type and style of joinery, finishes, home automation, location, and site access. Get in touch to discuss what you have in mind.

The length of time it takes to build a new home depends on a range of factors, including its size, complexity, location, and site access. Please get in touch to discuss your project.

All the houses we build are from fully custom plans drawn by a draftsperson or an architect.

Before you buy a section in North Canterbury, or anywhere in Canterbury, or the West Coast, you should speak to a knowledgeable local builder and discuss the TC grade and the Geotec report.

Yes, T Dunn Builders can help you assess a section before you purchase it.

Yes, we specialise in optimising the energy efficiency of the houses we build. We work with Health Based Building in Christchurch to source healthy building materials for customers who prioritise healthy home construction.

When you work with T Dunn Builders, the new home building process begins with your section. Once that’s selected and secured, we go into the design phase where we support you to make informed decisions to keep your home within budget. Once the design and budget are set, we sign a Master Builder’s contract, which includes a 10-year build guarantee that covers structural defects, fire protection, and more. When your new home is finished, we’ll guide you through it in detail and recommend an aftercare schedule to keep it in top condition.

It’s the role of your draftsperson or architect to submit the plans of your building project to the council for consent.

The TC status of the land you plan to build on in North Canterbury is most important. Other considerations are its gradient, access to the building site, and how far the site is from building materials suppliers and merchants. At urban sites it might sometimes be necessary to hire a traffic management service to ensure the safety of workers on the site and the public. The weather can also affect the cost of a building project.

The home renovations that we do include interior layout changes, kitchens and bathrooms, extensions and additions, and new doors and windows.

The cost to renovate a home in North Canterbury varies depending on the scale and complexity of the renovation. The best plan is to talk to us about your vision before you get too far down the track. We can help guide you through the process and build a renovation that is finished on time and within budget.

You will need a building consent for your home renovation if the structure of the building is being changed from the original plans.

Whether or not you can continue living in your home during your renovation depends on the work that’s being done. For example, whether the kitchen or bathroom is affected, or if you’re re-lining the home throughout. However, in the majority of cases it will be possible to keep living in your home.

The length of time a renovation takes entirely depends on what’s being done. It could be two weeks or six months. When we have our first conversation about your renovation, we can give you a good idea of the time it will probably take.

It’s not uncommon to find hidden problems during the renovation of older houses. If that happens on your project, we will hold a site meeting to discuss the problem – known as a variation – and agree on the solution before work proceeds. We use the Master Builders variation agreement that makes the process fully transparent.

Yes, improving a home’s insulation and energy efficiency is often a main objective of a renovation.

The house extensions we build range from increasing the size of a living room through to adding new rooms, for example, adding extra bedrooms or a family room. We can also add a second storey to your home – the sky literally is the limit when it comes to renovations.

Yes, because a house extension will change the house from what’s shown on its original plans.

Yes, your house extension could require a resource consent if it exceeds local district plan rules regarding size, location, or environmental impact.

The choice between extending outwards or adding a second storey depends on the size of your section and your existing house. A second storey must also comply with what’s called a Recession Plan, which governs how it can affect neighbouring properties.

Yes, it’s usually possible to live in your home while your extension is being built.

The key differences between a granny flat, minor dwelling, and a sleepout depend on size and amenities. A sleepout is usually a small structure of around 10-15 sqm with no kitchen or bathroom facilities. A granny flat can either be a separate structure or incorporated into an existing house – and will have its own kitchen and bathroom. A minor dwelling is a complete house of one to three bedrooms and a floor area of up to 90 sqm that’s on the same title as the main house. Minor dwellings are common on farms and lifestyle properties.

You will need building consent to build a granny flat if the structure of the house is being changed from the original plans for the home.

The first thing to do is talk to the council to check the zoning for the area and to see the property file for your property.

The exact requirement for a 70m² granny flat exemption differs from place to place, so please check with the local council. The council will consider its size, design, placement, construction, plumbing, drainage, and other services.

Yes, you still need council approval for an exemption for a granny flat, and it must be noted on the property file.

Yes, a granny flat will usually include a kitchen and bathroom.

Yes, you can build a sleepout without consent if it’s under 30 sqm and the right distance from the property boundaries.

Yes, you can rent out a granny flat or use it as an Airbnb.

Yes, you can build a granny flat on a rural property or lifestyle block.

Power, water, and drainage are connected to a granny flat in the same way they would be connected to the main dwelling. Connections must meet council and ECAN requirements.

We’d love to hear from you. The best way to reach us is to use the contact form on our website.

Yes, our first meeting is free. We’ll discuss your vision for your new home, renovation or extension and provide an estimate of the likely project cost. To get started, submit your details through our Free Quote form.

Yes, T Dunn Builders offers fixed-price building contracts using the standard Master Builder’s contract.

We offer a complete end-to-end building service from the first meeting to aftercare recommendations for your new home, extension or renovation. Each project follows a straightforward process that makes it easy and stress-free for everyone.
1. Initial meeting where we discuss your vision, talk about your budget, and give you a price estimate.
2. We’ll present the cost estimate and get your agreement on the cost.
3. Once the estimate is accepted, together we’ll meet a designer or architect to discuss the plans and budget.
4. The designer (an architectural draftsperson) or architect will draw up the plans and submit them to council for building consent and resource consent (if needed).
5. The consented plans are converted into a fixed-price quote and Master Builder’s contract.
6. We’ll generate a project timeline with start and completion dates, along with the dates when our progress payments are due.
7. When the project is complete, we’ll meet on site to hand over the keys. We’ll take you through all aspects of the building work, including any appliance warranties. We’ll also give you maintenance and aftercare recommendations to keep your home in top condition.