There is a 20 working day timeframe in which to process your building consent application. However, processing time will stop if Council officers need to seek additional information. When your building consent is issued it will contain:

• the building consent,
• the addendum to the building consent which lists any special conditions relating to the approval,
• advice on when to call for inspections,
• copies of the approved plans and specifications.

It may also contain copies of other approvals relating to the project.

When You Can Start Work

You may commence work immediately upon receipt of your consent as long as all other authorisations that are required have been obtained. The issue of a building consent does not relieve the owner of obligations under other Acts.

Note: A building consent will lapse and become invalid if the work it authorises is not commenced within twelve calendar months from the date of consent issue; or within such further period of time Council in its discretion allows.

For Further information click the link below:

Applying for building consent

You must obtain a building consent before carrying out building work. Your application:

• must be on the prescribed application form and be completed in full
• must be accompanied by the prescribed application fee,
• must be accompanied by plans, specifications and other information required by your Council or the Act.

You can’t usually start any physical work until you have building consent (unless your work is exempt or there is an emergency), so make a good application and avoid unnecessary delays. Everyone involved benefits from a complete, accurate, easily understood application as it becomes the plan everyone must follow.

There are check sheets and guidance documents available to help you prepare applications and to put together the necessary information held at your local council. Local Government NZ (LGNZ) provides a list of Council websites including a map to help you if you’re not sure which Council would cover your application. Just go the Building page on the Council website for more info. LGNZ Council Maps and websites

From 31 August 2020, additional building consent exemptions have been added to the Building Act. Building consents are no longer be needed for a number of new or expanded types of low-risk building work, like sleep-outs, sheds, carports, outdoor fireplaces and ground-mounted solar panels.

This package of new exemptions adds to the work that can already be done without a building consent, outlined in Schedule 1 of the Building Act. Some of the new exempt building work can be done without the help of a professional, while others require the involvement of a Chartered Professional Engineer or Licensed Building Practitioner.

Building work that does not require a building consent must still comply with the Building Code and other legislative requirements, such as those under the Resource Management Act 1991, the Electricity Act 1992 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Any issues related to planning or resource management, or any projects with district planning implications will still need to be discussed with your local council.

The new exemptions will come into force on 31 August 2020.

If you want to start a building project that doesn’t require a building consent, you should hire the right professional required or you can do it yourself if a professional is not required, provided you follow the MBIE guidance.

All exempt building work must meet the Building Code as well as other relevant legislation.

It is the building owner’s responsibility to check whether a building consent is required. If the work that you are planning to carry out falls outside of the specified requirements, you will need to get a building consent. If you’re not sure if you need consent – ask for advice from somebody with appropriate building knowledge and expertise.

See MBIE’s guidance on building work that does not require a building consent.

WHEN TO GET A BUILDING CONSENT

A building consent is Council’s written authority to carry out building work that it considers will comply with the Building Code provided it is completed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted with the building consent application.

You need to get a building consent before doing almost any building work.

You can apply yourself, but your application must comply with the Building Code and you must provide all the necessary documentation to support your application – and there’s a lot!

However, your architect/designer or builder can do this on your behalf, and they’ve probably put a few applications in which will mean they know all the items needed (but not always – it can pay to check as if there are items missing, the application will be returned and the 20-Day deadline ‘clock’ will stop until you provide the missing information).
Here are some examples of work that requires a consent:

• structural building – including additions, alterations, re-piling and some demolitions
• plumbing and drainage where an additional sanitary fixture is created (some repair and maintenance may be exempt)
• relocating a building
• installing a woodburner or air-conditioning system
• retaining walls higher than 1.5 metres (3.0 metres in rural area if designed by a chartered professional engineer)
• fences or walls higher than 2.5 metres, and all swimming pools and their associated fences
• decks, platforms or bridges more than 1.5 metres above ground level
• sheds greater than 30 square metres in floor area (sheds between 10 and 30 square metres will still need the help of an LBP or engineer or must use lightweight material in accordance with Acceptable Solution (B1/AS1)
• some earthworks

Click here for more Information on how to apply for a building consent.

Fees for building consents vary dependent on the complexity and size of the project, and between different councils.

During processing of your consent, we or council may require further information or revisions to the design. We will communicate this to you either by phone or email. Your consent will then be ‘suspended’ until this information is received.

If you have any queries regarding a request for information received, then please give us a call to discuss.

Solutions Team specialise in the processing of building consents and inspections of residential buildings, and we act as an overflow resource for multiple Councils throughout New Zealand. We do this work on their behalf, however, your point of contact is us.

The New Zealand Building Act requires a Building Consent to be processed and issued within 20 live working days.

Council Clock
The statutory time frame (Council Clock) starts once the building consent has been accepted into the Councils processing system. The building consent then travels through a number of different technical people who check for compliance, these may include Resource management planning, Network Utility Operator, Hazards, Solutions Team processing, Final review, Accounts then issue. At any stage during this process one of technical people can suspend the building consent by asking for further information. The processing clock is then suspended until the correct information is provided. The net live days taken to process the building consent is the time that makes up the legal requirement of 20 live working days.

Once a Building Consent application has been accepted by the Council and forwarded to Solutions Team for processing, the Solutions Team clock starts. Solutions Team will then check the building, plumbing and drainage and engineering components in the application. If further information is requested the clock will be suspended until the correct information is provided. Once answered correctly the Solutions Team clock will start again until the our component of the project is complete. At this stage the Solutions Team clock will stop. The project will be sent back to the Council for completion of the process and issue of the Building Consent.

• We are a professional, dynamic business that is focused on achieving the best result for you during your project, while at the same time ensuring your building complies with the minimum requirements of the Building Code
• Many of our customers prefer to deal with a personable private business than a large Council
• We have considerable experience and are very customer focused
• We work hard to deliver your building consent within the timeframes required
• We recognise that our customers have a choice and work hard to retain their business
• Our team is focused on consistency of approach and quality of delivery
• We strive to be the best at what we do

If you would like MBIE to make a determination on your matter of dispute, you can find out how to make an application, what supporting documents are needed, what the fee is. Click here.

If you have used our service and feel dissatisfied, we encourage you to let us know by emailing us at info@solutionsteam.co.nz  We will respond to you within 48 hours.

Once your final inspection has been approved, and upon receipt of the required documentation, you will need to lodge an application on your behalf to the relevant council.

You will be ready for your final inspection once all the work covered by the building consent is completed. This includes gathering any documentation that was required on the building consent or requested during the inspection process.

The approved plans, specifications and inspection record must remain on site at all times and be available for all inspections. If the plans are not available, we will not be able to complete the inspection. This will then need to be rebooked.

If you would like an update on how things are going with your application please feel free to give the office a call to discuss on (03) 3660077, or alternatively you can request an update by emailing us at info@solutionsteam.co.nz.

The Building Act requires that Council issue the building consent within 20 working days. This does not include days that are counted as ‘suspended’. Please feel free to give us a call to discuss the likely timeframe for your consent.