February March 2015

NEW ZEALAND’S MOST QUALIFIED BUILDERS

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

InHouse THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CERTIFIED BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND

ARE YOU SORTED FOR CONFERENCE? 21st to 23rd May 2015 PAGE 14

BRINGING CERTIFIED PLANS TO LIFE!

HAPPY ENDING FOR HISTORIC LOMAS HOUSE

NZ CARPENTRY APPRENTICE CHALLENGE 2015

PAGE 4

PAGE 22

PAGE 28

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CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

IN THIS

ISSUE Message from the Chair

1

From the Operations Desk

2

Certified Plans

4

Around the Regions

9

Feature: South Island Conference/Expo

14

Feature: 2015 Contract Changes

17

Feature: Business Fundamentals

18

Feature: Conferenz

21

Centrespread - Lomas House

22

ITAB

28

Feature: ACC Beating Fatigue

33

Feature: Building Act Amendments

34

Feature: Beacon

36

Feature: Licensing

43

Message from the Chief

45

The New Year has started and the signs are looking excellent for us builders. I trust you all had a great Christmas break and are getting into your work with enthusiasm. As expected the government in its wisdom foisted a whole new set of compliance onto us just as we were getting over New Years Eve! Like a lot of others I was caught out on my first day back on site.

Fortunately as members of Certified Builders all the necessary documents are available to us and we can proceed with confidence. Please ensure you are familiar with all the new requirements and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact the friendly people at our National Support Office. It is probably a good time to have a serious look at your processes. All this paperwork takes time and it is so important that we all allow for not only the onsite work which means dollars in the bank but also the onerous but necessary record keeping that a modern construction business requires.

As I mentioned it is likely to be a great year for the sector but too much work can be as much of a problem as too little. Prudence would dictate that you should only take on what you can easily manage and the ever-increasing shortage of skilled and even semi-skilled people will only make matters worse. Good cashflow management will ensure a respectable profit at the end of the year so err on the conservative side and all should be well.

Housing affordability especially in Auckland and Christchurch will continue to be a hot topic both politically and socially and we look forward to some innovative responses to this vexing issue.

On a more positive note it looks as though the exceptional weather this summer is going to continue for some time so enjoy while it’s there.

And stay safe on the building site.

Cheers,

Dave Brown Chairman

Contact Farming House 102 – 104 Spring Street PO Box 13405, Tauranga Central, Tauranga 3141 Phone: 07 927 7720 | Freephone: 0800 CERTIFIED Fax: 07 927 7721 | Email: editor@certified.co.nz www.certified.co.nz INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

1

ASSOCIATION NEWS: From the Operations Desk

FROM THE OPERATIONS DESK Jason McClintock – Operations Manager

Crystal ball gazing

2

New law changes:

Awakening of the small businessman:

It has been pleasing to see the high number of Certified Builders attending the current round of ToolBox Seminars on the new Consumer Protection Measures, which were placed on building contractors 1st January 2015. Our members appear to be a lot more settled about these than those who are non aligned within the Seminar audience, I put this down to the level of information which members have been taking on board over the last six months in preparation for change.

Many small business operators will not make it to the twelfth round, I am horrified at the hours our members are putting in just to satisfy compliance. Looking to assure myself that the dark cloud in my crystal ball was simply a passing shower and not darker days ahead, I put pen to paper to see what the compliance expectation of a small operator on an average build looks like. I was taken back as my list dropped of the bottom of an A4 sheet.

I would normally be the first to put my hand up and welcome change into our industry, as change should mean progress forward, however as I look into my crystal ball for inspiration I’m struggling to summons support for these new law changes as builders are once again going at it for twelve rounds. I am fearful for those who will become casualties of case law. Let me explain, there are several aspects to these law changes which have a rational intent but are so poorly implemented in legislation they become unworkable, setting the builder up for failure. We all know the homeowner does not need all the product/component warranties of building a home when the reality is only those accessible to them are likely to ever need a warranty claim. Nor do they need to be told three times the products to be used within the project, unfortunately building contractors are now bound to this. These requirements are neither productive, cost efficient nor practical for all involved. Our industry supply chain is woefully ill prepared to deal with the demands from our builders when sourcing insurance, product and service warranties and guarantees. There is an exception to the rule here regarding the readiness of CBA Insurances and the 10 Year Homefirst Builders Guarantee.

For most we know these implied costs are not being passed directly across to the owner, instead builders are absorbing the impact, working well into the night.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Several wise heads attending our ToolBox Seminars have informed me the current state of our industry is not a good business model. It is becoming grid lock with poorly implemented legislation.

We can all fly under the radar and do just enough to get by, just as we currently do with the Licensed Building Practitioner scheme, but one day there will be a day or reckoning. I look into my crystal ball where the dark clouds are intensifying, beads of sweet appear on my forehead as I see Risk Based Consenting on the horizon.

Going twelve rounds: There are a couple of options for the small business operator, reduce the amount of compliance you need to face, this might mean you are no longer working for yourself, consider a change in company structure such as amalgamation. Grow to a size which can absorb the compliance costs, but above all; seek knowledge.

Knowledge is the builders cheapest insurance because the school of hard knocks and rework will take a builder out in the tenth round.

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gib.co.nz/aqualine * Winstone Wallboards BRANZ Trade Survey December 2014.

ASSOCIATION NEWS

WELCOME TO 2015 This is shaping up to be a great year progressing Certified Plans even further with increased membership, new plans, new tools in the Tool Box and many Certified Plans being built.

BRINGING CERTIFIED PLANS TO LIFE!!

