Two builders fined for 'incompetent work'

It was revealed this year that up to a third of building inspections are failed in Auckland. Photo / Getty

Two builders have copped fines from the industry watchdog for their negligent and incompetent work - and one has lost his trading licence.

The Building Practitioners Board cancelled Aucklander Hao Zhang's carpentry and foundation licence his poor workmanship on a "specifically engineered retaining wall".

Mr Zhang's name has also been cut from the register of licensed building practitioners and he was fined $2500 for not complying with a building consent.

"The board said that Mr Zhang failed to understand the potential ramifications of his decision to cut reinforcing steel off to fix an error. He also drilled and placed new starter bars in the foundation without any form of bonding to the concrete," says a summary, released today.

"Mr Zhang failed to consult with the engineer or the designer and instead continued with a solution that did not meet the required performance factors for the retaining wall to be constructed and in doing so displayed a serious lack of care and competence."

Another builder, whom the board did not name, was fined $3000 and ordered to pay $2500 costs for flouting a building consent. He was also found to have brought the licensed regime into disrepute.

"He showed a flagrant disregard for the law by not uplifting the building consent and for the requirement for resource consent despite his extensive knowledge and experience of the building consent process," the summary says.

It was revealed this year that up to a third of building inspections are failed in Auckland, prompting the council to work with the industry on quality control as construction booms.

The registrar of licensed building practitioners Paul Hobbs said the latest cases highlighted the importance of obligations on builders covered by the regime.

"It's imperative to the overall regime's success that people who are licensed are seen to be playing by the rules and not adopting a different set when it comes to their own work," he said.

"The first complaint highlighted the importance of [licensed builders] following plans and specifications that form part of a building consent. Any significant deviation from the consented documentation should be dealt with through a formal amendment or a minor variation to the consent.

"When issues are identified on a building site the appropriate people should be consulted and any proposed changes should be discussed with the building inspector to avoid any unnecessary complications during the building consent process."