Alterations to drains

This is a new exemption, introduced in October 2008.

Exemption (ac) of Schedule 1

A building consent is not required for the following building work:

(ac) the alteration to drains for a dwelling, if the alteration—

(i) is of a minor nature (for example, shifting a gully trap); and

(ii) does not include making any new connection to a service provided by a network utility operator; and

(iii) is carried out in accordance with the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act 1976.

Guidance

This exemption enables a licensed registered drainlayer to alter existing private drainage. The exemption only relates to residential dwellings and will usually occur where there are alterations to existing bathrooms, kitchens, laundries and toilets.

New connections to public drainage are specifically excluded from this exemption.

Examples where this exemption could apply

Examples where building consent is required

A kitchen is reconfigured and the kitchen sink is moved to an adjacent wall, requiring the existing gully trap servicing the kitchen to be shifted on an existing drain. A toilet pan has been repositioned in an existing bathroom and it is connected into the existing drain. Installing an access point for unblocking drains.

An alteration to a branch drain is proposed that will now exceed 10 metres in length, triggering the requirement for venting. This is new work and is no longer an alteration, so a building consent is required. An existing laundry is reconfigured in a garage and the laundry tub is moved to an opposite wall. As a consequence, the main drain will need to be extended and a building consent is required.