Building a house in New Zealand
The New Zealand Building Act
In New Zealand the building of houses is controlled by the Building Act 2004 which applies not only to the construction of new buildings but also to the alteration, demolition and maintenance of existing buildings.
The main reason for having building controls is to ensure buildings are safe and healthy to live in.
There is a three-part framework for setting out these controls:
- The Building Act 2004 sets out the law on building work.
- The Building Regulations contain the mandatory New Zealand Building Code, and also the rules about building consents and building inspections.
- The New Zealand Building Code sets out performance standards that all building work must meet, and covers aspects such as fire safety, access, moisture control, durability, services and facilities.
Implementation of the 2004 Act
New Zealand Institute of Building
More information on building a custom designed house can be found at Architecture-NZ