What happens once you have a building consent

Before starting work, you need to read carefully any conditions of your building consent. In certain instances the proposed building work cannot start until a resource consent has been obtained. If this is the case there will be a certificate, issued under section 37 of the Building Act 2004, attached to your building consent. This means you can only start work when the resource consent has been issued. You will also need to make sure you comply with any conditions of the resource consent. Council will not accept inspection bookings if a building consent has a section 37 certificate attached.

Building work must start within 12 months of the building consent being issued - otherwise the consent lapses. If you’re likely to need an extension, please get in touch. We can talk through the reasons and advise you on the extension application process.

During the building process

Here are some important things to remember during the building process.

• if your building project involves restricted building work you must review, and if necessary, update the Advice of Licensed Building Practitioners that you included in your application for your building consent. If there has been any change in the Licensed Building Practitioners you must complete a new form and send it to us.
• you and your contractors must read, understand and comply with the requirements of the building consent and follow any notes to ensure that you and the building project comply with the Building Act 2004
• if your building project also requires resource consent, you will need to wait until resource consent has been issued before you can start work. You will also need to make sure you comply with any conditions of the resource consent.
• if your building work involves new connections to wastewater, stormwater and/or water services, you will need to apply and pay the appropriate fees
• your building consent lists the inspections required at various stages of the building project. These can include inspections of the foundations, framing and insulation, plumbing, drainage, and claddings and flashings. Please read our information on building inspections it covers everything you need to know and do.
• you’re responsible for ensuring that all the inspections are completed, as without them you may not get a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) for the work. You can book an inspection by phoning us on 04 570 6754 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Note we need at least 24 hours’ notice for an inspection.
• you must have your approved plans and other documents on site at all times during the inspection process (either electronically or in hard copy)
• once the work is complete, the consent holder must apply for a CCC. This includes providing the relevant energy work certificates supplied by electricians, gasfitters, etc. If the project has involved restricted building work, you’ll also need to provide a Record of Building Work (PDF 159 kb) from each appropriate licensed building practitioner. You should be collecting a Record of Building Work for every building inspection involving Restricted Building Work as part of the documentation required for those inspections.
• when your building project has passed its final inspection, you may apply for a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC)
• if you haven’t applied for a CCC within two years from the date the building consent was granted we are required to decide whether to issue a CCC, unless we've agreed to extend the timeframe for making that decision.
• if your building is multi-unit residential, industrial or commercial and has specified systems, we’ll issue you with a Compliance Schedule when your CCC is issued. The Compliance Schedule covers the maintenance, inspection and reporting requirements for any specified systems in the building. Examples of these specified systems are emergency lighting or automatic fire-suppression systems.
• if you have a residential building project that includes a cable car you will need a Compliance Schedule with respect to the maintenance and inspection of the cable car
• you are responsible for ensuring that the Compliance Schedule's requirements are met and, on each anniversary of the Compliance Schedule's issue date, supplying us with a Building Warrant of Fitness.