The Government is pushing to streamline the building permit regime by replacing some council inspections with a self-certification scheme.

Buildings and Construction Minister Chris Penk said the proposal was for construction professionals with indemnity insurance working on low-risk projects.

It would allow skilled trades professionals – including plumbers, plumbers and builders – to close without needing council inspection.

The changes are also expected to cover large homebuilding companies that build hundreds of nearly identical homes a year.

“The building permit system is intended to protect homeowners from defective building work by requiring the work to be inspected and approved by a Building Consent Authority,” Penk said.

“But the regime is inefficient and adds cost and time to the building process, making it harder for Kiwis to achieve their dream of home ownership. It takes an average of 569 days for a house to be built and approved (for) – amid a housing shortage. , it’s just too long to wait.”

Under current legislationbuilding permits are issued by a building permit authority, usually a local and district council, but can also be a regional council or a private organisation.

Penk said the new self-certification scheme would undergo a robust two-stage consultation process.

Christopher Luxon and Chris Penk provide an update on the planning consent changes at a briefing in Auckland.
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi

“The first is that qualified construction professionals such as plumbers, drains and builders will be able to self-certify their own work, for low-risk construction, without the need for an inspection.

“This brings them in line with electricians and gas fitters who can already do this and it’s something the industry has been calling for for years.

“The second pillar is that businesses with a proven track record – for example, group home builders who build hundreds of nearly identical homes a year – will be able to go through a more streamlined consent process.

“Right now, a basic one-story home might go through 10 or more separate inspections. These are clearly too many and the cost-benefit ratio has become unbalanced.”

Penk said construction professionals are already subject to quality assurance, such as holding a license to practise, keeping records of their work and keeping their details in a publicly searchable database.

File image.
Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Additional safeguards would be put in place, such as a clear path for customers to remedy faulty work, stricter qualification requirements for construction professionals and strict disciplinary measures for negligent or incompetent self-certifiers, he said.

“We will make detailed policy decisions in the new year following a thorough consultation which will consider what residual role existing building consent authorities should have in the self-certification scheme, for example through an audit function.

“Kiwis need confidence in the safety and quality of their homes, but it is possible to do this through a more efficient insurance route. We’re committed to cutting red tape so we can get more kiwis into the quality homes they deserve. .”

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