GROUND-LEVEL VIEW OF THE LBP SCHEME

Builders’ Business is a column by builders for builders. Its objective is to provide a forum,  particularly for small business operators, in which to share knowledge, experience, tips and ideas

 

Q. What changes would you like to see made to the LBP scheme?

 

Firm: Universal Homes Ltd

Interviewee: Sunil Prasad

Role: Project Director

Location: Auckland

Staff: 62; builders are contractors

When issuing an LBP licence, work experience needs to be more thoroughly verified. Does two or three jobs constitute enough experience to become an LBP? In the days when NZQA did trade certificates, you had to do 200 hours and prove that experience. I had 20-odd years’ experience when I became a Design LBP. Some guys now are three or four years out of uni and they are an LBP. I would ask: ‘Have they done it totally under supervision? Can they do those projects on their own?’

Once, a nephew of mine was building a house, designed by a non-LBP but signed off by an LBP. I could see the standard of work wasn’t up there to be signed off. When the drains exited the foundation slab, they hadn’t checked the levels, then they dug the trenches and the drains wouldn’t work. It shouldn’t have been signed off. The solution would be higher entry requirements.

Another thing – an LBP retains responsibility on a project even once they are no longer employed by a company. But as an employee, you’re unlikely to have liability insurance. That’s a grey area and needs to be looked at.

 

Firm: Versatile Pukekohe

Interviewee: Wenny Lubbers

Role: Owner / Director

Location: Franklin / North Waikato

Staff: 10

I’m not sure what I would do to change it, but I don’t think the current scheme is very good. I let my Site LBP registration lapse in 2020, because I would have had to record nearly double the hours of on-the-job learning and elective activities compared to a basic LBP registration. And basically, as a Site LBP, I can run the site but not supervise restricted building work or issue Certificates and Records of Work. Before ceasing my registration, I had thought: ‘What’s the point of having Site LBP registration if you don’t have any legal standing over the actual build?’ Site LBPs should have some power to our credentials.

Also, the threshold to being an LBP must be too low, because being an LBP doesn’t make you a good builder. I know of one company – the owner was an LBP and didn’t even know how to use a hammer. He was signing off his builders’ work when he wasn’t a builder, only a business owner and telling a nice story so that he got his LBP credentials. You put in your application, your referees say they trust you, and then LBP vettors believe it. But you might not be suitable, so the process should actually check your building ability.

Also, you need to do a lot of hours online to keep your LBP licence – that system needs to be reviewed. One of my builders is really good but he’s dyslexic, so his wife helps him put in the computer study hours. That’s open for fraud, basically.

 

Firm: Broswick Builders Ltd

Interviewee: Todd Wickenden

Role: Director

Location: Central Auckland

Staff: 20

As a current LBP, I made a submission on this. I would like to see more discipline. If people are messing up, the Board needs to take their licences off them.

There are some pretty terrible LBPs out there. I’m pretty sure there’s not enough people to discipline them. I’ve heard there are thousands of complaints against LBPs and nothing happening.

Also, I don’t think you should be able to have a building company if you aren’t LBP-qualified yourself. Some companies aren’t run by builders and they hire LBPs in and just pay them a labour-only rate but put all the liability back on the LBP. They sub-contract the whole thing out so when something goes wrong, the LBP will be liable for it.

There should also be a limit on how many people an LBP can oversee.