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Licensing Update: Issue 2 

Welcome …

Welcome to the second issue of the Department of Building and Housing’s Licensing Update, focusing on developments in the introduction of the Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme.
Feedback from the first issue has been excellent, so we’ve decided to send these updates out more often – you’ll now receive one every 2 months instead of quarterly, as we’d initially planned.

In this issue we cover:

  • how your qualifications can be used as supporting evidence for your licence application
  • working groups on trade and specialist licence classes
  • the upcoming independent qualified person (IQP) consultation.

We also answer the interesting questions you’ve been sending us over the last couple of months. Please keep them coming.

Qualifications as supporting evidence

You do not have to have a formal qualification to be licensed, although any relevant qualifications you do have will be good supporting evidence of your knowledge and skills in your field of work.

A qualification is any degree, diploma or certificate (including trade certificates) from a recognised education provider such as a university or polytechnic, or a registered New Zealand industry training organisation (ITO) or private training establishment.

A qualification does not mean events such as attending a workshop or seminar, although these will also be good supporting evidence for your application.

Overseas qualifications

If you have recently arrived in New Zealand and want to use qualifications earned overseas as supporting evidence in your application, you will first need to have them evaluated by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

NZQA's Qualification Recognition Service will establish the nearest New Zealand equivalent to your qualification(s). If an international qualification is not comparable to any New Zealand qualification this will be stated on the assessment report.

You can find out more about this service from the NZQA website external website. or by phoning (++ 64 4) 463 3000.

Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement

Under this agreement, a person registered to practise an occupation in Australia is entitled to practise the equivalent in New Zealand, and vice versa, without the need for further testing or examination.

This ‘mutual recognition’ applies to occupations that have some form of legislation-based registration, certification, licensing, approval or other form of authorisation.

The Agreement aims to remove barriers to the movement of people in registered occupations across the Tasman, and to develop a trans-Tasman employment market and a shared skills pool.

The Department of Building and Housing is currently looking at this agreement in relation to the Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme, to see how a ‘fit’ can be achieved between the occupational classes in each country, and at what stage the agreement will take effect.

More information on this will be available during the early part of 2007.

Working groups reconvene

Carpentry will be the first of the ‘trade’ occupational licence classes to be introduced, initially on a voluntary basis in November 2007. Roofing, bricklaying and blocklaying and external plastering will be introduced, also initially on a voluntary basis, from 2008.

Each of these has its own working group, made up of knowledgeable people working in that sector, and they are all meeting this month (December 2006) to work on standards and assessment criteria for their respective licence classes.

The working groups for the specialist licence classes – Concrete Structures, Steel Structures and Building Services – will begin work in February 2007.

Independent Qualified Persons

Independent qualified persons (IQPs) carry out ongoing maintenance and inspection of ‘specified systems’ as part of the building warrant of fitness regime. Common examples of specified systems include sprinkler systems, lifts, hearing loops and ventilation systems. From 31 March 2008, cable cars that service buildings will also become specified systems.

The Building Act 2004 requires IQPs to be Licensed Building Practitioners from 30 November 2009. The Department plans to start public consultation early in 2007 on IQP licensing and a work programme to improve operation of the building warrant of fitness regime. The Department plans to start public consultation on IQP licensing early in 2007. A consultation paper asking for comment and feedback will be circulated to interested persons and, as a subscriber to this newsletter, you will be notified as soon as it is available.

Questions and Answers

The questions that follow were received in response to our first Licensing Update e-newsletter.

Q. Our design and drafting company is based in Australia but is looking to open up in New Zealand in the near future. We want to know what we have to do to be registered to practice.

Licensing is for individuals and the work they do in New Zealand, and not for companies. Whether you employ New Zealanders or Australians the same rules apply.

The New Zealand Department of Building and Housing is currently looking at how Australian licence classes will fit with New Zealand’s licensing scheme under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement, and we will be keeping the industry informed on progress with this through 2007.

Qualifications (relevant degrees, diplomas or trade certificates etc) and skill maintenance (such as informal training or continuing professional development programmes) can also be taken into account, if available.

Applicants for a licence will be assessed on the evidence of their work history, their knowledge of the regulatory environment they work in (eg the New Zealand Building Act and Building Code, and other regulations).