ZJ Builders have nearly completed their “Kakapo” build in Tauranga with the client moving in at the end of February. Everything has gone according to plan and Zach has enjoyed working with acdarchitecture making adjustments to the plans where required.

www.certifiedplans.co.nz

4

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Our latest Certified Plan build, the “Totara� is underway in Pukekohe by Deon Neville, D Build. The floor slab went down before Xmas just soon enough to avoid damage from a heavy shower that went through. The anticipated move in date is early June.

We look forward to hearing from other Certified Plans members about their journeys bringing a Certified Plan to life working with the client and acdarchitecture.

NEW MEMBERS! MORE NEWS ABOUT CERTIFIED PLANS....

Welcome Robin Littlejohn - Rob Littlejohn Builders and Nigel Lawson - NJL Builders Limited

WEBSITE OPTIMISATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES With the optimisation of the mobile website now complete, reports have shown an increase of online traffic using mobile devices searching for plans and in turn increasing the enquiries from the home owner to the builder. Timing is perfect to have this completed as we have been being running a new online campaign for Certified Plans which commenced at the end of January running for two months.

PRICING To assist you with faster turnaround times for pricing of Certified Plans we have begun approaching merchants asking if they would like to offer such a service. Carters have been the first to come on board and have now supplied an Estimate Template reference sheet to be utilised when requesting an estimate from your local Carters store. Simply quote the Reference number for the plan that requires a price and they will do the rest. Please contact julie@certified.co.nz if you did not receive this template.

TIP: To keep all Certified Plans information together we suggest you save this template to your Certified Plans USB card supplied in your Start Up Package.

For further information contact Julie at National Support Office: julie@certified.co.nz 0800 237 843 www.certifiedplans.co.nz

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

5

BUILDING LAW CHANGES PART TWO:

THE NUTS & BOLTS January 1, 2015 saw changes to the Building Act and Regulations come into force that effect every Builder and all other Building Trades.

These changes included new responsibilities for builders such as the need to provide potential customers with formal pre contract checklists, written company disclosures and have written building contracts, together with the requirement to attend to any defects reported by the customer within a period of 12 months.

Our previous seminars have covered the what, why and when builders need to undertake certain new responsibilities to make sure that they comply with these new laws.

This ToolBox Seminar will cover these new responsibilities in detail, showing you how to work through these checklists and disclosures in a manner that showcases your company’s point of difference. Also we will cover the changes to building contracts that have come about with the Law Changes and how builders can use them more effectively.

Also included will be explanation of variation forms and how they relate to contracts and valid payment claims.

These are all essential tools to ensure you comply with the new laws, get a head start on your competition and importantly, get paid for your work.

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EARNINTS tribute LBPSePmiO nars con lls

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Presented with support from:

6

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

www.certified.co.nz

SEE PAGE TWO OF THIS FLYER FOR ‘NUTS AND BOLTS’ TOOLBOX SEMINAR DATES FOR YOUR REGION.

Find a ToolBox Seminar in your region Dates and locations for the ToolBox Seminars across the country are listed below.

NORTH ISLAND DATE

DAY

TIME

LOCATION

VENUE

ADDRESS

16 March 2015

Monday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Gisborne

Motel Oasis

5 Sponge Bay Road, Gisborne

17 March 2015

Tuesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Napier

Taradale RSA

156 Gloucester Street, Taradale

24 March 2015

Tuesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Auckland (Northcote)

The Backyard

31 Northcote Road, Northcote

24 March 2015

Tuesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Wellington

Miramar Golf Club

1 Stewart Duff Drive, Miramar

25 March 2015

Wednesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Paraparaumu

Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club

376 Kapiti Road, Paraparaumu

25 March 2015

Wednesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Auckland (Remuera)

Remuera Bowling Club

6 Market Road, Remuera

26 March 2015

Thursday

Time to be confirmed

Great Barrier ITM

Barrier ITM

Omanawa Lane, RD1, Great Barrier Island

30 March 2015

Monday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Waiheke Island

Waiheke Island Rugby Club

The Pavillion, Onetangi Sport Park, O’Brien Road, Waiheke

31 March 2015

Tuesday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Whangarei

North Tec Whangarei

Gate 1 Learning Centre, Raumanga, Valley Road

1 April 2015

Wednesday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

KeriKeri

Kingston House

123 Hone Heke Road, KerKeri

8 April 2015

Wednesday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Whangamata

Whangamata Club

404 Port Road, Whangamata

13 April 2015

Monday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Manawatu

UCOL Main Campus Room 6-1-14

Princess Street, Palmerston North

14 April 2015

Tuesday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Wairarapa

Turley Room, Masterton Cosmopolitan Club

398 Queen Street, Masterton

15 April 2015

Wednesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Taranaki

Ugly Duck

601 Devon Street East, New Plymouth

16/04/2015

Thursday

Time to be confirmed

Foxton

Foxton Beach Fire Station

Dawick Street, Foxton Beach

MARCH

APRIL

SOUTH ISLAND DATE

DAY

TIME

LOCATION

VENUE

ADDRESS

18 March 2015

Wednesday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Cromwell

Cromwell Town & Country Club

32 Melmore Terrace, Cromwell

19 March 2015

Thursday

5.30pm Light Refreshments 6.00pm Start

Dunedin

Port Otago Lounge, The Edgar Centre

116 Portsmouth Drive, Andersons Bay

31 March 2015

Tuesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Winton

Winton Middle Pub

232 Great North Road, Winton

Wednesday

6.30pm Light Refreshments 7.00pm Start

Invercargill

Oreti Room, Ascot Park Hotel

Corner Tay Street & Racecourse Road, Invercargill

MARCH

APRIL 1 April 2015

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

7

Mike onsit e

OFFICE PINBOARD

Today we delivered the priz e to our lucky winner. Wendy Strange from Construc t Limited, Hamilton is ver y hap py with their prize but now they need to decide who will be the lucky staff member to receive the new phone.

