Have you heard of the Owner-Builder Exemption?
The Owner-Builder Exemption ensures the Kiwi tradition of DIY building work can continue. However, there are criteria you need to meet to be considered an owner-builder:
You need to live in or plan to live in the home (this includes a bach or holiday home). You will carry out the restricted building work to your own home yourself, or with the help of your unpaid friends and family members. You have not used the Owner-Builder Exemption to carry out restricted building work to any other home in the previous three years.
If you qualify, you will not need to be or use a licensed building practitioner (LBP) for any restricted building work on your home. However, you will still need to apply for a building consent.
- How to apply:
You can apply for the exemption when you submit your building consent application. Any work you do will be listed as a do-it-yourself job on your Land Information Memorandum (LIM) for any future buyers to see.
- Remember:
All the building work you do must still comply with the Building Code, and will be inspected as usual during your building process.
- Exempt work:
You cannot carry out all aspects of construction work, even with an Owner-Builder Exemption. There is some specialised building work which must be carried out by a suitably qualified person. This work includes:
- plumbing
- gas-fitting
- drain-laying
- electrical work
And, you are responsible for the quality of work or any defects.
- Some extras to remember:
Any restricted building work that is not done by you or your unpaid friends or family members must be carried out or supervised by an LBP who holds the appropriate licence class. They must also give you a Record of Work.
You can still hire a designer to draw your plans. If the design includes restricted building work they will need to provide a Certificate of Work.
HDC will record the work and who it was carried out by on your LIM.
If you decide to sell the home, future buyers will have access to this information showing whether the building work was carried out by the owner or an LBP.
For more information please contact the Building Team at HDC:
https://www.hurunui.govt.nz/rrl/building-consents
Or visit this MBIE web link:
