Changes to the Builder Licensing Requirements

The Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) scheme comes into effect from 1 March 2012. From this date Council will only be able to issue building consents to those builders and sub trades who are licensed to carry out the work. Homeowners will need to ensure for new house construction or larger building alterations that they engage a builder who is licensed.

The impact on builders and sub trades e.g. carpentry is that unless you are licensed you will be restricted on the type of work you can carry out or supervise. For example, a Carpentry licence enables the holder to carry out or supervise carpentry work on any class of building. Carpentry work includes site preparation; preparing, constructing, erecting and/or installing: foundations, frames, trusses, prefabricated and in-situ elements, lightweight profiled metal roofing, exterior cladding and joinery, stairs and decks, internal linings, fittings and hardware and insulation systems, If you supervise the whole project, which involves other specialist trades, you will require a 'site' licence relative to the category of building work being carried out. If you are a house builder you will require a 'Site 1' licence. More complex work requires a minimum of 'Site 2' licence. The same applies to designers except that the licence categories 'Desgin 1, 2 and 3.

There are some cost benefits as well. If you are licensed it is expected there will be less inspections required, on certain projects, hence, savings in Building Consent fees.

For further information go to the Department of Building and Housing website www.dbh.govt.nz