Licensed Building Practitioner and Restricted Building Work
Some Building Work can only be undertaken by Licensed Building Practitioners
Restricted Building Work is work which is critical to the integrity of a building. It makes sure the building is structurally sound and weathertight, that’s why it can only be done or supervised by tradespeople who are Licensed Building Practitioners. Having Restricted Building Work regulations makes sure that your family home, often a New Zealander’s biggest asset, is protected.
Your Designer must identify all the Restricted Building Work on your job when they fill in their Certificate of Work. They’ll do this when they draw up your building plans. More information is available at this page of The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
It's important to know that a lot of work that requires a Building Consent will include Restricted Building work, but not all. If the work to your home does not include work to the primary structure or its weathertightness, then it is likely to not be Restricted Building Work. Below are a few examples of building work that require a building consent, but don’t necessarily contain Restricted Building Work:
- Fitting new sanitary fixtures where there were not any previously (e.g new kitchen or ensuite)
- Installation of a wood burner
- Domestic wind turbine
- Domestic swimming pool
- Installing a cable car to a home
- Installing other specified systems in small/medium apartments (e.g. smoke alarms, lift, HVAC system)
- Installing insulation to external walls in a home
Licensed Building Practitioners
Information on why, how and who regarding the Licensed Building Practitioner scheme is available at the Licensed Building Practitioners website which will also lead you through the complaints procedure that the Building Practitioners Board operate in order to maintain a high standard within the profession.
Exemption from the Licensing Requirements
Owner-Builders are able to carry out Restricted Building Work on their own home. You are an Owner-Builder if you:
- Live in or are going to live in the home (includes a bach or holiday home)
- Carry out the Restricted Building Work to your own home yourself, or with the help of your unpaid friends and family members, and
- Have not, under the Owner-Builder Exemption, carried out Restricted Building Work to any other home within the previous 3 years.
A full explanation of the owner exemption arrangements is available from MBIE