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Builders Blueprint is a regular column in SouthLink, offering information and advice on Building Consent matters. Here are some previous columns. COMPLETE APPLICATION = FASTER PROCESSING We are receiving a large number of incomplete Building Consent applications. When this happens, a letter requesting the outstanding information is sent to the applicant. In some cases, where much of the required information has not been supplied, the application is returned. The following information is required with Building Consent applications. The more complete your application, the faster it will go through the consent process. Copies Of Plans Three complete copies of plans and specifications must be provided with each Building Consent application. Application Forms Please check that you have signed and dated the application form, included an estimated value of work and have completed the middle page (Building Code clauses complied with). Don't leave this section blank - please ask your designer/builder if you are not sure how to complete this section. Ensure you clearly describe the scope and nature of the work. Site Plans This should include accurate measurements from building(s) to all site boundaries and should show the position of the vehicle crossing. Floor Plans For alterations to existing work there must be separate "existing" and "proposed" floor plans showing all existing work and the extent of any proposed work. Elevations All elevations should show ground levels, floor levels and access details (steps, landings, decks, ramps). Specifications Specifications must be job specific and must include a "scope of work". All trade sections should be included. Roof Trusses A roof truss design and layout from a registered manufacturer for all trusses involved in the building work is required. Elevations of all trusses should be provided. Bracing Bracing details are required to ensure the structural integrity of the building is maintained. Please provide bracing calculations, a bracing schedule and a labelled plan showing all bracing elements. Weather Tight Details An NZBC E2/Risk Matrix is required for all exterior cladding systems. This matrix should include head, jamb and sill flashing details applicable to the type of exterior cladding to be used. Flashing details are required for windows, doors and for all other penetrations through the building envelope (including roofs). Plumbing and Drainage A plumbing plan is required to show details of all plumbing work. Plumbing plans should include a material list and specifications for all products. The sizes and gradients of piping should also be included. The plan must show all drainage (existing and proposed) including sizes and gradients of piping and details of connections and venting. Where Council reticulated services are not available, a domestic wastewater system will be required. These systems are required to comply with AS/NZS1547:2000 (or a better system). Hot Water System Details Please provide all hot water system details including the type of storage capacity, location on the plan, details of valve venting and the type of seismic restraint proposed. Solid Fuel Burner Installation Please provide the heater manufacturer's specification and installation instructions for the system (including all flue details). If the heater is second-hand, please provide a report from the manufacturer supporting the application to install the unit as an alternative solution. A new flue system will be required with any second-hand heater. Decks A Building Consent is required for any deck more than one metre off the ground. Some other decks do not require a Building Consent, but must still comply with the Building Code. When applying for a Building Consent, please provide construction details, deck/dwelling junction details (showing flashings at door thresholds) and handrail/balustrade details for all decks. If you have any questions please call Andre Phillips on 0800 111 323. Back to Top THE ROLE OF THE BUILDING CONTROL OFFICER Under the 2004 Building Act building control officers, like everyone else in the building industry, need to make changes to the way they do things to accord with the new regime. The main change that directly affects South Taranaki District Council customers is the amount and type of advice we can offer. It all comes down to accountability. The new regime requires us to stay completely neutral with regards to design. This does not mean that we cannot offer advice to our customers, only that we are unable to offer design solutions. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have with regard to the Building Code and its requirements and, of course, any questions you may have in relation to our application form and the processes that we are required to go through in order to approve a consent. If you are designing and have queries or simply wish to use us as a sounding board, we will do our best to inform you of any Code requirements you may need to meet. We have access to a good library of material and if we are unable to answer any questions, we will endeavour to put you in contact with someone who can. There is a fine line between advising and designing, and in some cases you will be asked to consult the person who is doing your designing. The person doing the designing is solely responsible for ensuring that the drawings presented comply with the Building Code. It is the building control officer's job to review those plans. When doing reviews the building control officer is looking for a number of things: Compliance with the Building Code. Is there enough detail and information supplied so there can be no doubt in the mind of the builder as to how the project should be constructed? Our goal is to have these three parties - builder, designer and building control officer - working together to achieve their goals, which is a well-built project that complies with all the relevant codes and regulations, and meets the customer's requirements. Back to Top IMPORTED MATERIALS There is an ever-increasing amount of building product being imported into New Zealand and sold on the local market as cheaper alternatives. This is of some concern as a lot of these products do not have a New Zealand Standards approval. All of the major retailers of building products are aware of this and will not stock product that has not been either Branz approved or had a New Zealand Standard appraisal. You need to keep your eyes open for the private importer