The process
A straightforward engagement from first contact to CPEng-signed deliverable.
Engagement process
To make an initial enquiry, send SAE the site address or legal description, the development type (infill subdivision, greenfield subdivision, flood assessment, building consent support, or agricultural), your council - territorial and regional - and your timeframe. Optional but useful at this stage: existing survey, consent conditions, and any prior engineering reports.
SAE will confirm within one business day: (a) whether the project falls within SAE's scope and regions, (b) what data and information will be needed to proceed, and (c) an approximate indication of scope before any commitment is made.
There is no charge for the initial enquiry. You do not need a complete brief to make contact - send what you have.
A fixed-fee or capped-rate proposal is issued by email. It specifies the scope of work, what is included and excluded, the deliverable format, and the expected timeframe. No work begins until the proposal is accepted in writing.
For straightforward residential infill or stormwater neutrality reports, proposals are typically issued within two business days of receiving complete site information.
If a capped-rate structure is used for a larger or more complex project, the proposal includes a schedule of hourly rates for any work beyond the agreed scope, so fees remain predictable.
Depending on the project type, data collection may include: LINZ LiDAR DEM download (Auckland 2024, HBRC 2020), council stormwater network maps and flood hazard maps, S-Map soil classification data, NIWA HIRDS V4 rainfall data, existing consent conditions, existing survey or as-built drawings, and a site visit where ground conditions or overland flow paths cannot be assessed remotely.
For flood assessment projects using 2D HEC-RAS modelling, LiDAR data is downloaded from LINZ or HBRC, and may be processed through Cloud Compare if the raw point cloud exceeds Civil 3D's handling limit. Projects have involved point clouds of more than 120 million points processed at this stage.
SAE will identify which data items are needed and, where possible, obtain publicly available data directly. Council network information is requested from the relevant territorial or regional council as part of the commission.
All design and modelling is carried out by Andre Magdich CPEng. No work is delegated to junior staff.
Hydrological modelling is performed in HEC-HMS using NIWA HIRDS V4 rainfall data and the appropriate SCS variant for the council jurisdiction: Auckland TP108 (Ia = max 5mm), standard SCS (λ = 0.2), or the modified Brazilian SCS (λ = 0.05) for saturated catchments. Hydraulic modelling uses HEC-RAS (1D or 2D as required). Pipe and network design uses Hydraflow Express and Civil 3D. Earthworks design uses Civil 3D with cut/fill volume optimisation.
Results are checked against the applicable standard - NZS 4404:2010, NCC Engineering Standards, RDC Code of Practice, Auckland Stormwater Code of Practice v4 2024, or the relevant council-specific document - before the report is issued.
The primary deliverable is an engineering report signed and stamped by Andre Magdich CPEng, accompanied by Civil 3D drawings, calculation appendices, and any required input data - HEC-HMS model files, HEC-RAS results, NIWA HIRDS printouts - as appropriate to the project type.
For resource consent applications, the report is formatted for direct submission to the relevant council. For engineering plan approval, drawings are formatted to the council's specific requirements. Producer statements (PS1 design, PS3 construction monitoring, PS4 construction review) are issued as required by the council or consent conditions.
Reports are issued by email in PDF format. Editable CAD files and model files can be provided on request.
Council RFIs - requests for further information under RMA Section 92, or Auckland Council S92 requests - are managed by SAE. Responses are issued with supporting calculations and any revised drawings required. The objective is to close out RFIs in a single round where possible.
For subdivision work, SAE provides construction monitoring as required by consent conditions, as-built survey (GNSS/GPS), and S224c certification once all construction is confirmed complete and compliant. The S224c package includes as-built drawings, producer statements, council inspection records, and the certification letter.
Recent projects completing at S224c: Henderson Line, Marton (S224c Stages 1 and 2, 2025); Hereford Heights, Marton (multi-stage S224c, 2022); Rayner Lane, Marton (S224c January 2026).
You do not need to have all of this information to make an initial enquiry. Send what you have and SAE will advise what else is needed.
Typical timeframes from receipt of all required data.
| Project type | Typical report turnaround |
|---|---|
| Stormwater neutrality report (2–6 lots) | 5–10 business days from data receipt |
| Flood hazard assessment (1D) | 10–15 business days |
| 2D HEC-RAS flood study | 15–25 business days |
| Subdivision infrastructure report (RC submission) | 15–30 business days depending on scale |
| S92 / RFI response | 5–10 business days |
| S224c package | 5–10 business days once as-built survey complete |
Turnaround times depend on data availability, council complexity, and current workload. Urgent projects are accommodated where possible - discuss your timeframe at enquiry.
Send an enquiry with your site details and we will respond within one business day.
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