Do you carry out exempt work?

Do you carry out exempt work under Schedule 1? What are the pros and cons?

Firm: Ohlson & Whitelaw Ltd
Principal: Craig Ohlson
Location: Whitianga
Staff: 10

We don’t do a lot of the exempt work under Schedule 1. It does have a number of benefits, though, including that building owners can look after their properties, including any repairs or maintenance, without having to get a building consent.

Also, not having to deal with councils, or the extra cost of plans and permits, is an advantage, particularly in cases where they would be greater than the cost of the actual building work.   

On the downside, anyone is able to perform work under Schedule 1 exemptions, so it’s difficult to ensure that the work actually complies with the Building Code.

Firm: Leader Homes Ltd
Principal: Kevin Neil
Location: East Auckland
Staff: 8

Everyone does at one or stage or another. To me, a major negative is that it creates a loophole, so that work can be deemed as maintenance and therefore not require a consent, when it probably should. Bathroom upgrades are an example: waterproofing and changing internal linings need a consent, but people could classify it as maintenance and avoid getting one. 

Having exemptions is a good start, but I think what is included needs to be looked at more closely by a working committee. Personally, I feel that there is currently a lot of room for manipulation and that DIYers have too much scope to tackle jobs around the home.

Self-certification is also pretty topical at the moment, but there have been too many examples of poor work shown up in the media recently to make it practical, because it throws a cloud over all builders in some people’s eyes.

Even though the current system isn’t perfect, it’s the one we have and is more thorough than self-certification.

Firm: Mudge Builders
Principal: David Mudge
Location: Wellington
Staff: 2

We do some repairs and maintenance work under it, and occasionally other work too.

While I support the idea of exemptions under Schedule 1, I think it needs to be clearer about what is and isn’t included.

For example, if you were performing repairs or maintenance on a wall where 50% needs to be replaced, and you’re using the same materials, at what point does that become a recladding job, which requires a consent?

At the moment, it isn’t very well explained. It can also cause confusion for customers, who might think they don’t need a consent and wonder why you’re asking them to pay for one.

I think the most important thing for both contractors and customers is to make sure that if they are unsure whether or not work is exempt, they should go and have a conversation with their council.

You might not agree with what they say, but because of how liability is dealt with now, you really need to make sure you’ve got it right!