Restricted Building Work Defined

• The types of building work that will be restricted to Licensed Building Practitioners – and an exemption from restricted building work that will be available to do-it-yourselfers (DIY) – have been defined by the Government.

  More important information on using LBPs and Restricted Building Work and getting Building Consents can be found here...

From 1 March 2012, only Licensed Building Practitioners will be able to carry out or supervise the following work on stand-alone houses and small-medium sized apartments:

• The design and construction of the primary structure – foundations and framing - to ensure the building can withstand vertical and horizontal loads
• The design and construction of external moisture management systems - the roof and cladding - to ensure it is weathertight
• The design of active fire safety systems in small-medium sized apartment buildings

The rationale for restricted building work is that because it is critical to the integrity of a building, it should only be done by a competent (ie, licensed) person.

However, the definition of restricted building work does not jeopardise DIY, because owner-builders will still be able to build a home from scratch if they wish. Restricted building work will also not affect most DIY projects because it won’t apply to any work that doesn’t require a building consent. This means DIYers can still renovate a kitchen/ bathroom, put in a window or door.

Nor will restricted building work apply to low-risk work that does require a building consent – such as removing an internal wall or building a conservatory, or to buildings that aren’t regularly occupied.

Schedule 1: Exempt Work

Schedule 1: Exempt Work is designed to allow minor building work to be undertaken where the cost of getting a consent outweighs the risk of the work being done poorly.

This includes:

• Any replacement and/or repair of existing components, except where it’s major, contributes to the structure, or replaces failed external moisture
• Changing existing household plumbing, including minor drainage work, as long as the work is done or signed off by a licensed plumber or drainlayer
• Installing or replacing windows or exterior doors, provided there have not been weathertightness problems and there is no change to structural elementsAlteration to the interior
• Retaining walls up to 1.5 metres in height, providing they only carry the ground load.
• Small garden sheds - they must be less than less than 10 metres2 and a single storey. They cannot have toilets or stored drinking water, and they must be as far from the boundary as the height of the shed itself.
• Closing in an existing veranda or patio where the floor area does not exceed five square metres.
• Shade sails and pergolas.

Note: This list is not comprehensive  We recommend that you ask your local council before doing any work. Building work that is exempt from having a building consent must still comply with the Building Code. Check here for a more comprehensive list.

MINOR BUILDING WORK CHANGES - Additions to Schedule 1

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 16, 2008

There are a number changes, which came into effect on October 16, 2008, which will make it easier for homeowners to do minor building work without having to get Council Consent. The list of work that no longer requires a building consent has been extended and now includes:

• Changing existing household plumbing, including minor drainage work, as long as the work is done or signed off by a licensed plumber or drainlayer
• Building or installing a small cabin near to an existing home, as long as the cabin is smaller than 10 m2 and does not have cooking or sanitary facilities
• Removing or changing a non load-bearing wall
• Building awnings, pergolas or verandas over a deck
• Installing or replacing windows or exterior doors, provided there have not been weathertightness problems and there is no change to structural elements
• Making a home more accessible by widening doorways and building access ramps
• Fitting out shop or office interiors where the work does not modify certain important building features, such as fire escapes
• Erecting tents or marquees, as long as they are smaller than 100m2 (for private use) and 50 m2 (for public use) and will not be used for more than a mo