Vision Consulting Engineers Ltd

01/05/2026

Big Ideas from our Little Firm in Kerikeri!

The Vision team has just returned from a successful couple of days at the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia Aotearoa Public Works Forum in Auckland.

We were incredibly proud of Jonathan Cousins, who took to the stage to present our work on Nature-based Solutions. It was a significant moment for us to see our local project featured in the finalist videos alongside some of the largest infrastructure projects in New Zealand!

As a small firm from Kerikeri, it was rewarding to have our technical input recognised on a national level. We would like to offer a huge thank you to the organisers for a professional event and to all the people we had the pleasure of connecting with.

The team are heading back to the office inspired and ready to keep delivering for our Northland community.

28/04/2026

A Milestone for Youth Leadership: The SAVE Interact Club Launch!

Last week, our Managing Director, Ben Perry, was pleased to attend the official "Celebration Launch" of the SAVE Interact Club of Kerikeri High School

This event finalised the formal partnership between the school’s SAVE Club (Saving All Valuable Environments) and the Rotary Club of Kerikeri. Vision Consulting Engineers is proud to have assisted in establishing this connection, which provides students with mentored opportunities for leadership and community service.

The ceremony included a welcome via the school’s opening protocol, Ngā Pou, and insights from School Principal Mike Clent, Rotary President Dawn Laurenson, and District Governor Mitchell Brown. It was a privilege to see the students mingling with Rotarians over lunch to discuss their "big ideas" for future environmental and community initiatives.

We value our role in helping facilitate this platform for our local rangatahi (youth).

23/04/2026

Taking a Northland story to the national stage! 🌊

We are incredibly proud to share that Vision Consulting Engineers has been selected to present at the 2026 Stormwater Conference Innovation Showcase in Auckland next month.

Our Senior Engineer, Jonathan Cousins, will be stepping up to deliver a live, "Dragons' Den" style pitch on our work for the Taumārere Catchment.

But this isn't just an engineering story—it’s a story about partnership. Working alongside Ngāti Hine, we set out with a shared responsibility: to restore the mauri (life force) of Te Awa Tapu O Taumārere.

To do this, our team developed what we call the "Billion-Cell Concept". We used incredibly detailed computer mapping (processing over a billion data points!) to look at the entire 492 km² catchment.

The real innovation? We didn't just look at the landscape. We combined advanced engineering with mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge)—like observing the migration patterns of local tuna (eels) and seasonal rainfall changes.

By bringing community wisdom and smart technology together, we proved that using "Nature-based Solutions" (like restoring wetlands and native forests) can actually reduce flood peaks by up to 20%. This means less flooding on our rural roads and safe, healthy habitats for our native species.

This is a massive nod to the power of combining local kaitiakitanga (guardianship) with modern engineering. A huge congratulations to Jonathan, our VISION team, and our Ngāti Hine partners!

Want to see the digital map of the Taumārere Catchment for yourself? Check out the interactive StoryMap here: https://bit.ly/3InsrqY 🗺️👇

01/04/2026

Celebrating Te Amo Pūtoro

We are pleased to share that Te Amo Pūtoro has been named a finalist for the Community Park of the Year Award at the 2026 Parks Awards, hosted by Recreation Aotearoa.

This award recognises spaces that support community wellbeing and foster connections with mana whenua. Our team at Vision Consulting Engineers Ltd provided civil, structural, and geotechnical input for this project, and it is rewarding to see the collective efforts of the working group recognised at a national level.

We look forward to the category winners being announced in May and value the opportunity to have contributed to a space that the Kerikeri community can use and enjoy.

Congratulations to our fellow working group members and the wider project team on this milestone.

Find out more about our work on Te Amo Pūtoro here: https://bit.ly/3NHuxVo

Healthy Families Far North Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Kerikeri Sports Complex Boffa Miskell Recreation Aotearoa - Te Whai Oranga

24/03/2026

Check out VISION'S new look!

We have some fresh new sign-writing on our company vehicles, thanks to the local team at Halvo Signs. Keep an eye out for us as we travel across the Far North visiting sites and meeting with clients.

Based in Kerikeri, we provide professional Civil, Structural, Geotechnical, Environmental and Project Management services.

Scan the QR code on the back of our vehicles to go directly to the VISION website for more information.

VISION are proud to be part of the Northland community and look forward to seeing you all out in the field.

07/03/2026

03/02/2026

Northland Builders & Developers: Why "Standard" Solutions Often Fail on Our Clay.

If you’re relying solely on standard NZS 3604 foundations, you could be setting
your project up for failure. Northland's geology is different!

The "Sponge Effect": Our highly reactive clays can swell dramatically in winter (pushing up) and shrink in summer (dropping away). Foundations that aren't specifically engineered to resist this movement can result in cracked slabs, structural damage, and costly repairs.

The Truth About "Good Ground": The 300kPa "Good Ground" specified in NZS 3604 is rare here, especially in areas underlain by Northland Allochthon.

It's not just the soil, it's the water. Hidden subsurface water flows and perched water tables are common. Severing these paths with a simple cut or fill can saturate your building platform and trigger the swell/shrink cycle.

There is no "silver bullet." The right solution depends on how your specific cut, fill, and load interact with the land.

Get the site-specific investigation needed to design a foundation that can truly withstand Northland's challenges.

👉 Learn the technical risks and why local expertise is essential: https://bit.ly/4t91p9b

Planning a build in the Far North? Standard NZS 3604 foundations often fail on Northland's expansive clay and Allochthon soils. Learn how to manage the risk.

28/01/2026

Meetings, coffee, and... crayon masterpieces? 🖍️

The school holiday juggle is real, and here at Vision Consulting Engineers, we love supporting our team by welcoming the next generation into the office.
Today’s highlight was seeing the incredible artwork created by Laura’s 8-year-old son Carter, while he spent the day with us. It’s safe to say the office walls are looking a lot more colourful today!

22/01/2026

Action and communication in the face of a storm. ⛈️🏗️

These photos from the Waitangi River Bridge on SH10 show exactly why collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Working for A O’Sullivan & Associates Ltd on the NZTA Waka Kotahi network, our team designed a rock revetment (armouring) to protect this scoured embankment from further erosion.

As yesterday's storm approached, the value of a strong partnership became clear:

The Monitoring: Our engineers tracked the river levels and provided technical guidance on site safety.

The Action: Far North Roading acted immediately on our advice, pulling out temporary culverts (visible in the photo) to ensure the river could flow unobstructed.

The Result: By "opening up" the site, we protected the integrity of the state highway and the downstream bridge during peak flows.

A massive shout-out to the Far North Roading crew for their hard work and to NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi for trusting us with this critical infrastructure.

13/01/2026

Planning a build in 2026? Here is what the Council needs to approve your foundations.

That mandatory Geotechnical Report isn't just a bureaucratic hurdle—it's an important risk management tool for your project!

Councils like FNDC and WDC require it to support the design of a safe and stable home, given Northland's specific ground risks (like soft soils, expansive soils, liquefaction potential, and slope instability).

What determines the cost?
The price isn't based on the size of your house—it's based on the nature of your site.

⚠️ Be warned: A low-cost report may omit necessary investigations, potentially leading to expensive, unbudgeted foundation redesigns during construction.

A quality report provides clarity; a cheap one buys you risk.
Don't let poor planning stop your build cold. Get the detailed report you need from the local engineers who understand what Northland councils require.

👉 Read the full article to understand the purpose and cost of a quality Geotech Report:
https://bit.ly/4pCqPZU