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Building inspections
You will need to arrange inspections, at various stages of construction, to check that the building work complies with the conditions of the building consent and the requirements of the Building Code.
What happens during the inspection
One of our building inspectors will inspect the building work.
Before any work can be inspected:
- your building consent must be granted
- the consent owner or a representative must be present at the inspection.
You must provide safe access to the site and work that is being inspected.
This includes:
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Safe Site an untidy site can be dangerous; the inspection may be refused until the contractor has made the site safe and tidy.
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Access the contractor must make equipment available in order to inspect difficult to access areas.
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Equipment scaffolding, stairs, etc, must be correctly installed and safe for use. If equipment is not available, the inspection may be refused.
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Noise please turn down or switch off loud music or machinery during inspections so that the inspector can speak comfortably with the contractor, when needed.
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Asbestos contamination on site is dangerous; the inspection may be refused until an approved contractor has removed it.
You must have the approved building consent documentation
on-site with you
at all times.
How building work is inspected
The inspector will:
- compare the building work to the consented plans and associated documentation
- identify any amendments to the approved plans
- check that any consent conditions have been satisfactorily addressed
- complete an inspection checklist and let you know the outcome of the inspection.
Why might my inspection fail?
The inspector may fail an inspection if:
- the building work doesn't meet the requirements of the building consent
- you or your agent are not on site at the requested time
- you or your agent don't have the approved documentation.
What happens if you want to make a plan change?
During construction you may need to ask for a plan change to your consented plans.
For more details on the difference between amendments and minor variations, see:
What happens after the inspection?
A copy of the inspector's checklist is emailed to the customer advising the outcome of the inspection, either a pass or fail.
If the inspection has passed, you may continue with the building work.
What happens if my inspection fails?
The inspector will advise that the inspection has failed and:
- provide you with a list of items that need to be fixed
- let you know if work can continue while you fix the failed items
- tell you that you need to book a re-inspection of the fixed items, at an additional cost.
In some cases, an inspection may fail due to major non-compliance and this must be corrected immediately.
If it is not, we may issue a "Notice to fix", a legal document that:
- includes instructions to help you meet the Building Act and Regulations
- may require you to apply for an amendment to the building consent.
If you fail your final inspection, the outstanding work or information must be completed within 60 working days or a full re-inspection of the building work will have to be made.
Our tip
You should have a clear timeline for your building work and book inspections well in advance to avoid delays on site.
Additional Content
Learn more about the types of inspection available from our
online inspection glossary.
Related topics
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