Licensed Building Practitioner numbers reach 10,000
Media Release
25 October 2011: A national building competency scheme established to ensure that buildings and homes are designed and built right the first time is this week celebrating licensing 10,000 tradespeople.
The Government’s Licensed Building Practitioners (LBP) scheme was launched in 2007 to raise standards across the building and construction sector and consumer confidence in the quality of work carried out. The scheme is administered by the Department of Building and Housing.
“New Zealanders want to know their homes and buildings are properly designed and built by people who are competent to do the job,” says Katrina Bach, Department of Building and Housing Chief Executive.
“Knowing that an LBP is doing their building work gives consumers the confidence it will be done by someone who is properly qualified and can be held accountable for the quality of their work. The LBP scheme takes the guess work out of knowing who is – or isn’t – qualified to do the job. “
Designers, carpenters, brick and block layers, foundation specialists, site managers, external plasters and roofers each have a set of competencies to meet before they can be licensed.
For those working in the residential building sector, being licensed will be even more important from 1 March 2012 when only LBPs will allowed to carry out or supervise certain building work.
Any building work which is structural and/or affects weathertightness of a home will need to be carried out or supervised by a LBP. If not, the building may not be given a Code of Compliance Certificate by the building consent authority.
“A strong and skilled building and construction sector is vital to New Zealand’s economy and prosperity. The LBP scheme underpins an efficient and accountable sector focused on quality and high standards of workmanship,” say Ms Bach.
Further information about the licensing scheme, including the online register of LBPs and restricted building work, is available on the Department’s website: www.dbh.govt.nz