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New Building Rules in Force Tomorrow

Wednesday 29 February 2012, 6:29PM

By Tasman District Council

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TASMAN

Tasman District Council’s Regulatory Manager Adrian Humphries is encouraging homeowners and members of the building trade to get up to speed with the Government’s new residential building rules coming into force on 1 March 2012.

“The new Restricted Building Work (RBW) rules come into effect which means most residential building or renovation work will have to be designed, undertaken, or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) “

“Licensed Building Practitioners obtain their licences from the Department of Building and Housing not local councils however Tasman District Council has information on ‘Restricted Building Work and Licensed Building Practitioners’ available from our service centres.”

Mr Humphries said that council building inspectors are also available to advise LBPs if they have any queries about ‘Restricted Building Work.’ These people may include designers, carpenters, roofers, external plasterers, and bricklayers.

Designed to improve the quality of building in New Zealand, the Government’s ‘build it right’ changes apply to work affecting the structural integrity or weathertightness of residential buildings, including introducing new responsibilities for both the building industry and homeowners.

Mr Humphries says the changes being introduced by the Government should help give homeowners more confidence that their building work is being carried out to a good standard, with increased accountability.

If a homeowner’s building consent application is lodged with the council before 1 March, the new rules do not apply. Mr Humphries said he was aware there may be a backlog of LBP applications still to be processed but the Council will have to work with the law as it has been passed.