Strong turnout for LBP seminar 2026 return

A strong turnout and lively discussion marked the latest PlaceMakers LBP seminar in Kapiti, north of Wellington last week, with builders raising questions around granny flats, proportional liability and the role of councils and engineers in the consent process

Held at Waikanae Golf Club on Thursday 7 May, the seminar attracted 45 builders for a session led by John Tait, Building Services Team Leader at Carterton District Council, who brings more than 26 years’ experience in the field, alongside a background in carpentry, inspections, litigation and industry training.

Builders attending the event said the seminars offered practical insights into an increasingly complex industry environment, while also providing opportunities to discuss challenges with others in the sector.

Second-year business owner Hayden Alga, of Sharp Builder Limited, said the sessions helped confirm and challenge the way he approached projects.

“It’s good just to sit in and see what sort of relevant information comes up and what sort of aligns with what I’m doing,” he said.

Alga, who specialises in renovations, alterations and fixing leaky homes, said even though parts of the seminar focused on new builds, there were still useful takeaways.

“There’s still things you can sort of needle into and get some answers,” he said.

Granny flats a hot topic

The evening generated strong discussion around granny flats and consent requirements – topics that attendees said were becoming increasingly common in residential work.

Builder and LBP Todd Crighton, of iBuild, who has recently returned to the building industry in 2018 after 15 years running a motorbike shop, said seminars like the PlaceMakers series were useful for keeping up with industry changes and LBP requirements.

“I haven’t been to any of the other seminars, but it was really good and well worth going along. I definitely learned a couple of things.”

The seminar also prompted discussion around when builders should involve councils, engineers, designers and architects in renovation and design-build projects.

Alga said clearer guidance around those decisions would be valuable for builders working through increasingly complex compliance requirements.

“There’s sometimes a fine line in our game of when you do involve the council and when you don’t,” he said.

The Waikanae event forms part of a wider national series of PlaceMakers LBP Seminars, with further sessions scheduled around the country in the coming weeks. Builders attending the remaining events can expect discussion on industry regulation, practical building scenarios and changes affecting licensed building practitioners.

Dates and locations of seminars are as follows: 

Hawke’s Bay – PlaceMakers (Napier). 21 May. 5-7pm. REGISTER HERE

Auckland – Navigation Homes (Pukekohe). 27 May. 5:30-7:30pm. REGISTER HERE