Building consents are required for all sorts of buildings, from residential homes to apartments and industrial and commercial buildings – even for temporary structures such as marquees, grandstand seating and stages.
You’ll need a residential home building consent if you plan to:
- build a new house or add on to your existing one
- move a house
- do structural work, such as removing or altering load-bearing walls
- carry out earthquake strengthening work
- install a plumbing or drainage system
- build a fence or wall that’s more than 2.5m high
- build a retaining wall that’s more than 1.5m high (or one with an above-normal loading)
- build a shed more than 10m2 in area
- build a deck, platform or bridge that’s more than 1.5m above the ground
- put in a swimming pool or spa pool (or put a fence around a pool that doesn’t already have one)
- install a wood burner, solar panel or hot water heater
- create an outside fireplace
- install a cable car
- put a sign on your property.
For more detailed information about exemptions that apply, take a look at this information from MBIE.