Inspections & Code Compliance Certificates
Inspections
During the processing of the building consent, we will determine what inspections will be necessary to satisfy us on reasonable grounds that compliance will be achieved.
A list of required inspections (advisory notes and conditions, if applicable) and any documentation requirements for that particular inspection will be attached to the issued building consent (Form 5).
Please note that you cannot start building work until the building consent and/or any other consents (Resource consents) or approvals have been granted.
For an inspection to take place, the approved Building Consent documentation should be available on-site, as the construction is checked against this documentation. We recommend that the lead contractor or their representatives be on site for all inspections.
It is important the inspector can gain safe access to the site and or building to inspect the building work.
Please call 03 769 8600 to book each inspection. Grey District Council requires the applicant to provide at least two working days' notice prior to each required inspection.
You can find information on inspection types here.
Sometimes it is necessary for a specialist to conduct inspections or 'construction monitoring' in addition to the inspections carried out by Council. If a specialist inspection is necessary, you will be advised before the consent is granted and an agreement made on what this will cover. Typically these types of inspections involve having a geotechnical engineer confirm ground stability or having an aspect of specific structural design checked by a registered engineer.
Each building site is unique and will have its own individual requirements so it's important you read the documents and pay particular attention to any conditions listed on your building consent, construction documentation and advice notes. All consent documentation must be kept on site at all times. To help identify your particular site, please ensure adequate signage is in place, especially in remote or rural locations.
Inspection results
The inspecting officer will record the inspection outcome on the inspection notice and an electronic or a paper copy will be sent to relevant parties.
Inspection results will be forwarded to relevant parties. The inspection notice will detail any items of building works that are considered to be incomplete and/or non-compliant. If building works are incomplete and/or non-compliant, the Building Control Officer will state on the inspection notice whether the works are to be stopped or continued (under specific conditions) or if a Notice to Fix could be issued.
In these cases it's reasonable to assume that further inspections by Council will be necessary and this will also be indicated on the Notice of Inspection. If any of your building work is not approved at the time of inspection, you or your builder will be asked to rectify it and in the more serious cases, may be issued with a Notice to Fix detailing what must be done and by when.
A Notice to Fix (NTF) is a formal notice issued by the BCA/TA advising that there has been a breach of the Building Act.
Building Act 2004 - Issue of Notice to Fix
Amendments
During the construction phase of your project, it may develop that changes are necessary to the building design/construction. Changes to construction depicted in the consented documents are required to be captured as a minor variation or a formal amendment prior to those changes being carried out/constructed.
Formal amendments are significant changes to the design and must be submitted to Council for approval in the same way an application for Building Consent is made. Formal amendments usually require revised plans, specifications and/or other documentation to be attached to the application. Refer to Applying for a Building Consent.
Small/Minor changes can be proposed without the need for a Formal Amendment if they do not affect the overall compliance with the approved documentation. This is a Minor Variation. The changes need to be approved by the inspector either onsite, by the inspector recording the approval in an inspection report, or via email from the Council offices. This will require professional judgement by the Building Control Officer to judge each case on its merits, assess and consider the significance of the proposed change and made and record a decision. Minor variations may require revised plans to be provided either to the inspector (for an onsite variation) or via the consents portal, Objective Build.
Code Compliance Certificates
Once the building work is satisfactorily completed according to the approved building consent, a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) can be issued. The CCC is verification from the Council (as BCA) that it is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the building work complies with the building consent. It is an important document and should be retained for future reference.
Obtaining a Code Compliance Certificate is mandatory and should be applied for as soon as is practical after all the building work specified in the building consent is complete.
GDC’s preferred method of accepting CCC applications is via the online portal ObjectiveBuild. If there is an issue with lodging an electronic application, please contact us on 03 769 8600.
An owner or appointed agent must apply for a CCC by submitting the Form 6 application which is found on the ObjectiveBuild portal.
To ensure a complete application, if applicable, the following must be included:
- any records of work provided by licensed building practitioners,
- any energy work certificates,
- current manufacturer’s certificate for components where the work includes modular components.
Council has 20 working days to decide whether to issue, or refuse to issue, a CCC. If additional information is requested (RFI), the countdown of statutory working days pauses. Information requests will be emailed to the agent. Please note that if the requested information or advice is not received within 28 days, the application may be refused as per the Building Act section 95A.
If your building consent includes the provision of specified systems, the Code Compliance Certificate will be issued alongside a building statement of fitness compliance schedule statement and a compliance schedule. This only applies to a new build.
The Building Act requires owners of buildings with specified systems to have a compliance schedule and to provide the Council with an annual Building Warrant of Fitness. Residential properties do not require a compliance schedule unless a cable car is installed.
Occupying your building before the CCC is issued
If your building is residential, then you can occupy it before CCC is issued.
If your building is open to the public, whether for free or payment of a charge, the building can not be used / occupied until a Code Compliance Certificate is issued, if a Building Consent has been issued for part or whole of the premises.
This is because public premises will generally have systems within the building which contribute to life safety and well- being of the building user. (These systems are called specified systems).
In certain circumstances it may be possible to apply for a Certificate for Public Use, which will allow a building to be used before the Code Compliance Certificate issued. An application will need to be made on the correct form and has a fee associated with it. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, a Certificate of Public Use is not intended as an interim signoff on the building and should not be used as a substitute for a Code Compliance Certificate.
What are public premises?
Any building which is open to the public whether for free or payment of a charge, including:
- shopping malls, cinemas
- marae
- camping grounds
- garages and workshops
- funeral homes
- office / retail complexes
- rest homes
Fees
Council will raise a final invoice to cover all outstanding costs associated with the balance of fees payable (e.g. processing of any amendments received, additional inspections over and above those determined at the processing stage etc). This will need to be paid before Council can issue the CCC.
Please refer to the fees and charges document located in building consent section.
