Building Inspections and Approvals

If the proposed change is significantly different to your approved plans, you must apply for a formal building amendment to the approved building consent through our online system Objective Build.

Some examples of building amendments include, but are not limited to:

• Any alteration that increases or decreases the floor area of the building
• Relocating or removing internal load-bearing supports
• Substantive changes to ground level, resulting in changes to foundations or retaining structures
• Changes to fire safety aspects

An application for building amendment is processed in the same way as a building consent application.  Council is required to process the amendment application with 20 working days. Fees and charges will apply. Building amendments can usually be processed quickly, however this will depend on the level of complexity.

The building amendment application must be approved prior to undertaking the building work.

There is now a requirement to provide building product information, including specific details, to consumers for designated building products.

Regulations have been made to provide building product users with information about how building products contribute to compliance with the Building Code. They place obligations on Aotearoa New Zealand-based manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, retailers, and distributors.

Building Consent Authorities (BCAs) have no new responsibilities, but the information provided by building product manufacturers will require a level which should help BCAs with more efficient consenting. If the BCA has concerns with a product or see deficiencies in the product information that cannot be resolved, the BCA is recommended to notify MBIE. The regulations only apply to products manufactured or imported after 11th December 2023. No products after this date can be supplied without product information that meets the regulations.

The BCA will still need to check that building work and the products used are compliant with the Building Code via the building consent process. The BCA will also still be able to request additional information about a building product to better inform their decision about a building consent application.

Click on this link to view further information on this topic. Building Product Information Requirements

Minor variations or formal amendments

A minor variation is a minor change to a building consent that does not usually affect compliance with the Building Code.  The approval of a minor variation is at the discretion of the Building Officer and generally requires a separate inspection to be booked.

Examples of minor variation changes could include:

• change of one product to a comparable product
• minor re-positioning of external openings
• minor changes to wall bracing
• change of layout of plumbing fixtures

Sometimes a submitted Minor Variation application is not minor, and a building amendment application will be required for the changes.  Some examples of these are:

• changes to cladding systems and roofing
• changes to the approved footprint of the building
• changes to siting
• any changes that would have to be assessed by other Council departments, i.e. development engineering, infrastructure or planning

If the building consent has been issued where building work has started, and you want to make a minor change to the approved building consent plans you will need to:

1.     Stop work on the part of build you want to change

2.     Have plans and supporting documentation updated by your designer

3.     Upload updated plans and supporting documentation with minor variation application from to Objective Build.  You will need to either phone Council or email our Building Support team buildingsupport@kaipara.govt.nz to assist you with uploading the required documents.

4.     Book an inspection – noting the inspection is to cover a change to building work.

5.     Minor variation Onsite application for minor variations to approved plan.pdf

The application and information will be reviewed by the building officer during the site inspection.

Please refer to the link below that provides guidance from MBIE for assessing MV’s and the differences between these and amendments.

Minor variations guidance | Building Performance

If the building officer decides that the changes are beyond the scope of minor, you will need to submit an application for a building amendment to the building consent, through Council’s online building consent system, Objective Build.

Council may need the following:

• Minor variation application form
• Certificate of Works if the alteration involves Restricted Building work (CPeng, registered Architect, or LBP designer)
• Details of proposed alteration
• Owners signed request or authorisation for product substitution (this is important when a product differs from what has been consented)
• Inspectors’ authorisation of the minor variation proposal (they will assess whether the Minor Variation is correct, or whether it is actually a formal building amendment whereby if it is, the minor variation will be declined).

For an inspection to take place, the approved Building Consent documentation is required to be onsite as this is used as a means of verification of construction against the consented documents.

Please note: If the inspector arrives onsite and the documentation is not available, they will not undertake the inspection.  We may, however, charge you for our visit. Please remember therefore that it is your responsibility to ensure the inspection is cancelled the day before if the building work will not be ready for inspection.

At the conclusion of each inspection the outcome will be recorded on the inspection report, and the completed report will be emailed to the applicant’s nominated recipient address.

If a copy of the inspection report is desired by any site personnel, the applicant must be contacted by the site personnel for this to be actioned as the Building Inspector is unable to add a new recipient to the email.

If the building consent was issued prior to May 2014, triplicate, paper-based 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 completed inspections will be recorded and available to the applicant through the Objective Build system. The result and any further requirements will be emailed to the applicant/agent.

