Most people don’t wake up one morning thinking about draughting. They wake up thinking about a cold kitchen that needs fixing, or a section they just bought, or a villa that hasn’t been warm since the 1970s. Then someone tells them they need a building consent. Then another tells them they need drawings for that consent. And suddenly they find themselves searching for draughting services and wondering what they’ve got themselves into.
Draughting (another word for drafting) is the process of turning a design idea into a precise, detailed set of technical drawings that builders price and construct from, and councils can assess for consent approval..
At Eco Workshop, we produce consent-ready architectural draughting for new builds, renovations, extensions, and minor alterations across Dunedin and Otago. Every drawing set is prepared by an LBP Design 2-accredited designer and structured to move cleanly through the Dunedin City Council consent process.
In short: Your drawings are produced by a small, LBP Design 2 accredited team, all members of Architectural Designers New Zealand. From concept sketches through to consent submission and any RFI’s that come back from the DCC, we handle it all.
Got a project that needs consent drawings? Give us a call on (03) 455 1505 or use our Contact Form and we will get back to you within the day. The first consultation meeting is on us!
Draughting is the technical documentation side of residential design.
It translates ideas into something a builder can price accurately, a structural engineer can assess, and a council can approve against the New Zealand Building Code.
A typical set of architectural draughting documents includes:
Written specifications covering materials and compliance.
Good draughting and average draughting produce measurably different outcomes. According to MBIE’s Building Consent System Performance Monitoring report for Q4 2025, 94.5% of building consent applications nationally were processed within the 20-working-day statutory timeframe. But 64.3% of all applications received at least one Request for Further Information (RFI), and those applications took a median of 11.4 working days to process, compared to just six days for applications that went through smoothly.
Getting the drawings right the first time cuts your consent timeline roughly in half.That is what we mean by consent-ready. Not “probably fine.” Just ready.
A consent-ready set of drawings is not just a floor plan. Under the Dunedin City Council’s consent process, every application passes through planning, engineering, 3Waters, building and drainage, and transportation teams before consent is granted. Your drawings need to satisfy all of them.
Everything is cross-referenced so the specifications, details and drawings align properly.. Builders find their material schedules here. Council officers verify code compliance here. Nothing is left to interpretation. And every designer at Eco Workshop who draws your plans holds an LBP Design 2 licence, so the CoDW is part of the package, not an afterthought.
The two terms get used interchangeably, but they cover different stages of a building project. Here is how they compare:
| Draughting | Full Architectural Design | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Technical drawings and specifications for building consent and construction. | The full process from site investigation and concept through to consent-ready documentation. |
| When it starts | After a design concept already exists. | From the very beginning, before any design decisions are made. |
| What you get | Floor plans, elevations, sections, site plans, construction details, written specification, consent submission. | Everything in draughting, plus site investigation, brief development, concept design, developed design and 3D walkthroughs. |
| Who needs it | Clients who already have a concept (from another designer, a rough sketch, or a clear idea in their head). | Clients starting from scratch who need help figuring out what to build and how. |
| Typical projects | Consent drawings for a defined renovation, extension or straightforward new build. | Complex new builds, major renovations, difficult sites, or projects where the brief needs exploring. |
| At Eco Workshop | We can pick up your project at the draughting stage and produce the consent drawings without starting from scratch. | Our four-stage process takes you from Preliminary through to Detailed Design and Documentation. |
A typical Eco Workshop project moves through the full architectural process, with draughting happening during the Detailed Design and Documentation stage.
But if you already have a clear concept, the studio can also step in specifically at the draughting stage without restarting the project from the beginning.
Precision is the point. Our drawing sets are known among Dunedin builders for being accurate, complete and buildable. Every Eco Workshop designer holds LBP Design 2 accreditation, which means they are qualified and legally permitted to design residential buildings. The team also holds professional membership with Architectural Designers New Zealand, and the studio’s work has been recognised at the ADNZ national awards.
Here is what it means for your project:
For a project like Glynllifon, for example, the draughting stage involved integrating input from multiple consultants into a single, consistent set of documents. That coordination is standard.
And if the DCC does come back with an RFI, we handle it. You don’t need to interpret the council’s technical language or figure out what’s missing. Respond, amend, resubmit. Done.
Want to know more about the people behind the plans? Meet the team.
Book a Free First Meeting
Whether you’ve got a concept from another designer or just a rough sketch on the back of an envelope, we can help you go through what a consent-ready set of plans involves and what it’s likely to cost. No obligation. No pressure.
Call (03) 455 1505 or contact us online.
No two councils in New Zealand organise their building consent applications the same way. Having produced consent drawings for residential projects across Dunedin for over 20 years, we know exactly what the DCC requires:
Getting it right the first time is the single most effective way to keep your project on schedule.
Draughting (also spelled drafting) is the process of producing detailed technical drawings and specifications for a building project. Building consent applications, construction and compliance with the New Zealand Building Code all depend on these documents. In the residential context, draughting typically includes floor plans, elevations, sections, site plans, construction details and a written specification. Eco Workshop’s draughting is handled by LBP Design 2 accredited designers who produce consent-ready documentation for projects across Dunedin and Otago.
Draughting covers the documentation stage of a building project, producing the technical drawings needed for consent and construction. Architectural design is the broader creative and technical process that includes site investigation, brief development, concept design and developed design before the draughting stage begins. You may need draughting only if you already have a clear concept. If you are starting from scratch, you will likely need both architectural design and draughting. Eco Workshop offers both through a connected four-stage process.
For most residential projects involving restricted building work, yes. The Building Act 2004 requires that restricted building work be designed or supervised by an LBP. Every designer at Eco Workshop who draws your plans holds an LBP Design 2 licence, which means they are qualified and legally permitted to design residential buildings in New Zealand.
Fees vary depending on the scope and complexity of the project. A minor alteration will cost significantly less than a full new build consent package. We provide a clear fee proposal before you commit to anything. Your first meeting is free, and there is no obligation. We would rather talk numbers early than surprise you later.
A building consent application typically requires floor plans, elevations, sections, a site plan, construction details, a written specification, and any relevant engineering or specialist reports. Requirements depend on the project type and your local council. Check the DCC’s building services page for Dunedin-specific checksheets and submission requirements.
The first step is always a helpful conversation. No obligation. No pressure. Just a chat over a cup of coffee and about what you need.
You may already have a full concept ready to document. Or you may still be figuring out whether the project needs draughting, full architectural design, or something in between.
Either way, Eco Workshop can walk you through the process and explain what is likely required before anything gets too far down the track.
Call (03) 455 1505 | Visit 31e Stafford Street, Dunedin | Send us a message
Not sure which pathway suits your project?