Page 94 - Build 161

Departments/LBP knowledge
By Vincent Kneebone, Senior Technical Advisor, Occupational Licensing, MBIE
Exempt building work – part 2
Part 1 of this series in the last Build covered o the basics of exempt building work and some of the easy to measure exemptions. In part 2, we go into a few of the more complex exemptions.
AS A BRIEF recap, all building work requires a building consent except for work exempted under Schedule 1 of the Building Act 2004. Schedule 1 lists the building work that does not require a building consent.
MBIE has issued guidance on Schedule 1 with helpful and practical examples – see Guidance: Building work that does not require a building consent.
Check to see if you need a consent
Don’t forget to check if you need a building consent. This will help you avoid nes from councils or penalties from the Building Practitioners Board. You can check by reading the MBIE guidance and contacting your local building consent authority. Exemption 8 – replacing windows and exterior doorways in existing dwelling and outbuilding All work in connection with a window (including a roof window) or exterior doorway in an existing dwelling or outbuilding of not more than 2 storeys in height is exempt work.
However, if you are replacing a window or doorway, that item must not have failed
its durability test under clause B2 of the Building Code. Based on the current Code, this means that the existing item that is being replaced must have satis ed the not less than 15-year durability requirement.
You will need a building consent if the item needs replacing within 15 years of installation or if the building work modi es a speci ed system such as when installing a roof window results in repositioning a sprinkler head.
This exemption covers structural and weathertightness work as long as the
purpose of that work is to install the window or exterior doorway.
Exemption 11 – changing internal walls and door- ways in existing building
Changing an internal wall or doorway is exempt building work unless the wall is:
● loadbearing
● a bracing element
● a rewall – a barrier designed to limit the spread of re, heat and structural collapse ● part of a speci ed system such as electro-
magnetic or automatic doors
92 — August/September 2017 — Build 161