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 onsite
• date and time the inspection is required (am/pm); and
• type of inspection i.e. plumbing, drainage, foundation, pre-slab, pre-line etcetera.
• Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) details for any applicable Restricted Building Work (RBW)

Building inspection times in Kaipara

Note: approx. 75-80% of building work is done in the Eastern area (i.e., Mangawhai, Kaiwaka, etc). For this reason, the BCA has had to allocate inspections accordingly with limited days for Central and Western areas. To alleviate this inconvenience, we have made a rule that the 48-hour notice does not apply to Central and Western areas. Inspections may be booked right up till 3 pm the day before.

• Eastern (Mangawhai) – 5 days per week with 48 hours’ notice required
• Central, and Western area (including Dargaville) – 4 days per week (Mon-Thu) with bookings taken up to 3.00pm the day before

In the latter half of 2025, the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (MBIE) is introducing new policies to reduce building inspection wait times, with the goal of having 80% of inspections completed within three working days. This is part of a broader effort to streamline the building process and improve efficiency. The information published in the table above is designed to provide you with confidence of the BCA’s commitment to meet these new targets.

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 inspections may involve having a geotechnical engineer confirm ground stability, a building surveyor confirming the finish floor level, or having an aspect of specific structural design checked by a chartered professional engineer. Inspectors will require specific site notes by the professional at the time of the inspection. If these are not available at the time of inspection a block on further inspections will be placed and you must provide the required documentation to Council before the block is removed. Whether the inspection at the time can proceed is at the discretion of the inspector. A Producer Statement Construction Review (PS4) will be required from above-mentioned engineers before Code Compliance Certificate can be issued.

Please ensure you read inspection requirements as well as associated conditions and are familiar with them before commencing work.

One of the very first requirements is to establish that the location of the building is in accordance with the consent. This can be done by having a minimum of three (3) registered survey pegs; however, the lines must be strung accurately and be easily measured to the building. A survey certificate is often required that must state the building is set out in accordance with the consent.  

For your inspection, please ensure that:

• the approved plans and specifications required for the building are on site for the inspector
• the site is safe and accessible for officers to conduct the inspection
• there is a site representative present – the carpenter/drain layer/project manager/owner etc

The inspector will assess the building work against the issued/ approved building consent and specifications for compliance, and these must be made available to the inspector. This is referred to as “verification of construction to consented documents”.

The products, systems and methods that were consented must be used in accordance with the approved plans, and specifications will be carefully checked for compliance with the issued building consent. 

Please ensure that the site is made safe and accessible for the inspector including compliant scaffold where required, dogs are under control, and that the building work related to the inspection has been completed in accordance with the issued building consent.

The types of inspections typically required to determine compliance with the issued building consent are:

Note: In general, the inspector will carefully check whether any engineers were required to certify any work. This is usually associated with special engineering design. The site notes must be available to the inspector to confirm approval. If these are not, while the inspection may proceed, it will result in an inspection “fail” and an inspections block will be added to the consent until the required document has been forwarded to Council. After confirming receipt and confirmation of the appropriate documentation, the inspection block will be removed and inspections may continue.

• Foundations – siting confirmation is required which may be either registered boundary pegs, a minimum of three (3) (forming a right angle) alternatively a registered surveyor’s certificate that confirms the location of the building.  The inspector will check the ground is firm (using a spear), that the trenches, or holes are clean, water removed, clearances to reinforcing, lapped, tied and clean; any damp course is well taped and continuous.
• Under slab plumbing – for raft slabs this is normally the first inspection, therefore the siting requirements (as above) are required. Drains under slab will be checked for correct fall, bedding, pipe sizes, priming used in joins and the pipes must be tested for leaks by either water or air test etc. 
• Slab – As above siting must be confirmed if not previously done. Layout of slab, any thickenings, DPC, blinding under DPC and reinforcing including mesh and bar chairs etc.
• Blockwork – Blocks will be checked for reinforcing including any bond beams, cover, sizes, lintel linkages etc. Washouts are required over 1.2 meters high and must be visible and clean from debris etc.
• Framing (pre-wrap)- This is a big inspection, where all aspects of framing will be inspected including, framing sizes, treatment, structural grade, lintels, beams, point loads, general layout of bracing and uplift fixings. The truss plan must be available to check all roof framing details. If there are any concerns regarding boundary proximity a height in relation to boundary surveyor’s certificate may be required.
• Post-wrap/ Cavity – This inspection will check all weather tightness details including, building wrap used, cavity baton size, type, treatment & fixings, junctions, flashings, penetration protection etc.
• Pre-line – This inspection is the last to confirm the internal linings can be installed. Items inspected will include checking around the building to ensure it is weather tight, insulation, moisture content (this is usually 18 % due to plasterboard level finish 4). If the consent was for alterations or additions, sometimes this inspection is incorporated with the framing inspection.
• Post line – this inspection will check all bracing fixings as well as wet areas that have tile substrate. Please ensure whatever substrate is used that the fixings details specified have been followed.
• Membrane (internal) – This inspection will check the pre-tiling waterproofing system used, coverage, bond breaker tape, penetration protection including waste protection.
• Membrane (external) – this inspection is regarded as high risk and items checked will be consented system, installers certification documentation, good coverage & clean, joins well sealed including penetrations, drainage that is required at base etc.
• Plumbing & drainage in general – these inspections include pre-line plumbing, underslab plumbing (see above), The similarities of these are with regard and include, primer used on all joins, test for leaks (water or air test), pipe sizes, good bedding (usually gap 7 or sand – refer to consent) and laid straight with correct gradient.
• Final inspection – This inspection includes gathering up all required documentation, checking all previous inspections have passed, ground levels, cladding sealed and painted, driveways formed with correct fall to cess pits, wastewater systems installed in accordance with the approved building consent, gutters, downpipes, cladding penetrations sealed; internal layout as per the approved building consent, all plumbing fixtures trapped, fixture to wall seals, shower not leaking, smoke alarms in correct positions etc.     

