​The 3 most common questions I get asked about kitchen or bathroom renovations

Are you a plumber or a specialist kitchen and bathroom installer?

Do you stay up to date with New Zealand Building Law? 

The Building Act 2004 isn’t just for builders; it’s something you need to keep abreast 

of too, that way you’ll ensure that;

• You do the best job for your customers. 
• You stay within the law.
• You protect your professional reputation. 

As a building law educator, I’ve been in this game long enough (over twenty years) to know that sometimes things get lost in translation between local councils, builders, sub-contractors and homeowners.

There’s a lot of misinformation floating around out there, and I’m often quizzed about things you can and can’t do without consent in terms of kitchen and bathroom renovations.

So I thought I’d answer three of the most common questions I get asked on this subject.

1. Do I need a consent for my kitchen alteration?

If you are just swapping out joinery or replacing an old dishwasher with a modern one but using the same place then no consent is required. If, however, you are adding electrical sockets, or a new sink with new hot and cold water and drainage then you do need a building consent.

2. If I put in a wet area shower do I need a consent?
Yes. This changes the waterproofing of the walls and the fall that is needed for waste water to get to the drain so you do require a building consent for this upgrade.

3. Can I move the bathroom fixtures around without a consent?
Yes, but only if you are using the same plumbing. 

• Let’s say you have an old house with an existing vanity and bath in it, and that there's a nonstructural wall between this area and the toilet.
  
• You want to pull down the wall and buy and put more modern fixtures into the space. 
• You will use the same hot and cold water outlets and the waste will go through the same drains. 
  
• No building consent is required but you will need a certified plumber to help you with items such as the toilet as they are the only ones allowed to remove and replace it.

If you’d like to hear more from about what you can and can’t do in terms of building renovations and alterations to ensure you stay within the law, please connect with me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter!

Or join BuildNet, your One Stop Shop for building compliance training and advice.