Stay home, save lives.

Hello all and welcome to the first “Got it Nailed” edition for the year, and with recent events it’s been a year like no other in recent memory.

Prior to this the building unit, and the sector as a whole, was humming along quite nicely and we were hoping to see some of those subdivisions already with approval start to break ground and get some building action underway.

Then of course COVID-19 came along and put the majority of us on lockdown. Council staff have still been processing applications that come through as far as possible, but the most effect has been calling a halt to all building inspections.

Please be assured if you had an inspection booked during the lockdown period, we’ll be in touch to reschedule as soon as we have an indication of when we’re moving out of Level 4 restrictions.

We have service updates at timaru.govt.nz/covid19

• Anyone that submits an application for building consent (generally designers) will be required to provide a complete application identifying all relevant code clauses and their means of compliance, along with a complete set of designs and specifications. The consequence of an incomplete application will result in refusal of that application. Please spend the time to get this right before you submit your application, if you are unsure about what is required just give us a call.
• Minor variations and amendments are other areas that need some attention. We know that changes occur and we will always try to work with you as much as we can. However, our discretion is limited and therefore the need to follow a more consistent approach is required. Minor variations can either be resolved on site with the inspector or through the office, but amendments must be processed and approved before that work can be undertaken. This is something that we will be managing more closely.
• Another finding from the audit relates to the recording of our decisions, and in particular providing more detail on how we are satisfied compliance has been demonstrated. In other words we need to include more detail in our answers (check lists) which in turn will potentially mean more relevant information being required from the designer. This is an ongoing requirement and is identified at most audits as the auditor should be able to follow the compliance journey from start to finish.

1. Better quality applications received by Council.
2. The reduction in RFIs for all consent applications.
3. The reduction in time associated with the technical checking of an application.
4. Designers having a greater understanding of how compliance is achieved and the consequences of poor quality applications.
5. Reduced costs to the applicant and or owner.

• An R1 application may be refused at any stage from 8-9 RFIs through to 20; or
• A C3 application may be refused at any stage between 15-35 RFIs.

Sliding Scale

Building Platforms & Site Works

Site works and creating building platforms that are in connection with the construction of a building are defined as 'building work' and therefore require a building consent. However there are some situations where a building consent may not be required.

Examples of these could be, but not limited to:

• Building up a site for landscaping purposes
• Clearing a site by cutting and filling, making it more presentable for sale
• Disposing of clean fill onto a site to level it up (hollows or elevated sites etc)

1. What is the reason for filling the site, its “intended use”?
2. If it is intended to erect or locate a building on the site in the future you must engage a suitably qualified design professional (engineer) to ensure the fill is designed and placed (engineered) to suit. Once completed, a copy of the engineers approval is to be provided to council to record on the relevant property file.
3. If you are contemplating doing any site works, it would be wise to discuss this with the council building team first, so that you can set off in the right direction and ensure your project will be fit for purpose.

PLEASE BE AWARE that carrying out building work without a consent can result in significant penalties, so please ensure you check first before doing anything.

Plumbing & Drainage “As Built Plans”

The use of “As Built” drainage plans has been place for a very long time, providing valuable information to the location of drains for future reference. This is something that will continue into the future, particularly as a requirement for signing off at CCC stage. However a minor change in how we use these plans is about to be implemented.

To make sure we are complying with our legislative requirements we need to ensure that before we grant a building consent the drainage work identified on the plans is compliant with the building code. When we inspect that work, we need to ensure it has been completed in accordance with the approved drainage plan.

Should this not be the case, the building consent will need to be altered to reflect the change. These changes can managed in one of two ways, a minor variation or an amendment to the consent. As mentioned above minor variations can either be resolved on site with the inspector or through the office. Amendments must be submitted, checked for compliance and approved before that work can be undertaken.

To be clear, not all changes can be treated as minor variations. Please ensure you follow the approved drainage plans every time. If changes are required, make sure you check and follow the appropriate procedure first, to avoid any unnecessary delays and costs.

Licenced Building Practitioner Memoranda & Records of Work

Code Compliance Certificates (CCC)