Vodafone had a banner on Cer tified Builders Association website to ent er the draw to win a phone when completing a Vodafone sur vey.

ailable ent option is av ym pa it eb D ct 1. Dire nually for lf yearly, and an ha , rly te ar qu

levy only. and advertising subscriptions to your ents can be sent em at st d an es call and 2. Invoic email directly – by on rs pe t un acco ail address. advise the em in is payable with dise purchased 3. All merchan ice.

7 days of invo

Receive a when you spend over $1,000 ( ) on Ecoply Barrier, Shadowclad and/or Kopine Ultralock.*

Marley Chant Bluetooth Portable Speaker

excL gst

MONTH 15 14 MARCH

•

8

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

*See Carters’ March 2015 Trade Offers mailer for Terms and Conditions.

Around the regions

TAUPO

CHARITY GOLF DAY

The Taupo Region held a Charity Golf Day on Friday the 14th of November 2014 at the Taupo Golf Club.

Chris Smith, Taupo President ready to tee-off

We had 30 teams enter the tournament and around 14 holes were sponsored with a couple of BBQs and a few refreshments around the course - it was sure to be a fun day.

First Tee Off was at 12 noon on a windy but sunny Taupo day and all teams were back in the Clubhouse by 5pm ready for the auction.

We had some fantastic auction items donated and raised around $2,000 from the auction.

We also had great support from the community with the prizes, with all 120 players walking away with a prize.

The overall winners were the team from BNZ who now proudly display the winning trophy in the Bank.

A big thank you to the local members who helped organise the day you can be very proud of what you achieved.

The Certified Builders Taupo Charity Golf Day was a huge success and we look forward to running it again on Black Friday, November 13th 2015.

Participants line up at the start of the Charity event in Taupo

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

9

Around the regions

FAREWELL COLIN INGLIS

After several decades of representing Winston Wallboards in the greater Bay of Plenty region, Colin Inglis has called it a day. Colin has supported WBOP Certified Builders with everything we do, all our golf days; Colin was there. At our tradies expo’s Build IT, Colin was first in line to purchase a stand. A regular at our members meeting, Colin also made sure Winston Wallboard’s Associate membership was renewed each year.

So it is with fond memories of road trips, plaster board tech talks and plenty of golf we wish Colin all the best as he starts a new chapter in his life - retirement.

WBOP President Mike Way presenting Colin Inglis with his very own original Crimpie Cartoon

10 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

WBOP President Mike Way.

WAIKATO GOLF DAY

A tremendous day was had by all at this year’s Golf Day. Thanks to everyone involved who helped our Certified Builders and Associates have an awesome day.

We have had very positive feedback from you our sponsors and participants, many wanting to be involved in next year’s event.

A special thanks to our sponsors who attended and had activities on their holes. A lot of effort and preparation went into making your hole challenging and fun. They created a lot of laughs and good banter amongst golfers! Most of us had far too much to eat, all the food on the course was perfect along with the odd beverage and all went down well.

The prize table was very healthy; everyone went home with a prize. We had washing machines to pencils and a lot of great merchandise in the middle. Big thanks to those who provided prizes.

A special thanks to the Lochiel Golf Club, all the facilities were in great condition along with helpful staff, including a golf pro who most probably could make a lot of money out of our line up on the day.

Once again thank you all very much. We will be running a golf day next year. Like past years all this year’s sponsors get first priority to sponsor. We will be in touch.

John Jarvis made a big contribution on the day in assisting Colin Johnstone around the course.

Colin Johnstone and his wife Michelle did a fantastic job in putting this together and was ably supported by Mike Hayward, Grant Mc Milllan and Warwick Leigh-James Waikato/Coromandel Certified Builders Golf Committee

Money raised for...

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 11

6 FREE Help Line Services For all members 1. Contracts

4. Insurance

PETER DEGERHOLM Contract issues?

Call Peter for a free 20 minute session.

Ph: 04 587 0061 Mob: 021 307 232 Fax: 04 587 0062 Email: peter@calderglen.co.nz

JIM RICKARD Insurance issues?

Call Jim at CBA insurances.

Ph: 07 579 6259 Mob: 0274 505 528 Email: jim@certified.co.nz

2. Business Legal Issues

5. Employment

GEOFF HARDY For up to 20 minutes of free legal advice on business-related issues, phone Geoff on 09 379 0700, Esther on 09 970 9567, or Simona on 09 969 5963, any time between 8.30am-5.30pm weekdays.

3. General Business Accounting or Tax STEVE BROCKLEBANK For general business, accounting or tax issues you can contact Steve Brocklebank of PricewaterhouseCoopers. You must identify yourself as a CBANZ member and any information you disclose will be treated with confidence.

Call Steve Ph: 03 470 3615

12 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

DANNY JACOBSON TRUDY MARSHALL For advice on employment related issues, call for a free 10 minute session.

Ph: 07 928 0529 Mob: 021 857 529 Email: trudy@e2law.co.nz

6. Health & Safety

GREG WATTS For advice on any health and safety issues, call Greg for a free 30 minute session.

Ph: 0800 555 339 Email: info@hazardco.com

FEATURE: Employment and Environment Law

Employment Q&A The below content is by its nature general, and is not intended to be a substitute for legal advice.

AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS ACT

• However, the changes also recognise the need for some business continuity and flexibility.

The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2014 will come into effect on 6 March 2015, having been passed into law on 6 November 2014. The Amendment Act makes various amendments to the Employment Relations Act.

•

Some of the changes relate to employee requests for flexible working arrangements and to the provision of rest and meal breaks.

Flexible working arrangements • The provisions are strengthened in favour of employees; • An employer must respond to a request from an employee for flexible working arrangements within one month instead of three; •

Employers who are unable to comply with the new provisions are exempt from doing so if the employer and employee agree reasonable compensatory measures, or if having regard to the nature of the work performed, the employer cannot reasonably provide the breaks (as long as compensatory measures are still provided by the employer).

Changes are also made to other areas of the Employment Relations Act, including to provisions relating to collective bargaining, strikes/lockouts, and transfer of certain categories of employees to new employers following business restructurings.

An employee can make a request at any time for any reason instead of only if he or she has the care of any person and has been in the employment for the immediate preceding six months;

• There is no limit on the number of requests that can be made per year; • There is no longer a requirement that a request be in writing and contain certain information or a limitation on frequency of requests; •

However, an employer can still refuse a request, but must specify the grounds and reasons in writing. An employee can only apply to the Employment Relations Authority if the employer has not complied with its obligations and mediation has not resolved the matter.

Rest and meal breaks

Danny Jacobson and Trudy Marshall are Partners at Employment & Environment Law, Barristers and Solicitors, Tauranga. They operate our Employment Helpline for CBANZ members : phone 07 928 0529. They have also previously produced a Guide for Employers in the Construction Industry which CBANZ can send out to any members on request.

• The rest and meal break provisions have been made more flexible for employers and are not now so prescriptive.

•

Employers must provide rest and meal breaks which provide the employee with a reasonable opportunity, during the work period, for rest, refreshment, and attention to personal matters.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 13

Costs at a glance: all costs below are excl GST and per person attending

Still New Zealand’s Most Qualified Builders 17th Annual Certified Builders Conference & Expo Horncastle Arena – Christchurch

21st to 23rd May 2015 Don’t miss out on the BIGGEST South Island Conference, with an action packed and varied agenda we are certain this conference will entertain, educate and motivate all who attend. We hope to see you all in Christchurch!

Attending the conference will earn you 8 skills maintenance points!

Main conference delegate: $150 Additional delegates: $85 Factory tour:

$20

PlaceMakers Mingler at the Races:

$45

Gala Dinner:

Wine, wine, wine tour: $45 Sunday golf:

$75

Akaroa tour:

$120

THURSDAY 21st MAY • Factory & Red Zone Rebuild Tour (4 skills maintenance points): $20+GST The ever popular factory tour returns again and will be taking in 3 manufacturing plans as well as a full tour of the Christchurch Red Zone Rebuild with commentary.

• Calder Stewart, Roofing & Precast

• Allied Concrete

• Winstones Wallboard

• Early registration: The lovely Certified Builder National Support ladies will be manning the registration desk from 1pm on Thursday for all of you who will be arriving early. Get in quick and avoid the queues…

• Expo Open Afternoon: The expo area with over 70 trade exhibitors will be open on Thursday afternoon from 3:30pm to 5:30pm for any tradespeople, so if you have friends/family in Christchurch who are not members or not attending conference, do encourage them to come along and have a nosy through the trade exhibits.

• ITM Welcome Function: This is the first ever Welcome Function kindly sponsored by ITM, come and join your fellow Certified Builder members and trade exhibitors for a few drinks and tasty nibbles in the expo area from 5:30pm to 7:30pm before hopping on a bus back to your hotel for the night.

Keep an eye on your email inbox for the registration email, but if you have any questions in the meantime, hop onto the members section of the Certified Builders website and check out the conference info and if you still have some questions then give Eve a call on 07 557 9215 or drop her an email eve@certified.co.nz.

14 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

$95

Lunch with Jo Seagar: $185

FRIDAY 22nd MAY

OTHER OPTIONS

Friday is the first official day of the 17th Annual Conference, with an amazing lineup of keynote and educational speakers to get you thinking and motivated. For the full conference agenda, please login to the members section of the website and click on Conference.

Partners Excursion: Is your lovely lady thinking about coming along with you to Christchurch, but doesn’t really want to attend conference, then sign her up for the 2 fabulous partners excursions that have been organized:

• Carters Friday Happy Hour: Carters are kindly sponsoring the Friday Happy Hour drinks and nibbles that will be taking place in the expo area, mingle among the trade stands and catch-up with fellow members for this casual happy hour starting at 4:30pm.

• PlaceMakers Mingler at the Races: Addington Race Way is just a hop, skip and a jump across the carpark from Horncastle Arena, where $45 will get you all your drinks as well as nibbles and you can even dabble in the races. The Mingler starts at 6pm and runs for 3 hours, buses will then transport you back to the four major hotels.

SATURDAY 23rd MAY Saturday is all about up skilling and education, with some fun thrown in on the side! Saturday morning is taken up with 12 educational workshops covering a variety of technical, business and other relevant information.

• Apprentice Challenge winner: Who will take out the lucrative title of New Zealand’s Apprentice Challenge Winner 2015?

