Choosing your designer, builder and specialists

Hiring good professionals to help you can be crucial to the whole building experience.

When you ask a designer or builder to put in tenders for the job, you should consider price, examples of their work, qualifications, whether they’re a member of a professional organisation, and what guarantees they offer. If you’re still unsure, get an opinion from an independent person, for example a quantity surveyor or another builder.

See our ConsumerBuild website for more information on working with designers   and builders  .

From November 2007, design and building practitioners will be able to start applying to be licensed under the government’s licensed building practitioner scheme. Those who become licensed will have their names listed on a public register which you will be able to access online.

Under the licensing regime, which will start in 2009, consumers will be able to make complaints to the Building Practitioners Board about licensed building practitioners if they carry out substandard work.

Not every builder will have to have a licence. Find out more about the licensed building practitioner regime and who will need to become licensed.

Doing it yourself

Any building work that requires a building consent must be completed to the appropriate standards under the Building Code. Some work, notably gas, plumbing and electrical work, and, from 30 November 2009, some building and design work, must be done by a professional.

After 30 November 2009, DIY renovators will still be able to carry out work that falls outside the licensing regime. It is intended that they will also be able to do work usually restricted to licensed building practitioners as long as it is supervised by a licensed building practitioner.