Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Building consent rules change: Rotorua homeowners set to save $30k

Felix Desmarais
By Felix Desmarais
Local Democracy Reporter ·Rotorua Daily Post·
4 Sep, 2020 04:00 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Home improvement enthusiasts in Rotorua are likely to save $30,000 from the relaxed rules. Photo / Getty Images

Home improvement enthusiasts in Rotorua are likely to save $30,000 from the relaxed rules. Photo / Getty Images

Rotorua home improvement enthusiasts are collectively set to save about $30,000 in the next year, as a change to building consent rules will make it "easier and cheaper" to make basic home improvements.

However, a Rotorua builder says it could make shonky builds easier for "cowboy" builders.

The rule changes, which came into effect on Monday, mean building consents will no longer be needed for projects such as carports, sleep-outs, sheds, verandas and porches as long as they fit within certain size requirements.

Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa said the changes meant "less red tape and lower compliance costs for homeowners".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

She said it would also help improve the productivity of the construction sector, which would support the Covid-19 economic recovery.

The new exemptions cover single-storey detached buildings up to 30sq m, including greenhouses, awnings, and outdoor fireplaces.

Each year, the changes are expected to result in 9000 fewer consents nationally for councils to process, and could save homeowners across the country up to $18 million in costs.

Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa. Photo / File
Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa. Photo / File

Rotorua Lakes Council operations manager Jocelyn Mikaere said because many of the changes had a number of conditions attached, the council expected an increase in inquiries relating to the exemptions.

"In the short-term, this means the changes probably won't result in significant time saving, but in the long-term we should see a positive impact on the building consent process.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We're hoping that in time these changes will mean customers applying for consents will experience a quicker turnaround time."

She said between August 30, 2019 and the same date this year there had been about 30 to 40 building consents that would have matched the exemption criteria.

The most common type of consent issued by the council that would now be exempt was farm buildings under 110sq m, Mikaere said.

The next most common was garages and carports up to 40sq m, then ground floor verandas and porches up to 30sq m.

Mikaere said the council would see a revenue drop of about $28,000 in the next 12 months as a result.

Discover more

Second Rotorua councillor running for Parliament

27 Aug 10:15 PM

Two cycleways possible for Te Ngae Rd upgrades

01 Sep 03:51 AM

'Priority issue': The state of some Rotorua homes revealed

04 Sep 01:00 AM

High five decision: Council's climate change plan moves ahead

03 Sep 04:16 AM

Steve Wright Builders owner-operator Steve Wright said the changes helped fast-track builds but it could also make things easier for "cowboy" builders.

"It's opening a can of worms.

"You've still got to build to building standard.

"It's good that this is in, but there's no policing."

He said the consent process was so "long and drawn out" that it probably had a deterrent effect on cowboy builders.

Wright said the consequences were often felt when people attempted to sell their properties.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Up Front Builders owner-operator Rhys Johnston said cowboy builders were an issue whatever the rules were.

"It's been going on the whole time anyway."

The exemptions allowed for the Kiwi culture to "have a go", although buildings still needed to be up to code for insurance and re-sell purposes.

There was an opportunity for some builders to secure more business as the overall cost was now cheaper, Johnston said.

"It's a cost saver, at the end of the day."

• For more information on what falls under the new exemptions, visit building.govt.nz/buildit.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post
|Updated

Nurses strike as patient care concerns escalate

Rotorua Daily Post

On The Up: 'All are cousins' as Pacific ties celebrated, Rotorua welcomes teams

Premium
Sport

'Our greatest strength': Rotorua Boys' High School collect a fifth national title


Sponsored

Digital tool helps kids make better food choices

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Nurses strike as patient care concerns escalate
Rotorua Daily Post
|Updated

Nurses strike as patient care concerns escalate

Hospitals will remain open with limited staff for essential services.

01 Sep 06:45 PM
On The Up: 'All are cousins' as Pacific ties celebrated, Rotorua welcomes teams
Rotorua Daily Post

On The Up: 'All are cousins' as Pacific ties celebrated, Rotorua welcomes teams

01 Sep 06:01 AM
Premium
Premium
'Our greatest strength': Rotorua Boys' High School collect a fifth national title
Sport

'Our greatest strength': Rotorua Boys' High School collect a fifth national title

01 Sep 02:49 AM


Digital tool helps kids make better food choices
Sponsored

Digital tool helps kids make better food choices

01 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP