Malcolm Fleming: Certified Builders CEO on the proposed building law change to building small dwellings

The Government promises “granny flats” of 60 square metres or less will be easier to build after planning changes that will force councils to permit small dwellings on rural and residential zones without resource consent.

Making it easier to build granny flats was part of NZ First’s coalition agreement with National. NZ First leader Winston Peters, taking over as Acting Prime Minister while Christopher Luxon is in Japan, used Monday’s post-Cabinet press conference to announce consultation on changes that would fulfil that policy promise.

“Making it easier to build granny flats will make it more affordable for families to live the way that suits them best,” Peters said.

“Over a quarter of households that do not own their home spend more than 40 per cent of their income on housing. High housing costs have a greater impact on Māori, Pasifika, and people with disabilities, as well as seniors - so unlocking the space in the backyards of family members opens the door to new ways of living.

“We know granny flats are a great option for seniors, but they’re also increasingly popular with other families such as those who want homes where their university-age children can live at home but maintain some privacy and independence, or families who want to provide extra support to a loved one,” he said.

Feedback's being sought on the proposed change.

Certified Builders Chief Executive Malcolm Fleming told Mike Hosking that it's good that proposed designs are required to meet the building code.  

But he says there's no checking to ensure designs and constructions adhere to the building code, which isn't such a good thing. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Changes on the way to make it easier to build
small dwellings without consent. New laws will allow you to
build something up to sixty square meet as they were
calling it a granny flat yesterday. The final policy expected
to be in placed by the middle of next year.
You zeven certified build a CEO. Malcolm Fleming is with
us on this. Malcolm, very good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good mine, am Ike Guarante speaking.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Does it make sense.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Boarding speaking, We're welcome and proposed to fast track residential
building projects by not being allowed required to stand a
loan fillings through up to sixty squaremens. They have a
resource of buildings consent as decision intro allow people to
get on and build small projects. Something we're here from
our members that homeowner is a keen.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
To do exactly.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
So the thud parts of the resource consent and building
consent as I represent builders up just quickly chat about
the building consent aspects and the proposal as I was
presented yesterday came in afternoon, so we haven't had a
good opportunity to look at the detail. Will require the
proposed design to build to meet the building code, and
that's got it. That is a good thing. Though there

(01:02):
was no checking to ensure that the design, the construction
themselves adheres to the Burden Code. And that's not such
a good thing.

Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, this is right now, this is what worries making.
So you're going to hire a good builder. They'll do
a good job, no problem at all. What are the
downstream effects is if the person who thought they buhired
a good builder didn't they sell the house. I've got
a grandy flat that turns out to be a dunger
because the guy was an idiot. What happens then?

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yeah, what the proposal looks like one, it's imperative that
if people who choose to go down this track, and
I'm presuming it's going to be an option for people
to undertake a builder will build with a building consent
or not with the building content. For those who do,
it's imperative that they use a trade qualified builder and
nd CBS twenty three hundred trade quied building businesses in

(01:50):
the country. There's what it also boils down to, Mike,
is whether a homeowner wishes to save the cost of
a building consent, which NB is indicating their documents sits
between two and three thousand, two thousand and five thousand
dollar range or three hundred and fifty k build. We're
also removing the ongoing safeguard of having the council sheer
response by when you build the phase horizon in the

(02:12):
future and somehow as may see there as a Bible
tray of others may not.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
It'll be interesting to see. Of course, they're out for
feedback and all that sort of thing, so we'll see
what happens and see what changes they make. I will
talk more about that after seven o'clock this morning. That
is Malcolm Fleming, who's the New Zealand Certified Builds Chief Executive.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio