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In these newsletters, we cover the latest building industry news, trends, and tips. In this particular issue, we touch on a decline in building consent applications, volunteer work by our BCOs in Auckland, cladding inspection changes, and the importance of quality consent documentation.
Building trends
I hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful break over Christmas and New Year, but the festive season already feels like a long time ago considering we find ourselves in March already!
Getting into our building trends, consent applications have been declining since September last year. 185 building consent applications were received that month, declining to 83 in December and 71 in January 2023. Although both months are historically low for consents, the latest numbers are the lowest we’ve seen for the last seven years. February is looking to follow the trend with another month of consent numbers sitting below 100.
High build costs, high interest rates, and lower house prices are now resulting in less planned builds than we have experienced for many years.
Our Processing team has reduced its reliance on contractors with the falling consent numbers but our Inspections team is still very busy, particularly in Wānaka with Longview alone requiring one full-time building inspector. We even have inspectors travelling from Queenstown to the Upper Clutha to assist. Eventually, inspection numbers will follow consent numbers down and start to decline, probably within the next three months.
Chris English
QLDC Building Services Manager
Volunteers assist flood-stricken Auckland City
In early February, a team of four Building Control officers from Queenstown Lakes District Council travelled up to Auckland to assist Auckland City Council with Rapid Building Assessments on properties affected by flooding. The team consisted of Peter Meikle, Garth Swan, Rhys Cunningham and Carmeny Field.
Rapid Building Assessments are a quick review of the damage to a building or surrounding land, to determine whether a white, yellow, or red placard is placed on the building (commonly referred to as a sticker). Having previously undertaken specific training for these assessments, the trip to Auckland provided our BCOs with valuable real-world experience, and the opportunity to lend a hand to a community and a Council in need. The worst affected areas had already been assessed, so most of the properties looked at by our QLDC team were in isolated pockets of suburbs, or not obvious from the road. These were properties reported to the Emergency Management team by owners.
While most of the rain had stopped when our staff arrived, Auckland was hot and humid, with a damp and unpleasant smell hanging in the air in areas where flooding had occurred. Staff shared that it was devastating seeing front yards and verges filled with water damaged possessions, but inspiring to see so many people helping neighbours, friends, and family through such a difficult time.
Cladding inspection changes
We’ve recently made some changes to the Pre-Cladding inspection for multi-storey buildings. These changes will make it easier to check completed complex junctions and completed cladding for buildings over one storey before the final inspection takes place, as there is usually no access to the upper levels for the inspectors at that stage.
Moving forward, staff will not only check the wraps, flashings, and cavity system are installed and ready for the cladding and joinery, but also check the completed cladding and flashings on buildings over one storey high. A second inspection will be required at a later stage and undertaken before the scaffolding is removed. Staff will also inspect the completed roof.
The inspector carrying out the pre-cladding part of the inspection will let the site contact know if they need to book in the extra inspection to sign off the upper storey cladding. Your inspection will stay in progress until all elements have been inspected.
We’ve also updated the name of the inspection to “Cladding” to reflect these changes.
You’ll find a list of all required inspections in our IS SI Site Inspection Descriptions document. If you have any questions, please contact us via email building@qldc.govt.nz or phone 03 450 0369.
Efficient processing and reduced requests for further information on a building consent application start with quality documentation. Applications can be accepted with either hand-drawn or CAD drawings, but whichever you choose, all drawings and details should use the same methodology.
A combination of hand-drawn and CAD drawings is not acceptable.
In the past, our team has seen biro sketches or notes, highlighters used, and pencil sketches provided on consent documentation. Our team still sees some documentation of this quality now (although, it has reduced considerably), which can lead to a consent taking longer to process as it’s more time-consuming finding and reviewing details.
Tips for submitting a good application:
· Drawings submitted either as technical hand-drawing or CAD
· Plans, elevations, sections, and all applicable details provided and of an appropriate scale with dimensions provided, particularly in relation to E2
· Order drawings logically. For example: plans and elevations sections followed by details
· All relevant details should be provided in the plans. If details are provided in several locations with no clear referencing from the plans, this results in time spent finding details in other documents
· Provide call out details. Often, we receive applications with no call out details which result in unnecessary time spent cross-checking against sections, and ensuring all applicable details have been provided
· Clear text used for notes, keeping these concise. Repeating information often results in contradictory information
Consents received with documentation that is not considered good quality will be rejected at checking. The application will be accepted once the quality is improved and of a standard that is suitable for processing.
Quality documentation and applications assist with efficient processing, which helps keep the time taken to process a consent down and in turn reduces costs and unnecessary requests for further information. Quality documentation also ensures plans can be clearly followed by all those that interact with them, from contractors to homeowners.
To view previous issues, please visit: https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/building-services/additional-information/brace-yourself-building-services-newsletter
If there is a topic that you would like to see covered, please let us know by emailing: chris.english@qldc.govt.nz
