Most Renovations, Additions and Alterations require Council Consents to ensure the Building works comply with the Building Code. Amies Residential offers a full Council Consent service with all projects.
Building Consent
A Building Consent is the formal approval for an applicant to undertake building work. Building work includes work in connection with Construction, Renovations, Additions, Alterations, Demolition or Removal of a Building. A person cannot carry out building work except in accordance with a Building Consent. There are some exceptions to when a Building Consent is required (Exempt Building Works) but Exempt Building Works must be carried out in accordance with the Building Code even if no Building Consent is required.
On completion of the Building Works a Code Compliance Certificate is issued against the Building Consent Documents, therefore the applicants must ensure the Building Consent Documents accurately describe what they want. Changes during construction will require an amendment to the Building Consent, be that a minor variation or a formal amendment.
Any person who carries out building work without a Building Consent could be liable for a fine of up to $100,000 with a further fine not exceeding $10,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues.
Building Consent Application Processing can take up to 20 working days.
Resource Consent
A Resource Consent is required for an activity that affects the environment. The rules that set out what activities may or may not need a Resource Consent are laid out in the District and Regional Plans of the former Councils and the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plans (PAUP). Some rules in the Unitary Plan already apply. Prepared under the Resource Management Act, these plans control the effects of activities and development on the environment. People who breach the rules as set out in the plans risk infringement notices, to prosecution.
The kinds of activities that may require a Resource Consent include:
Resource Consent Application Processing can take up to 20 working days.
Certificates of Acceptance
A Certificate of Acceptance (CoA) can be used in situations where work has been done without a Building Consent, or where a Building Consent Authority cannot issue a Code Compliance Certificate. A Certificate of Acceptance has some similarities to a Code Compliance Certificate in that it will provide some verification for a building owner/future owner, that part or all of certain building work carried out complies with the Building Code.
An Owner may apply for a Certificate of Acceptance when any of the following situations occur:
The fact that a Certificate of Acceptance can be issued does not relieve a person from the requirement to obtain a Building Consent for their building work. The Council still has the ability to issue a Notice to Fix and prosecute.
A Certificate of Acceptance cannot be issued if Building work was carried out prior to 1 July 1992 (when the Building Consent provisions of the Building Act 1991, came into force).
Certificate of Acceptance Processing can take up to 20 working days.
Exempt Building Works
Schedule 1 of the Building Act details the type of work that does not require a Building Consent. It clarifies the types of Building Works that are exempt and who can carry out this work.
See Building Work that does not require a Building Consent here.