Every building project is different so having an understanding of what approvals you need before you start is essential to building it right and making it a success.

Many building projects will require building consent before undertaking the building work. If the proposed building or activity does not comply with all of the relevant rules in the Christchurch District Plan then resource consent will also be required.

All building work must comply with the building code(external link) and the rules of the district plan, whether or not a building consent is required. 

MBIE have put together short courses on New Zealand’s building regulatory system(external link) and overview of the roles and responsibilities(external link) within NZ building regulatory framework.

You may also find it helpful to have a look at the roles of Councils and MBIE(external link) in NZ building industry.

Have a look at the stages of the building process(external link) published on the MBIE’s website to get an idea on what is involved.

If you're going to manage a project, be aware of your responsibilities.

If you're not the project manager, it still pays to know your rights and obligations in the buying and building process so you can protect yourself and others within the law.

For more information, refer to the MBIE: Know your rights: A homeowners guide to the consumer protection measures when building or renovating(external link) section that also has helpful information about selecting a contractor for your project. Have a look a more detailed breakdown(external link) of the key responsibilities and steps required if your work is not exempt (external link)from a building consent.

LINZ(external link) provides information about property owner rights, property locations, features, boundaries and ownership.

We have also put together some additional resources(external link) to help you get started with planning your project.

There’s helpful information on MBIE’s website about choosing the right people for your type of building work.

There are several ways you can approach your search:

  • Practitioner search on the Licensed building practitioners web-site.
  • Find an engineer on the Engineering New Zealand website.
  • Find an architect on the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
  • Search Builderscrack.
  • Internet or Yellow pages.
  • Contact your friends, neighbours or your community groups to see if they could recommend you someone.

You must have a written contract for residential building work with a value of $30,000 or more (including GST). However, you can have a contract for any project, regardless of the cost.

A written contract is always a good way to ensure you and your contractor understand your rights and obligations from the start of a project, so make sure your contract spells them out.

For example, your contract should include a payment schedule, a dispute resolution process and information about who does what in the building process.

For more guidance, refer to the MBIE: Why contracts are valuable(external link) section.

An owner must apply for a code compliance certificate after all building work has been carried out and the building consent is completed.

If you need to remove any of the following Building Act entries from a record of title, please contact the Council’s external legal services provider, Anderson Lloyd at mike.kerr@al.nz.