PRM SEM 01 - 06. Building Consents Flashcards
When do you need a building consent?
You will almost always need Building Consent from the Council. Even if you are not building anything but are changing the use of a building (eg from bank to shop), you will probably need Building Consent.
What items do you not generally need a BC for?
You don’t need Building Consent for: a retaining wall less than 1.5 m high, not carrying a
load, a fence less than 2m high, a deck less than 1 m high, a shed less than 10 (30 now?) m sq. -
BUT you may need Resource Consent!
Even for most interior work (except generally kitchen remodelling) you will probably
require Building Consent.
Schedule 1 Building Act 2004
Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004 lists work that does not need a building consent.
Check with Council Building Advisory Officer or Building Inspector as the rules have
recently loosened, but Councils interpret these in various ways. (See More Information at
end of handout).
Even if you don’t need Building Consent you must conform with the Building Code.
Maintenance and BC
Maintenance does not generally need a Building Consent eg replacing an existing timber
window with same size timber window is maintenance and doesn’t require Consent.
Replacing it with an aluminium window or a door may or may not be work requiring
Building Consent. (See More Information at end of handout).
Retrospective Building Consent
You can’t get a retrospective Building Consent.
But you can get a Certificate of Acceptance
Certification of Acceptance
Since the Building Act 2004 the closest you can get is a Certificate of Acceptance.
This verifies what the Council can see as complying with the Building Code, but excludes work they can not inspect eg depth of foundations, concealed plumbing etc. See
http://www.dbh.govt.nz/bofficials-certificates-of-acceptance for more information
Certificate of Public Use
A Certificate for Public Use allows a building or part of a building to be used between
partial completion and the final sign off of the Code Compliance Certificate. See
http://www.dbh.govt.nz/bofficials-certificates-for-public-use for more information.
PIM (Check this with your project)
Before preparing your Building Consent Application, obtain a PIM (Project Information Memorandum) by filling out the PIM application form at the Council.
It gives relevant information on zoning, stability of land, flooding, location of drains, wind
zone, etc which is good to get in writing! Architects tend to do their own research but
getting a PIM is good practice. See the Land Information lecture for more.
However it is focused on building, not planning rules. Always check with a planner or get
Resource Consent BEFORE doing your Building Consent drawings as they are a lot of
work!
PIMs and Property Information:
In addition check the sites Property File for information not in the PIM: correspondence,
previous drawings and consents etc. You may find you are doing alterations to a building
that has not had consent for previous (illegal!) work and you may have to deal with those
issues.
Public and Private Drainage
You will need to get a copy of public drainage (Council sewers near the property) and
private drainage (the buildings own drains connecting to the sewers).
Pre-Logement Meetings
Some Councils require a pre-lodgment meeting before applying for Building Consent,
particularly to discuss large or complex projects.
Council Required Upgrades
When doing alterations, the Council may require you to upgrade the drainage (eg
separating stormwater and foulwater) or upgrade the structure to meet current standards
or improve accessibility (stairs, ramps, lifts) or increase parking, toilets etc. It’s always a
good idea to have a meeting with both a planner and a building officer about your project
(and its free).
What does documentation for RC usually involve?
As we have seen documentation for a Resource Consent (planning permission) involves:
Drawings: site plan, plans, sections, elevations mainly focused on showing the buildings
bulk, location, materials, appearance etc. But no details or construction information.
What does AEE usually tell?
AEE: A written Assessment of Effects on the Environment (visual effects, effects of
shading, effects of use such as noise, traffic, stormwater etc )
Building Consent involves a lot more detail on the construction of
Types of Drawings required for BC
Drawings: with designers name, contact, job name, address etc in a box lower right hand
corner.
Site plan (generally 1:100, including site coverage, height to boundary etc calculations for
a planning check) showing what’s new, what’s existing, north point, dimensions, notes,
trees, landscaping, car parking and turning, paving, landscaping …
Floor plans (1 :50) showing what’s new, what’s existing, room names, north point,
dimensions, section lines, floor finishes …
Sections (1 :50 or 1 :20) showing what’s new, what’s existing, room names, dimensions,
materials and construction notes, keys to details …
Elevations (1 :50 or 1 :20) showing what’s new, what’s existing, windows and door types
and locations, dimensions, materials and construction notes, keys to details …
Roof and Floor Framing plans, Foundation Plans (1 :50) showing layout of roof structure,
floor structure, piles or concrete slab, construction notes, dimensions …
Plumbing and drainage plans (1:100)
Roof plans (1 :100) showing roof pitches, gutters, downpipes …
Interior elevations (1: 50) showing interior finishes and features, especially for kitchens,
bathrooms, built in furniture, shelves. But a lot of this is covered later in Tender Drawings
and further documentation “For Construction”. See later lecture Documentation
Door and window schedule (1 :50) showing types and quantities, opening parts etc
Construction details (1 :10, 1 :5) especially structural, waterproofing, roof, windows and
doors (typically a head, sill and jamb detail for each type … ) we will address this more in
the lecture on Leaky Buildings and Clause E2 of the Compliance Documents.
