Key points for LBPs
- Licensed professionals only. All building work must now be carried out or supervised by licensed professionals, including LBPs, licensed Plumbers, Drain Layers, Gas Fitters, and Electricians.
- Records of Work (RoW). LBPs must provide a RoW for any restricted building work they do or supervise. It must be submitted to both the homeowner and the council.
- Homeowner responsibilities. Upon completion, homeowners must submit all relevant records and certificates to the council to confirm the work was completed by appropriately licensed professionals and complies with the Building Code if the Builder isn’t doing this is a Consultant capacity already for them (Most turnkey builders do so-but responsibility is with the Client.
Building requirements
The granny flat:
- Must be single storey with no mezzanine floors above
- Must be built new and be a standalone
- May include an internal garage
- Must be classified as Housing – detached dwelling under Clause A1 of the Building Code, and this means:
- It must comply with all applicable Building Code requirements
- It must be intended for a single household or family only.
LBP roles and responsibilities
Granny flats involving restricted building work (RBW), must be:
- Carried out or supervised by an LBP
- Designed by or under the supervision of a design LBP.
LBPs must also:
- Ensure all work complies with the Building Code, regardless of whether a building consent is required or not
- Use compliant building products and methods when being built
- Be licensed in the appropriate class and follow the Building Act when undertaking RBW.
Responsibilities for an LBP on-site
During construction, LBPs must:
- Begin work only after a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) is issued by the council
(This is very much one of the documents now seen as to what needs to be submitted to Council before the build instead of the Building Consent in the past). - Follow approved plans and specifications of the site
- Supervise unlicensed workers to ensure compliance and quality at all times
- Collaborate with homeowners and designers to manage on-site changes and ensure final plans reflect the completed build
- Provide a RoW to both the homeowner and the council using the prescribed form.
Design responsibilities for LBP designers
When using the granny flat exemption, LBP designers must also:
- Provide preliminary design plans for the homeowner to submit with the PIM application
- Provide final design plans to the homeowner for submission to the council within 20 working days of project completion
- Provide a Certificate of Work (CoW) for the design of any RBW
- Coordinate with other professionals and advise homeowners to ensure the design is buildable and compliant
- Consider site-specific constraints such as natural hazards, local bylaws, and district or regional plan requirements.
- Under the exemption, “plans” include both preliminary and final design documents. Even without a building consent, the design must meet all relevant Building Code performance requirements.
Why This Matters to You
As “granny flats” involve Restricted Building Work (RBW), they must be carried out or supervised by licensed professionals. If you hire a builder who is not an LBP, or who fails to provide these records, you risk owning a building that is non-compliant, potentially uninsurable and a possible problem to sell one day!
At Retro Construction, we take these liabilities seriously. We ensure every “exemption” project is built with the same rigour as a fully consented commercial build.
Retro Construction Ltd Licensed Building Practitioners
Email: info@retroconstruction.co.nz
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