Building inspections

Overview

The building consent process is about protecting people and property. Building inspections enable Council staff to check that your building work meets the conditions of your building consent.

Building consent inspections are conducted to verify that the granted building consent is being achieved through construction and thereby meets compliance with the Building Act 2004 and the building code.

At various stages during construction, you will need to arrange inspections to verify that the building work has been completed in accordance with the building consent documents. The inspections you'll need will be listed on your building consent.

When all inspections specified on your building consent are passed, you may apply for a code compliance certificate. This is documented assurance you have met the Building Act requirements.

Common inspections for buildings may include but are not limited to: foundations, concrete masonry and floor slab, pre-cladding and cladding, pool fencing, wet area membranes, framing, fireplaces, pre-line building and plumbing, post-lining, drainage and final.

Sometimes it's necessary for specialists to conduct inspections in addition to the inspections carried out by the building consent authority. If a specialist inspection is necessary, you will be advised before the consent is issued. Generally, these inspections are necessary to confirm ground stability or specific design by a registered engineer.

Book a building inspection

Fill in our online form with your preferred date for the inspection, and indicate if you'd prefer it to be in the morning or afternoon. 

We will phone you within 1 business day to confirm a time. 

Please note, if you cancel within 48 hours of your scheduled inspection, you may be charged a cancellation fee.

Click here to view form.

Alternatively, call us between 8am and 5pm to make your booking. Phone: 06 352 8777 

You'll need to provide:

  • the address
  • building consent number for the project
  • a trade licensed building practitioner number if the work includes restricted building work
  • name and phone number of the contact person who will be onsite
  • your preferred date and time for the inspection
  • the type of inspection required (refer to your building consent for the inspection code)

All approved plans and specifications must be kept on site with the building consent. Our building officers need access to the site and plans and specifications before they can carry out an inspection.

During an inspection

At the time of the inspection, you, your agent or your builder needs to be on-site. You must have print copies of your consented plans and any associated documents with you. If you don't, we will decline your inspection on the spot.

You must also ensure your site is safe and accessible for our inspectors. This includes providing a safe and suitable way for the inspector to access above-ground areas (for example, scaffolding). If you don't, the inspection may not be able to proceed.

Once you've provided the building officer with a physical copy of the consented plans, they will assess if the construction is in accordance with the building consent and will advise you of any issues. This may be in the form of a site instruction notice. In serious cases, the inspector may issue a notice to fix. In some instances, work may be allowed to continue even though the building officer has identified issues (such as not all work completed). This will be clearly articulated in the inspection report.

A copy of the inspection report, which records the inspection findings, will be provided to the applicant.

All fees including any levies must be paid before we can issue a code compliance certificate.

Notice to fix

A notice to fix is a legal document issued when building work does not comply with the Building Act or building code. A notice to fix may require all or part of the building work to stop immediately. Any action required must be completed within the timeframe specified in the notice.

Code compliance certificate

A code compliance certificate is a formal statement issued under section 95 of the Building Act 2004, advising that building work carried out under a building consent complies with that building consent.

Building owners must apply for a code compliance certificate as soon as possible after building work is complete, and preferably within two years from the date the building consent was granted.

You may need to provide additional information with your application. This may include:

  • energy certificates
  • as-laid drainage plans
  • producer statements, PS4 construction review, PS3 construction (as identified on the building consent)
  • evidence that any specified systems are capable of performing to the performance standard set out in the building consent
  • any information that was requested during the building inspections and has not yet been supplied
  • any other relevant information.

If the project includes restricted building work you'll need to provide a record of building work for all the trade licensed building practitioners. 

For a full list of the information required, check the building consent, building consent attachments, and the building inspection notes.

Apply online for a code compliance certificate

The Building Act requires Council to decide whether to issue or refuse to issue the code compliance certificate within 20 working days, following either:

  • the application for a code compliance certificate
  • or expiration of the two-year or agreed period since the date the building consent was granted (if no application has been made).

If further information is required to enable Council to make a decision whether to issue or to refuse to issue the code compliance certificate, you'll receive a request for further information. When a request for further information is sent, the 20 working day 'clock' is stopped and the application is suspended until the requested information is provided. The clock is restarted when all of the required information has been received.

A code compliance certificate is only issued when Council is satisfied on reasonable grounds that your building work is completed and complies with the building consent, your final inspection has been passed, any specified systems for the building are capable of performing, and your code compliance certificate application and required documentation have been received and accepted. Fees and charges, including any development contributions are payable before we issue the certificate.