Planning boundary
What this brief is—and is not
This checklist helps you organise early project information. It is not a design, specification, consent decision or building contract. Mark unknowns honestly and ask the appropriate designer, contractor or council to resolve them rather than guessing.
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Printable planning worksheet
Home Renovation Project Brief Template
Complete what you know and mark genuine unknowns rather than guessing. Date and version the brief, then give each provider the same current version.
This is a planning record, not a design, specification, consent decision, building contract or project-specific professional advice. SeekSaver does not collect, save, transmit or process what is written on the printed or saved-PDF worksheet.
Project reference / name
Property or project location — optional
Prepared by — optional
Date
Version
Define the project
Purpose and outcomes
Consider and record:
- The problem the renovation should solve
- Must-have outcomes
- Nice-to-have outcomes
- Work that is deliberately outside this project
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Existing home and known constraints
Consider and record:
- Rooms and areas affected
- Known defects, previous work or records
- Site access, parking and storage constraints
- Anything uncertain that needs investigation by an appropriate person
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Spaces, layout and everyday use
Consider and record:
- Who uses each space and what is not working
- Layout or circulation changes you are considering
- Storage, lighting, ventilation, privacy and accessibility needs
- Items or features that must remain
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Clarify requirements
Plans, consents and project information
Consider and record:
- Drawings, measurements, photos and property records available
- Questions to take to the council or designer
- Known building or resource consent status
- Who will identify, apply for and manage any required approvals
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Materials, fixtures and finish level
Consider and record:
- Performance or maintenance outcomes that matter
- Products already selected, with exact references
- Choices that remain open
- Who will supply each item and approve substitutions
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Assign responsibilities
Roles and decision-making
Consider and record:
- Project manager and day-to-day contact
- Who coordinates subcontractors and council inspections
- Who may approve design, scope or product changes
- Information each party must provide and when
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Household and site arrangements
Consider and record:
- Whether the home will be occupied during the work
- Access, security, pets, children and neighbours
- Expected water, power, noise and dust constraints
- Areas that must remain usable
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Compare, record and hand over
A consistent response format
Consider and record:
- A line-by-line response to the same dated brief
- Inclusions, exclusions and assumptions
- Items assigned to other people
- Questions, alternatives and unresolved decisions
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Changes and project records
Consider and record:
- How a proposed change will be described
- Who may approve it before work proceeds
- How consequences for scope and programme will be recorded
- Where current drawings, decisions and approvals will be kept
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Completion and handover
Consider and record:
- What completed work must be checked
- How defects or unfinished items will be recorded
- Which consent, trade, product, warranty and maintenance records are expected
- Who assembles and hands over the final project file
Notes / decisions / unknowns
Document checkpoint
Use version control for the brief
Put a date and version on the document, keep the original, and record later decisions separately. When a proposal arrives, check it against the same brief and highlight every exclusion, assumption and unanswered item before comparing candidates.
Next decision
When to move beyond the brief
Building Performance says thorough scoping helps identify whether consents or specific tradespeople may be needed. The actual requirements depend on the project and local context. Treat the brief as the starting record, then use current official guidance and project-specific advice before work begins.
Source transparency
Official New Zealand sources checked
Continue planning
Related resources
Renovation planning stages checklist
Organise open decisions, records and responsibilities before work starts without relying on generic project timelines.
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Open checklistQuestions to ask a builder before a renovation
Compare experience, licences, responsibilities, written processes and handover evidence before choosing who will run the work.
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Read guide