Friday: Wine, wine, wine and more wine in Waipara, visiting 3 stunning Wineries and enjoy a lunch of your choice at the exclusive Black Estate Vineyard. $45pp

Saturday: Lunch and a cooking demo with Jo Seagar in Oxford and High Tea at The Tea House in Lincoln. $185pp Optional Sunday Tours: Are you staying on in Christchurch, then why not hop on a bus for one of the 2 optional tours that have been put together for you: • Golf: Walk in the footsteps of Clearwater Golf Club graduates such as Jason Dufner, Bubba Watson and rising women’s golf star Lydia Ko on the manicured fairways and greens surrounded by natural spring-fed lakes. $75pp • Akaroa: Enjoy the stunning views during the trip from Christchurch to quaint Akaroa, then hop on board Into The Blue for a two hour cruise where you will get extremely close to the wildlife, including dolphins, seals, penguins and bird life and enjoy a complimentary beverage, including wine and beer and home baking. $120pp

• AGM: The Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday afternoon, come and have your say as a stakeholder. The AGM is for members only.

• Fletcher Window & Door Systems Charity Auction: The ever popular Charity Auction will take place on Saturday afternoon, grab yourself a bargain and help apprentices in their hour of need – it’s a win win! All funds go to the Apprenticeship Scholarship Trust.

• Fabulous Fifties Gala Dinner: At the heart of the Air Force Museum lies the magnificent Aircraft Hall. This dramatic venue provides a stunning setting for our very popular Gala Dinner. Enjoy a three course meal surrounded by vintage aircrafts, as well as drinks and a mind blowing live band to dance the night away to all for $95 per person, transport included.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 15

CONFERENCE AGENDA TIMING

DURATION

ACTIVITY

ROOM

THURSDAY - 21ST MAY 2015 9am to 5:15pm

Factory Tour

1pm to 5:30pm

Registration opens

3:30pm to 5:30pm

Trade Expo

5:30pm to 7:30pm

ITM Welcome function

Registration area Expo hall Expo hall

FRIDAY - 22ND MAY 2015 7:30am

Registration Opens

9:00am

15 mins

9:15am

Welcome from the Chairman

45 mins

10am

Official conference opening

30 mins

10:30am

Morning Tea

45 mins

11:00am

Plenary Expo hall

Geoff Hardy

Plenary

Partners Excursion departs - Wine in Waipara

11:15am

1 hour

12:15pm

Keynote Speaker - Rhett Brown

15 mins

Apprent-ICE

12:30pm

1 hour

Lunch

1:30pm

1 hour

Keynote speaker

2:30pm

30 mins

3:00pm

30 mins

3:30pm

1 hour

4:30pm

Great Apprentice Race

1 hour

Carters Happy Hour

4:30pm 6:00pm

Registration area Plenary

Hotels Plenary Plenary Plenary Expo hall

Yellow - Web & why you should be there

Plenary

Afternoon Tea

Plenary Expo hall Loading Dock

Partners Excursion returns 3 hours

9:00pm

Hotels/Arena

Placemakers Friday Mingler at the Races

Addington Race Way

Buses depart to accommodation SATURDAY - 23RD MAY 2015

7:30am

Registration Opens

8:30am

1 hour

9:30am

Educational workshop round 1

1 hour

Educational workshop round 2

10:00am 30 mins

Morning tea

1 hour

Educational workshop round 3

1200pm

1 hour

1:00pm

Educational workshop round 4

45 mins

Lunch

1:45pm

40 mins

2:30pm

Official conference closing

20 mins

2:50pm

1 hr 20 mins

Carpentry Apprentice Winner Announced

4:00pm

Annual General Meeting

30 mins

Fletcher Aluminum Charity Auction

1 hour

Happy Hour

Partners Excursion returns

5:30pm

Buses back to accommodation

7:00pm

30 mins

7:30pm

Fabulous Fifties Gala Dinner pre drinks

4.5 hours

Fabulous Fifties Gala Dinner

00.00am

Breakout rooms r

11:00am

4:30pm

Breakout rooms

Partners Excursion departs - Lunch with Jo Seaga

10:30am

4:30pm

Registration area

Buses back to accommodation

Hotels Expo Hall Breakout Rooms Breakout Rooms Expo Hal Plenary Plenary Plenary Expo Hall Hotels/Arena Expo Hall Air Force Museum Air Force Museum

SUNDAY - 24TH MAY 2015 9am to 5pm

Akaroa Tour and Dolphin Cruise

Hotels/Arena

10am to 4pm

Clearwater Golf Day

Hotels/Arena

16 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

FEATURE: The 2015 changes to the CBANZ building contracts

THE 2015 CHANGES TO THE CBANZ BUILDING CONTRACTS

Geoff Hardy is the senior lawyer in the Auckland commercial law firm Madison Hardy. Contact Geoff on (09) 379 0700 or geoff@madisonhardy.com.

This article is not intended to be relied upon as legal advice.

By Geoff Hardy of Auckland commercial law firm Madison Hardy Most of you will be aware that the law changed on 1 January 2015 as a result of the Building Amendment Act 2013 coming into force. That’s when the newest batch of consumer rights and remedies were introduced – the requirement for pre-contract checklists and disclosure statements, written building contracts saying all the right things, an owner’s manual on completion of the project, some teeth behind the Building Act implied warranties, and a new one-year defects liability period. They only apply to residential projects, and (in most cases) only where the price is $30,000 or more. We haven’t had much time to adjust, because the Regulations were only released three weeks before Christmas, and a lot of residential builders are still blissfully unaware of them.

These requirements meant that every standard-form residential building contract had to be changed in a hurry.

If you are still using a contract that doesn’t comply with the new laws, or you don’t use written building contracts at all, then you are breaking the law and it will be held against you in any dispute that may arise between you and your client, or any complaint about you that is filed with the Building Practitioners Board. Furthermore, you will have a whole lot of default clauses applying to you that you have no idea about. For those reasons, all the CBANZ building contracts have been substantially revised. This is a summary of all the changes that have been made.

