INDUSTRIES WELCOMES BUILDING ACT CHANGES
Building industry players are welcoming changes to the Building Act which will mean better protection for homeowners. The changes require a written contract for any building work worth more than $30,000, and will also require builders to provide information about their skills, qualifications and track record. Registered Master Builders chief executive David Kelly said overall, the agency supported the changes and saw them as positive. He said the changes would mean homeowners would be more knowledgeable and better equipped to make decisions about their building projects. The changes also require a 12-month period where any defects must be repaired‘‘no questions asked’’, and means operators will be fined if they do not comply with warranties, contracts or providing information. Building and Housing Minister Nick Smith said the law change aimed to ensure better quality work, improved affordability and fewer disputes. He said the new regulations would ‘‘reinforce the good practice of many contractors while constraining people only interested in making money at the expense of doing a quality job’’. The changes came into effect on January 1.
(The Nelson Mail Friday, January 09, 2015)
TO REBUILD OR DEMOLISH
It's a tough decision for owners of the elegant Trathen's building
Trafalgar St's most ornate surviving commercial facade, the Trathen's building, is under threat after being placed on the Nelson City Council's earthquake-prone list. The building with its curved feature window, built in the early 1920s, was home to one of Nelson's leading department stores for many years, and is in a prime position in the block between Bridge and Hardy streets. Classified in the council's Group B category for retention, it is still in the hands of the Trathen family, who say they are gathering reports and evaluating their options. A council spokeswoman has confirmed that they have been given until December 2019 to either strengthen it to the required 67 per cent of the new building standard, or demolish it. The strengthening requirement was lifted to 67 per cent from 34 per cent of NBS in March last year, following a fresh examination of building safety in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes. Trathen Properties chief executive Michelle Trathen said she hoped there would be enough information to make a decision within a few months. She said the building was part of Nelson’s and her family’s history. They were looking at all possibilities including saving only the facade, the single part of the structure that was subject to the heritage listing. Strengthening work had been carried out several times over the years, most recently in 1989, but it fell well below the new standard. There was no access to the upper three floors, which limited what could be done. Meanwhile, Tasman’s policy for earthquake prone buildings was due for review in 2011, but the council decided to delay it, pending the outcome of the Government’s legislative changes. Spokesman Chris Choat said once the policy was set, there would have to be notification of the affected buildings. However the council has made a list of its non-complying significant community buildings and detailed the work required. The buildings include the Richmond Town Hall, Motueka Memorial Hall, Motueka Museum, Wakefield Hall, Collingwood Hall and Riwaka Hall. The council allocated $500,000 towards the upgrade of these buildings in its 2014-15 annual plan.
On Shaky Ground
Some others on the Nelson City Council’s list of earthquake-prone buildings as at December 19, with the date the owners must comply with the new building standard. Work has been done on some of the buildings but they are still noncompliant: Malbas, Bridge St, September 2016 (category B listing) Bowater Hyundai showroom, Hardy St, June 2017. Salvation Army Family Store, Vertical Limits, Vanguard St, July 2017. Trafalgar Centre, December 2018. Melrose House, Brougham St, April 2019 (category A) Hunter Furnishing, Achilles Ave, July 2019. State Cinema, April 2024 (category B)
(The Nelson Mail Friday, January 09, 2015)
HOUSING CONSENTS AT SEVEN-YEAR HIGH
Housing consents have hit a seven year high and a rise in consents in Canterbury played a big part, according to Statistics New Zealand. New home consents increased by a seasonally adjusted 10 per cent in November, after a similar rise in October when home consents fell 12 per cent in September. Consents were issued for 2420 new dwellings in November, with about one-fifth of the consents for apartments (474). Excluding apartments, which can fluctuate from month to month, building consents were up 2.1 per cent.
(The Nelson Mail Saturday, January 10, 2015)
"THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK"
