Does a Wellington business cover the Hutt and Kapiti?
Many do, but the further ends of the region carry travel time and it shows in the quote. NovaPay asks businesses covering your end first — the Kapiti Coast in particular is served by its own trades rather than by the city.
Why do Wellington quotes ask about access and steps?
Because they are most of the labour. Carrying materials up sixty steps or working off a boundary with no parking is genuinely a different job to the same work on a flat Hamilton section, and a quote that ignores it is the one that gets revised on the day.
Do I need an engineer to remove a wall?
If it is load bearing, yes, and the council will want the calculations. If you are not sure whether it is, that assessment is itself a small job an engineer can do quickly.
What is a producer statement?
A signed statement from a suitably qualified engineer that a design or a piece of work meets the building code. Councils commonly ask for one on structural work, and it has to come from someone with the right qualification and insurance.
CPEng, and does it matter?
Chartered Professional Engineer is the registered qualification in New Zealand, and for anything a council will rely on it usually does matter. Ask, because it decides whether your paperwork will be accepted.
How long does a report take?
A straightforward residential assessment is often a site visit and a week or two for the written report. Consent-critical work can be longer, so ask about timing at quoting stage if a deadline is driving you.