You now have to list the people who will be carrying out or supervising the building work, and the materials and products that will be used (if known), so there is a space for this at the end of the contract. Don’t get too concerned if some of that information isn’t available to you yet – you only have to disclose what you know at that time, and you can refer your client to the plans and specifications if they already list the building materials and products.

The fact that labour rates are GST-inclusive has been highlighted, and you can now select which items your margin applies to – materials, subcontractors, suppliers, and labour. The contracts also contain an acknowledgment that the checklist and disclosure statement have been received by the owner(s). This is particularly important because you must hand these over before the building contract is signed. A signed acknowledgment of this prevents an unscrupulous owner from later denying that he ever received them.

The owner may only remove work from the scope of the building work if the owner no longer wants that work to be carried out. In other words, it must be a genuine variation. The owner cannot reduce the builder’s scope of work simply for the purpose of doing it himself or giving it to a replacement builder. Unless your building contract is terminated on proper grounds, you have not only an obligation to see the work through to the end, but also an entitlement to do so.

If the owner is in default, the builder is entitled to withhold all the paperwork until the default is rectified. The contract now makes it clear that the Record of Work that a licensed building practitioner has to hand over on completion of the project, must be handed over regardless. This is because the Building Practitioners Board has taken the view that default by the owner is usually not a good enough reason for withholding it.

The defects liability period in CBANZ contracts has traditionally been 45 days, and that is still the case for commercial projects. However for residential projects, the period is extended to one year, to fit in with the new one year defects warranty in the Building Act.

CBANZ building contracts previously did not have a commencement date. Instead they simply said that the builder would start within a reasonable time after the contract was signed, the deposit paid, and any necessary building and resource consents had been obtained. Now our contracts have to state an expected start date, but for obvious reasons the builder doesn’t have to start until the above three conditions have been satisfied as well.

We have made it a little bit easier for either party to terminate the building contract. Previously this could be done only in extreme circumstances, to prevent either party from terminating simply because they were in dispute with the other party or had taken a personal dislike to them. That protected the builder from finding himself suddenly out of work half-way through the project, but it also prevented the builder from firing the “client from hell”. Now either party has to be substantially in breach of their obligations before the other party can terminate.

Similarly, CBANZ building contracts previously did not have a completion date. They simply required the builder to work diligently and conscientiously until the work was finished.

Now that an estimated completion date is required, at the same time we had to provide for all the reasons why that date can be extended. The contracts now do that.

Those are the major changes. I can confidently say that there are no better contracts available for use by builders in the New Zealand residential construction industry, so I urge all Certified Builders to take advantage of them.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 17

FEATURE: Business Fundamentals - Part 1 Crowe Horwath is one of NZ’s leading business advisory and accounting firms to the NZ Construction sector, with 23 offices across the country. The author, Tracy McElroy, is ex-owner of a London-based Kiwi construction firm and is a member of the Crowe Horwath Business Performance Team. For more information contact your local Crowe Horwath office on 0800 494569 or go to www.crowehorwath.co.nz

Business Fundamentals – Part 1 This series covers the fundamentals of planning, building, managing and selling a successful business. The objective is to overlay technical construction skills with the right business knowledge so you can enjoy a continuously improving business!

Strategic Planning for Growth!

“Strategy 101 is about choices: You can’t be all things to all people” Author and Educator Michael Porter.

We see a lot of businesses that are operating with little or no strategy, reacting to opportunities and problems, without a clear method to choose the best ideas. Those tend to be the businesses that do OK when the market is going well, but struggle as they grow and fold when the market starts to wobble. Preparing a Strategic plan that outlines your business choices is one of the best things you can do to keep your business operational and profitable.

Strategic Planning – What is it?

The best strategic plans are usually one-page documents that outline where you want your business to get to, and how you are going to get there, usually over a two to five year period. It should be structured into a diagram and prepared with input from key staff. It also helps to have an experienced, outside facilitator take you through the process.

The key steps in a strategic planning process are: (1) Understand your goals as business owner (2) Outline your business’s mission (3) Find, assess and choose strategies

18 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

(4) Finalise the plan (5) Communicate and manage

(1) What are your goals?

What is your passion? Is it for the business itself, the Construction Industry, being your own boss, starting up ventures, profit or all of the above? Do you want to continue to work on the tools or do you prefer managing teams or being an entrepreneur? Being clear on your goals makes it a lot easier to work out what you want from your business and to design it accordingly.

(2) What business are you in? (Mission) You may already have a clear idea about this – e.g. “Our mission is to build great houses for families in the Waikato area”. This makes strategic planning MUCH easier as you already know your target customer, typical margins etc.

However, if you don’t know, now is the time to work it out.

A clear mission makes it much easier for the right customers to choose you and to motivate and direct your staff. If your business works in several areas, make sure there is one cohesive mission that links them.

(3) Where should you focus? (Strategies and Projects) Did you know there are only two types of strategies to grow business profit? Either an external focus on increasing sales (selling more products or to more customers for higher prices) or an internal focus on efficiencies and costs. Furthermore, businesses tend to grow cyclically – for example after a period of winning lots of new business there often follows a natural period of consolidating key processes and roles. If you are not sure which cycle you are in, talk to your accountant or advisor about comparing your business KPI’s against typical industry benchmarks.

