The Inspection Process
What inspections do I need?
During processing of the Building Consent Application we will determine what inspections will be necessary to enable us to be satisfied on reasonable grounds that compliance will be achieved. Each inspection will be identified along with the requirements for that particular inspection. A list of inspections will be attached to your Building Consent.
The type and number of inspections required for your project will be listed on your approved Building Consent document.
Council may also require a Producer Statement Construction (PS3) from the contractor who carried out this work.
Inspections by Others
Sometimes it is necessary for specialists to conduct inspections in addition to the inspections carried out by Council. If a specialist inspection is necessary you will generally be advised before the Building Consent is granted.
Typically these types of inspections may involve having a geotechnical engineer confirm ground stability, or having an aspect of specific structural design checked by a registered engineer.
In this case a Producer Statement Construction Review (PS4) will be required from above-mentioned engineers.
Please ensure you read inspection requirements and are familiar with them before commencing work.
How do I book an Inspection?
Building inspections are booked through the Customer Services Team on 0800 727 059 (do not contact the building inspector directly).
Inspections are undertaken by appointment only.
You will be required to provide us with the following information when booking an inspection:
- Building Consent number;
- site address;
- name and telephone number of contact person on site;
- date and time the inspection is required (am/pm); and
- type of inspection i.e. plumbing, drainage, foundation, pre-slab, pre-line etcetera.
NB: It is your responsibility (or your contractor’s responsibility) to notify Council at least two clear working days before you require an inspection. See the guide below for inspection timeframes:
Inspection booking timeframes | ||
---|---|---|
Call received | Before 3pm | After 3pm |
Inspection will be done | Inspection will be done | |
Monday | Wednesday | Thursday |
Tuesday | Thursday | Friday |
Wednesday | Friday | Monday |
Thursday | Monday | Tuesday |
Friday | Tuesday | Wednesday |
How do I know if the inspection has been passed?
For an inspection to take place the approved Building Consent documentation is required to be onsite.
N.B: If we arrive on site and the documentation is not available we will not undertake the inspection. We may, however, charge you for our visit.
At the conclusion of each inspection the outcome will be recorded on the inspection notice, completed and provided by the Inspector.
If the consent was issued prior to May 2014, triplicate Field Advice Notices will be used with one copy left onsite showing the checklist, result and any further requirements.
For consents lodged after 01 May 2014 the inspections completed will be recorded on the electronic AlphaOne system. The result and any further requirements will be emailed to the applicant/agent or contact onsite.
What if the inspection has not been approved?
If an inspection is failed, the work to be rectified will be recorded on the inspection notice. In most cases another inspection will be required to inspect remedial work.
Re-inspections may be charged for.
If the work is not remedied to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector, it is likely that a Notice to Fix will be issued.
What is a Notice to Fix?
A Notice to Fix is a formal notice issued by Council advising that certain works have not been carried out in accordance with the Building Code.
If a Notice to Fix is issued, you are required to address the issues identified within a prescribed timeframe to prevent further action being taken.
Enforcement of Notices to Fix is undertaken by the Territorial Authority (Council).
Do I need a Practical Completion Inspection?
Yes, all Building Consents require a Practical Completion Inspection (final).
Your consented building work should be completed within two years of the date that the Building Consent was granted.
If you cannot complete the work within this timeframe it is essential that you contact us to discuss possible ramifications.
If we do not receive advice of practical completion within two years of granting a Building Consent then we will automatically make the decision to refuse issue of Code Compliance Certificate until we are notified that you have achieved Practical Completion.
When all work has been completed in accordance with the Building Consent a Code Compliance Certificate may be issued.