A voluntary licensing regime for workers in the building industry would come in from November, Building and Construction Minister Clayton Cosgrove said today.
He said there would be seven levels of licensing, depending on the complexity of building work or the role being undertaken.
People who could applyfor these licences included designers, builders, site supervisors, construction managers and carpenters.
Mr Cosgrove said minimum standards or competencies had been set for each licence class.
For instance, to get a carpentry licence, carpenters would need to show skills ranging from planning and scheduling their work through to demonstrating that they could set out and construct floors, walls and roof frames and install, finish and make weathertight exterior joinery.
Assessors would determine if applicants met the required standard of competency by examining their documentation and through face to face interviews and other methods.
Six more categories of licence would be added next year, which would apply to external plasterers, roofers, bricklayers and blocklayers, specialists in concrete structure, steel structure and building services.
Mr Cosgrove said having a formal qualification was not mandatory for obtaining a licence, and skilled people with a good track record should have no trouble meeting the criteria.
People without licences would still be able to work in the building industry but from November 2010 some specific restricted work would need to be supervised or done by a licensed person.
The minister assured do-it-yourself (DIY) home handymen and women would still be able to build a straightforward house from scratch or add a room but options were being looked at to ensure home buyers would know whether a house was built by a licensed practitioner or a DIY person.
Mr Cosgrove said the licensing regime had the support of the building industry because it wanted its reputation enhanced and the quality of New Zealand homes and buildings improved.