FEATURE: Business Fundamentals - Part 1 The following table summarises some of the common profit growth strategies in the Construction sector:

Strategy External: Find, win and earn more from customers of the type you want to have

Typical Examples • Review, focus and extend market type - residential vs. commercial • Extend business into new geographical regions or take on a new product line • Reduce sales to customers who are not profitable • Build networks of referrers e.g. real estate agents, local community, architects, developers, local councils • Keep good customers coming back or referring – through good customer service, quality and reputation • Increase prices and improve quality

Internal: Efficient and productive management of systems, processes, people and costs

• Systems - QS, job management, procurement, financial management and reporting • Processes – Health and safety, invoicing, customer relationship management, staff productivity • Costs – staff and supplier selection and management • People – staff engagement, culture, motivation, incentives

Table 1: Growth Strategies for the NZ Construction Sector

(4) Finalise the Plan The last step is to collate all of this into a plan by reviewing your business now and what needs to change. You should also consider approximate financial growth targets or cost savings that will come from each strategy – this gives you a point to measure progress against.

(5) Communicate and Implement!

At this point you will probably find that coming up with the plan is the easy part! The tricky bit is the implementation.

Communicating and involving your team in what they need to do is key if you don’t want to end up doing every

project yourself! You also need to create a structured accountability process with regular check-in with a business advisor to make sure you stay on track.

Where to from Here?

In summary, we suggest you set aside a couple of half days for you and key team-members to get together and agree your mission, goals and plan how to achieve them. And don’t forget to choose how you will manage and check your progress. For more information on strategic planning for Construction businesses please go to www.crowehorwath. co.nz/Construction.

FEATURE: PrefabNZ 2015 Builder Survey

PrefabNZ 2015 Builder Survey You may have heard more discussion about prefabrication, also known as prefab or offsite, in the media lately. The construction industry is at an interesting tipping-point in understanding how prebuilt components can be used alongside traditional building methods. Just like when pre-nailed frames and trusses were introduced last century, today we are seeing more and more prebuilt parts such as finished wall panels or complete bathroom pods used at site. For more info please visit the PrefabNZ website here (http://www.prefabnz.com/About/ )

PrefabNZ is a non-profit member-based organisation promoting increased uptake of prefabricated construction methods. We want to understand more about the use of prefabrication in New Zealand and the factors influencing uptake. Please help us by completing this survey; it should only take around five minutes and is completely confidential. You have the chance to enter the draw for $200 of petrol vouchers. Complete the survey here (http://goo.gl/forms/jZKPNUUJkf ) The deadline for responses is Friday 20 March 2015.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 19

You no longer need these expensive dinosaurs to dry your frames...

Install bottom plate packers and do it naturally.

www.hiandri.com

A SIMPLE COMMON SENSE SOLUTION

By John Oliver of Hiandri Solutions Ltd We have had a great summer, and some parts of the country have been close to drought conditions, but the stats paint a different picture of the New Zealand climate. Put simply, as most builders know, we get a lot of rain.

Even I was surprised when I looked at the average rainfall between 1981 – 2010 covering 29 locations in NZ. For example, from Taupo north, it rains on average every second day for 8 months of the year, and every third day for the remaining 4 months. The other surprising stat being, the volume of rainfall only drops 20% in the summer months.

The moisture content in bottom plates cannot be higher than 20% prior to walls being lined – in many cases it is well over 40% leaving builders with little

20 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

alternative than to rush out and hire expensive heaters and dehumidifiers. This is costing you and your clients a fortune. We estimate in the order of $1,500 - $3,000 per week/dwelling; hireage costs for heaters and scaffold, running costs, time spent straightening warped studs, holding costs, extra rent or mortgage payments for your client, delayed sale, it sure adds up quick!

Installing HIANDRI bottom plate packers is a simple, economic, common sense solution. Air can circulate around the bottom plate, the frame is not saturated so can drain and dry, plus you don’t need H3.2 timber and the normal d.p.c, which in fact prevents the timber and slab drying. Learn about HIANDRI on www.hiandri.com

FEATURE: Conferenz

ADAPTING TO CHANGES IN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION LAW Building and construction law is currently undergoing several major changes that will impact the sector’s work.

One of these changes came into effect on 1 January 2015, with the regulations alongside the Building Amendment Act 2013, which created new measures for consumer protection. Later this year, the industry is expecting the Constructions Contracts Act Amendments, the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act, and the Health and Safety at Work Act, each of which will have an impact for many builders. Along with these legal changes, there are also several other updates to keep track of, including those surrounding the licensed building practitioners scheme and prevention of anti-competitive behaviour, to name just a couple.

The New Zealand Building & Construction Law Conference, scheduled for 28-29 April at the Crowne Plaza, Auckland, will be especially timely with all of these changes occurring.

The event will feature speakers from organisations including the Building Disputes Tribunal, the Building Practitioner Board, Bell Gully, NZ Historic Places Trust, Waikato District Council, Kensington Swan, the Commerce Commission, and MBIE. Particularly relevant to the readers of INHOUSE Magazine, Grant Florence, Chief Executive of the Certified Builders Association of NZ, will be presenting on trends in supply and demand in the building and construction sectors.

The New Zealand Building & Construction Law Conference will be an opportunity to learn about the latest law and regulations changes, as well as update your knowledge on other key subjects including navigating the complaints system, understanding the building consents system, and examining liability in defective buildings. This will also be a chance to network with a variety of professionals from legal, consulting, construction, government, and memberbased organisations from across the country.

For more information about this event, and to register, visit www.conferenz.co.nz/buildinglaw

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 21

FEATURE – Centrespread

HAPPY ENDING FOR HISTORIC LOMAS HOUSE

The Lomas house has always faced north, towards the water. For its first 58 years, the mono pitched cedar building sat above silvery Lake Rotoroa, in the heart of Hamilton; nowadays - after a major move and restoration - it has a splendid outlook to the mighty Waikato River in Ngaruawahia.

And if houses could speak, you’d wonder what this one might say. The bet is that it would probably give thanks to the Lomas family, who cared for it for so long, and then to Hamilton woman Lesley Topping, who saved it from ruin.