If an inspection has failed, this could be due to either:

a.     the building work was not completed in accordance with the approved building consent, or

b.     the building work was not completed to a satisfactory stage to be inspected. The work to be rectified will be recorded on the inspection report and referenced as a ‘Formal Directive.’

The inspection report issued for failed inspections should clearly identify what has failed and precisely what is required to rectify the building work.

In most cases another inspection will be required to re-inspect the work and the inspection report will state either ‘a re-inspection is required’ or ‘no re-inspection is required’.

The inspection report will contain all the information you need to know. Should anything be unclear please feel free to call our Customer Service team and log a service request for clarification. A building inspector will review the inspection report and contact you back within 48 hrs to clarify.

All failed inspections must be resolved before further building work relating to the failed outcome can continue. An agreement for ‘conditional continuation of work’ can be established for building work that is not related to or impacted by the failed inspection result. No further inspections relevant to the failed area can be booked until the identified problems are resolved

Please note: Re-inspections may be charged for.

If the building work is not remedied to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector, it is likely that a Notice to Fix will be issued.

If a building consent lapses, it is of no effect if the building work to which it relates does not commence within

(a)   12 months after the date of issue of the building consent; or

(b)   any further period that the building consent authority may allow.

Kaipara District Council will only consider an extension of time prior to a building consent lapsing.

Applicants will be sent reminder letters at least 1 month prior to any decision regarding the building consent lapsing.

A building consent that has lapsed will not be considered for an extension of time as it no longer exists. If you wish to pursue the building project, you will need to reapply for another Building Consent.

A Notice to Fix is a statutory notice requiring a person to remedy a breach of the Building Act 2004 or regulations under that Act. A Notice to Fix can be issued for all breaches of the Act, not just for building work.

Where building work has been done under a current building consent, and a Notice to Fix requires remedial work to be completed, it will describe the work to be carried out.

For example:

• certain work is to be remedied
• the specified person is to consult with a qualified person (for example, a structural engineer)
• the specified person is to apply for a building amendment to the building consent detailing the design changes provided by the consulting engineer
• no remedial work is to be undertaken until the building consent has granted and issued.

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.

If any building work has been undertaken without a consent, for which one was required, a Notice to Fix will be issued, and the building work must cease except for when the building site or building work needs to be made safe.  

Enforcement of Notices to Fix is undertaken by the Territorial Authority (Council). For more detailed information regarding Notices to Fix please refer to MBIE’s link: Issuing notices to fix | Building Performance

A Producer Statement is a professional opinion based on sound judgement and specialist expertise. It details how specific building work, design or specifications complies with technical requirements, in order to comply with the provisions of the New Zealand Building Code or a building consent.

The statement is signed by a recognised specialist (such as a geotechnical or structural engineer or architect) working within their scope of expertise and competency. It’s their responsibility to ensure that they meet the requirements of their industry code of practice, and that the Producer Statement is complete and accurate.

Producer Statements (PS) are typically provided in relation to:

a.     structural engineering

b.     geotechnical engineering

c.     civil engineering

d.     fire engineering

e.     heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems

f.      glazing for specific designs and commercial projects.

You’ll need to provide a Producer Statement with your application if you’ve engaged an engineer to carry out structural design work as part of preparing your building plans. They will have to provide you with a PS1 to submit with your application, and a PS4 at the end of the project stating that they've supervised the implementation of the design and that the work complies with the New Zealand Building Code.

For information on Producer Statements please go to: https://www.engineeringnz.org/resources/producer-statements/