selling products that look similar to product already on the market. If you buy these products as a cost-saving exercise, please be aware that if our Building Control Officers come across an unapproved product, they can ask you to provide proof that the product is up to standard or issue you with a Notice to Fix and have the product removed. One such product that I am aware of is a look-alike Gib board that appears to be coming from Germany. As this product does not meet the Winstone Wall Boards standard, it cannot be used for any of their Gib bracing systems. South Taranaki District in general does not have large quantities of these products being sold, but you still need to be aware that they are out there. If you are unsure when looking at product, ask the seller to show you proof that it meets the New Zealand Standard. If you have any questions, please call Andre Phillips on 0800 111 323. Back to Top SITE PLANS A Site Plan is an important part of your Building Consent. It enables the Planners to check that where your building is going to be placed, complies with the District Plan. This includes distances from boundaries and any height restrictions. It also includes car parking requirements for commercial and industrial activities. If you are planning on having signage on your property, this also needs to be indicated on your Site Plan. In some instances, landscaping details may also be a requirement. If you are unsure of what may be required for your project, please ring the South Taranaki District Council on 0800 111 323 and ask to speak to a Planner. Your Site Address or Valuation Number would be of great benefit when making this call. In some instances, the project you wish to undertake will require a Resource Consent. The Planners would be able to advise you of this. Having this information prior to lodging your Consent will do two things: It eliminates the surprise factor for you; It will also help to speed up the process because all information needed will already be supplied because you did your homework prior to lodging your Consent. There are other things we use the Site Plan for, and these include showing the location of any sewer drainage, and in the case of a rural section, the location of a septic tank, as well as the type of effluent field to be used. It is also used to indicate where any stormwater run-off will be fed to, eg, water tank or soak hole. The main point to remember with regards to a Site Plan is making sure your measurements are accurate. Quite often the only hold-up with a Building Consent is the measurements on the Site Plan do not add up. The reason for this is because the Planners do accurately check them. They also need to be drawn to a scale, 1:1200 is desirable but other scale measurements may be suitable depending on the type of project you are doing. So, as you can see, there is a lot of information held on a Site Plan, which makes them just as important as your Building Plans. Poor Site Plans account for around 30% of information requests from applicants, for which 30% of our clients have to wait longer periods to get Building Consents. We would like to see this reduced. This is an example of a site plan showing the location of a shed to be built on the property. This is the type of site plan we would like to see. Measurements are clear and accurate and there can be no confusion as to the location of the building on the property. Back to Top BOUNDARY FENCES I have received a number of phone calls lately relating to boundary fences and who is responsible for them. The only time the Council has any control over a fence is when it surrounds a swimming pool or if it is going to be more than 2m high. A boundary fence separates two properties of different ownership, so before a fence can be built both parties need to agree on the construction method to be used. This, of course, is best achieved by talking to your neighbour about your proposal. If, as in some cases, this is not possible for any number of reasons there is a process you can follow. This can be found in the Fencing Act 1978, which can be accessed on the internet at www.legislation.govt.nz. Part 3 of the Act outlines all the systems and processes you will need to follow to enable you to construct or repair your fence. The Council has a brochure on boundary fences, which provides more information on this topic. So just to summarise, boundary fences are a civil matter between two property owners. We will listen to your concerns and advise were we can, but 90 percent of the time we will be unable to act. If you have any questions please call Andre Phillips on 0800 111 323. Back to Top I HAVE RECEIVED MY BUILDING CONSENT, NOW WHAT? When your Building Consent arrives in the mail, please don't just put it to one side. Read through the first page to confirm that it is, in fact, your property that the Building Consent has been issued to. On page two you will find the heading Conditions of Building Consent and your Building Consent number. Under that heading will be a list detailing the type of inspections Council will do during construction of your project. There will also be reference to inspection notification and commencement of work. At the very bottom of the page is the heading Compliance. This states that this Building Consent does not give you approval to start work until all other approvals have been obtained (such as a Resource Consent). On page three is advice on what to do when your project is completed and how long your consent will stay active. Project Information Memorandum. This page will contain information on any special features or conditions about the parcel of land and should be read before starting work. On page five is the Advice Completion Form which should be filled out and returned to Council at the end of your project. The Building Consent is, in effect, a licence for you to complete a building project and like any licence it has certain requirements that need to be adhered to. The Building Consent Pack clearly outlines these requirements with regard to your project. One requirement relates to all consents; approved plans need to be on-site at all times. If you don't have approved plans on-site, how do you know that what you are doing complies with your consent? If you have any questions please call Andre Phillips on 0800 111 323. Back to Top

Menu • Complete application = faster processing • The role of the Building Control Officer • Imported materials • Site plans • Boundary fences • I have received my building consent, now what?