Legal Requirements for your Renovation

The Legal Basics
While all building work must comply with the regulations of the Building Code, not all building work needs a building consent from your local Council – such as minor do-it-yourself (DIY) jobs. However, you may well need a resource consent so it is vital that you check early in your pre-planning process as it can take several months to obtain these documents.

How to Get Started
If you are planning on building a new home or renovating an existing home, you need to get a building consent from the Council before any building starts on your project (except exempt work). You only need resource consent when you want to do something that is not specifically allowed for under the Resource Management Act. Check with your Council, builder or architect to see if you require a resource consent.

Getting it through the Council Consent Process

Step #1: Get the Renovation Plan Sorted
Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) issue consents based on the facts and details of the renovation plan that is presented to them, and that they comply with building regulations that affect the reliability of the building structure. Plans need to be very detailed nowadays for consents to be issued, so the more detailed your plan is the better.

Step #2: Passing the Final Inspection
Once your project is completed it then needs to go through a final inspection, the BCAs will issue you a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) if your project quality matches the building consent. Your building consent documentation will list the stages at which you need to call for inspections of your project, it is imperative that all inspections are called and accounted for. If you miss an inspection then the Council has the authority not to issue you a Code Compliance Certificate when your project is completed.

Step #3: Getting the Code of Compliance
A Code Compliance Certificate is issued when the Council is satisfied that your project work meets the standards of the Building Code and that it complies with building regulations. A Code Compliance Certificate cannot be issued if you do not have a building consent, also if the work carried out on your project does not meet the standards of the Building Code.

Step #4: When it doesn’t go through the first time
When your project is completed, contact the Council to set up a time for a final inspection of your project. You must provide a completed Code Compliance Certificate application form before a Code Compliance Certificate can be issued to you. If the work carried out on your project does not comply with the building standards the Council will issue you a Notice to Fix which identifies the areas of non-compliance that you will need to address and then you need to request for a second inspection from the Council once them problems are repaired.