For information about setting up a business in New Zealand, you can look at the following website: www.immigration.govt.nz or go to www.nzembassy.com and follow the link for Australia.

Q. As a fire (place) installer I am required to remove rafters and ceiling joists to be able to install fires. I am qualified builder; what class of licence will I need?

Projects that don’t require a building consent now won’t need Licensed Building Practitioners.

Also, projects that require a building consent, but don’t fall into the category of ‘new work, change of use or major alterations’ can be done without using Licensed Building Practitioners. Examples of this include putting in a free-standing fireplace, installing one window or door, moving one structural wall or building a building not intended for human occupation such as a farm building or garage. These types of work are adequately covered by the current building inspection process.

So, to install fireplaces you will not need a licence. However, as you are a qualified builder, you might like to apply for a Carpentry licence after 1 November next year, to give you an extra marketing advantage.

Q. Do I have to be licensed to design a kitchen? Do I have to be licensed to install a kitchen?

The answer to both questions is no, as per the answer to the previous question.

Work that will not need a Licensed Building Practitioner includes:

  • work that does not require building consent
  • work that can be easily checked for quality through the existing building consent and inspection processes, for example, fitting an external window or door, or removing a single internal wall
  • work that must be done by an electrician or plumber (they already have their own licensing regimes) – you will need to use registered plumbers and electricians for the plumbing and electrical connections in the kitchen
  • minor alterations to an existing building that do not increase the floor area of occupied space, or change the use of the building, or extend the life of a temporary building, or subdivide the building
  • installing new kitchen or bathroom joinery.

If your work goes beyond designing and installing kitchens and any of the work outlined above, you may like to apply for the appropriate licences (such as Design 1, for straightforward houses, or Carpentry) to give you a marketing advantage and to extend the range of services you can provide in the future.

Q. I am disappointed that anyone can become a licensed builder without any formal qualifications. Doesn’t that make a mockery of doing an apprenticeship and getting qualified? I know that not all qualified tradesmen are good builders, but it would be a good place to start for registration. It is my belief that there are not enough qualified tradesmen left to do the work and so you have decided to let anyone apply in the initial stages of registration. By doing this you have effectively stopped all the good unqualified builders from seeking extra skills.

The Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme is about recognising skills, experience, a quality track record and professionalism. It is not about just having formal qualifications, although having a qualification can help support licence applications. The reality is that many people working in the building sector don’t have any formal qualifications, but are highly skilled and experienced. We must retain and value these people.

Applicants will be assessed against standards being developed with industry for each licence class. Applicants will be able to demonstrate their skills, experience and knowledge through their:

  • work history and project records
  • feedback from technical referees and clients
  • understanding of the responsibilities of their licence, including knowledge of relevant legislation (such as the Building Act and Code and the rules of the Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme).

An application can also be supported by:

  • any qualifications and training the applicant has achieved
  • evidence of skills development through participation in industry organisations and events.

In addition, licence holders will have to demonstrate on a regular basis that they are continuing to ‘keep up with the play’ through some form of skills maintenance programme, which might, for example, include attendance at trade conferences, supplier training days, involvement with their industry organisation(s), short courses or the like.

Over time, it is expected that qualifications and training for this industry will evolve to support the aims and requirements of the licensing scheme.

Q. One of our roles is the installation of air conditioning systems in residential and commercial properties. As such, are we required to be licensed?

No, you will not need a licence to install air conditioning systems.

However, when it’s introduced, you may like to apply for a Building Services licence if your business involves supervising others who install and integrate internal building services such as:

  • fire protection systems
  • heating
  • ventilating and air conditioning services
  • lifts and escalators.

This licence class involves specialist skills that the Site Lead on a building project could not be expected to supervise in detail, and it is expected that Site Leads will use people holding a Building Services licence to oversee the installation of complex building services.

More details will be available once the Building Services working group gets under way next year.

Q. The Ministry of Education accepted my qualification with a condition that I must work under a New Zealand registered architect for 48 weeks before registration. I tried my best to get a job even for free, but no architect would accept me, as I do not have New Zealand experience.

I suggest you contact the New Zealand Institute of Architects or one of the architectural design organisations and continue to pursue work opportunities in New Zealand.

The Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme is based on skills, experience and knowledge. Overseas qualifications can be included in a licence application but need to be assessed for equivalency with New Zealand. See the article earlier in this newsletter about getting overseas qualifications assessed.

Part of the evidence for assessing any application will be the applicant’s knowledge of the regulatory environment they work in – that is, the legislation, code and standards, and licensing rules that relate to their work. There will be workshops throughout the country during 2007 to help potential licence applicants meet this requirement. They will be publicised in this newsletter and throughout the industry from early 2007.

Q. If I build my own house, do I need a licence?

The answer is no. The Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme will not stop homeowners from working on or building their properties. That said, there will be some changes.

The DIYer will still be able build a deck, remodel a bathroom or kitchen, open out a dining room and the like.

However, if the DIYer wants to go further – for example, putting on an extra room or building a house outright – then he or she can do it, but core elements of the work will need to be supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner. This will ensure that the building is safe and sound for its occupants, including subsequent owners.

A Licensed Building Practitioner must be involved where the work is critical to a building’s integrity and the health and safety of its occupants. This relates to things like foundations, framing, cladding and roofing. A DIYer can still do these things, but it must be under supervision.

Supervising core DIY work in this way will add value to properties – when the owner-builder finally comes to sell buyers will see value in the work having had professional scrutiny from the beginning.

Licensed Building Practitioners will not be required for buildings that aren’t regularly occupied, like sheds, farm buildings and garages, or for work that’s easily checked, such as putting in a window or door, or removing or adding an internal wall.

If DIYers can demonstrate they have the knowledge, skills and on-the-job competence to meet licence standards, they will be able to get a licence and undertake work covered by that licence, even if that isn’t currently their primary profession.

From 30 November 2009, an unlicensed person who does unsupervised work for which a licence is required may be fined up to $20,000.

Q. What will be the status of newly qualified graduates of the National Diploma in Architectural Technology, the NorthTec Certificate in Architectural Technology and the NorthTec Diploma in Architectural Technology with regard to the three levels of competency?

The three levels of Design licence – 1, 2 and 3 – are related to levels of building complexity, not to qualifications. As you will see from the answer to an earlier question, there is more information on our website about the licence classes and how they relate to building categories.

The Licensed Building Practitioner Scheme is based on skills, knowledge and experience, as well as qualifications. Qualifications that cover areas such as design principles, construction systems and materials, law and environmental issues, and contract and communication skills are an excellent start to a career or back up for practical skills already gained. The qualifications you offer will be excellent evidence to support the application of anyone applying for a Design licence and, backed by practical experience and references, a significant step towards Licensed Building Practitioner status.

Q. I just want to get more information about ‘Site Services’ of the licensing scheme. Please give me more information about it.

The Site licence is one of the first licence classes to be introduced. You can apply on a voluntary basis from 1 November 2007. Your licence will show that you have the skills, track record and knowledge to do good building work and to stand behind it.

If you want to lead significant building projects, you will need a Site licence from 30 November 2009.

If you’re happy to work under the supervision of someone else who is licensed, you won’t need a licence.

The table below shows what the three levels of Site licences cover.

If you want to…
 You’d go for this licence…
Build
Straightforward houses
(e.g. weatherboard home)		  Site Level 1
(e.g. experienced house builder)
Moderately complex commercial or residential projects(e.g. small apartment block) Site Level 2
(e.g. experienced large-project builder or site supervisor)
Manage
Large or publicly important construction projects
(e.g. public hospital)		  Site Level 3
(e.g experienced large-project construction manager)
If you’re successfully working in the industry now and can demonstrate the required skills and a good track record, you should have no problem getting a licence.

 

You will be assessed on:

  • your work history and project records
  • technical references and client testimonies
  • your understanding of the responsibilities of your licence.

Your application can also be supported by:

  • any qualifications and training you have achieved
  • participation in industry organisations and events.

Please keep up to date with developments through this electronic newsletter, the Department’s website at http://www.dbh.govt.nz/occupational-licensing and your own industry organisations.

For more information on building practitioner licensing, visit http://www.dbh.govt.nz
or call free on 0800 60 60 50.