Building Consent

‘Easy and convenient’ isn’t what you’d normally think about having to get building consent, but we pride ourselves on making it easy for you.

If the changes you need for your plumbing are simple we can:

• Answer all your questions
• Lodge your building consent application for you
• Talk with Wellington City Council on your behalf
• Keep you posted about what you need to do.

No hassle. We know the ropes and we know how to make it easy.

If your plumbing is part of a larger job – such as a new kitchen or bathroom – you might also need an architect or a draughtsman. No sweat. On top of all the above we can also:

• Connect you with professionals we know and trust to do the job right
• Make sure you understand and are happy with the plans for your work
• Make sure you understand and are happy with the specifications of the equipment that will be installed.

We’ll work as a team to get the building consent approval you need and keep you informed every step of the way.

Most of us know we need building consent for major home improvements like building a retaining wall or extending out towards a boundary. But what about an apparently simple plumbing job?

Sometimes it’s obvious and sometimes not so much. You’ll always need to get consent if you are:

1. Adding one or more new fixtures such as an extra tap, sink, shower, or toilet

Any new fixture will require new water and waste pipework to be installed to NZ Building Code Standard, and signed off by Council inspection.

2. Making major changes to your existing water pipes and/or waste water pipes 

If you add a second bathroom or en-suite that increases the load on your existing pipe system. So you’ll need new pipework, which must be inspected and confirmed by the Council as having been correctly installed.

3. Installing a wet area tiled shower

Thinking of replacing your acrylic tray shower enclosure with a wet area shower with tiled floor and walls? The walls and floor need to be waterproofed and signed off by the Council before your tiling can start. You may even need some building work done before the waterproofing can happen and that could be subject to Council sign-off too.

You may be able to do a major cosmetic overhaul of your existing bathroom, laundry or kitchen without requiring building consent for plumbing. The key thing is whether you make any major changes to the layout of your pipework.

If none of your plumbing fixtures move AND the work is done either by a certifying plumber or a licensed plumber under supervision of a certifying plumber, then you won’t need consent.

Just remember, you may need building consent if you:

• Make structural changes to your home
• Make significant changes to the cladding on the outside of your house
• Add on a room.