Its handsome bones are now neatly settled on its riverbank site, and at a time when the city laments the loss of a number of its heritage buildings this story is heartening in that someone picked up the pieces of a significant property and put them back together again.

Built in Lake Crescent in 1954, it was designed by Auckland modernist architect Peter Middleton for Alan Lomas, the founder of Waikato Hospital’s radiotherapy department, and his wife, Heather Lomas, a noted artist and fine gardener.

Middleton created a house design well ahead of its time, a home full of warmth and harmony, and a masterful mix of open-plan living, split levels and intimate spaces. He used vertical cedar boards on the exterior, and indoors there was oiled rimu, and mahogany panelling, cork tile flooring, and pine sarked ceilings. Twenty massive Oregon roof beams were an integral part of his design.

The home won a national Enduring Architecture award from the New Zealand Institute of Architects.

It was considered to be one of the city’s gems, its first architecturally designed modernist home, but it teetered on the brink of demolition when the property was sold to a neighbour in Lake Cres who planned to clear the site.

There was a flurry of comment from heritage consultants and architects who said its loss would be devastating, and then the Lomas house dropped out of the headlines. Most people imagined it had been demolished.

It was at this point we were first introduced to Lesley by Glenn McHardie from Styles & Hooker Architects and www.stilesandhooker.co.nz

24 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Engineers based in Hamilton and quickly learnt about Lesley’s long term connections with this property, and how passionate Lesley was to save this grand old lady from demolition.

A year on from completing the project, Lesley invited everyone who had been involved in the project back for wine and nibbles as we sat around reminiscing Lesley joked that she’ll be working a long time to pay for it!!. The house itself came free, but Lesley had to clear the section, buy the land in Ngaruawahia, and of course fund the salvage and reconstruction.

As we sat around an outdoor table at her new home Lesley tells her story, flanked by Glenn and myself.

We start with some family history. Architect Peter Middleton was Lesley’s godfather, and she grew up in a Middleton-designed home, commissioned by her parents in Warkworth, north of Auckland.

When Middleton was working on her parents’ home, he sent them to Hamilton to see the house he’d designed for Alan and Heather Lomas. The two couples met, they hit it off, and a strong friendship developed between Topping’s family, the Lomases, and the Middletons.

Lesley told us she’s actually known the house before she was born, because on that first important visit her mother was pregnant with her. Many good times were shared at the home on the lake, much French wine was drunk, and in honour of those who have gone before, Topping ceremoniously buried a bottle of 1953 French red wine under the concrete floor.

Lesley arrived on site one day bottle of wine in hand and announced “right!! Show me exactly where the dining room table is positioned I want to bury this wine under it!!”

So we pulled up the under floor polystyrene, cut the polythene and peeled it back to expose the sand. I picked up the spade with the intention of digging the hole only to have the energetic Lesley snatch the spade from my hands, this was her ceremony!!

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 25

In another nice touch, she uses the original Lomas dining chairs and her mother’s big table, with the pieces in harmony Lesley explains “The families are still dining together.”

There was a point, though, when Lesley must have questioned whether she was doing the right thing. This point came in November 2012, while she was kayaking in Picton. Two days into preparing the home to be shifted it became apparent shifting the home was not feasible due to rot and several different floor heights on the original slab.

My son David suggested salvaging the home !! So we had a site meeting with Glenn and everyone agreed with this solution.

So Glenn made a phone call to Lesley explaining that dismantling and recreating it was the only option, and he asked if she still wanted to go ahead.

The task was now much bigger, and potentially more expensive. Lesley said yes, she’d still do it, she wasn’t going to give up.

Glenn recalled that pivotal phone call from Hamilton to Picton; “The big heart was Lesley, who said I still want to do this.”

Glenn loves the Lomas house, too. He’d earlier toured it with a group of architects, he met Heather Lomas, and he came close to buying the place when it went on the market.

It became the design inspiration for the home he later built for himself.

He admires its split levels, the way the spaces entwine, the gorgeous feel of it, its robustness, simplicity and rhythm.

“It was way ahead of its time, it is earthy but modern, so well considered.”

Glenn said he knew the man for the job of rebuilding was Peter.

Peter and his team had built my family home, the Lomas project required craftsmanship, and I knew Peter and his team would certainly provide that.

When Lesley gave us the go-ahead, our team meticulously photographed every component at the house, stripped the place down, labelled everything, (“down to the last screw,”) we wrapped and stored the materials in containers.

Larger items like the stairs, the pine timber ceilings and Oregon beams we stored in sheds (kindly lent) that were handy to the Ngaruawahia site. The new site met Lesley’s criteria of being north-facing, with a good outlook and a gentle slope. Like the one the house had occupied at Lake Rotoroa.

The challenge for our team was to put everything back together again, remaining faithful to the original design, and re-using the beams, ceilings, rimu and mahogany panelling, cupboards, built-in furniture, bench tops and more. On the original home the Rimu and ply linings were all fixed direct to the frame work. On the reconstruction we chose to gib all walls and then fix in place all the timber ply linings shelves, cupboards and kitchen units to the gib walls.

Careful attention to all dimensions by Styles and Hooker being critical.

During the electrical pre wire the challenge was to locate all the original ply wall linings that had light fittings, wall lights and power point holes, hold them in position so the wires could be brought thru the gib in the correct position to match those original fittings. This is just one example requiring plenty of forethought to make sure we got the perfect end result.

There was one time when I mentioned to Lesley that perhaps we need to replace that piece of beam because it looks a bit shabby I was hit with , “I don’t want your shiny new stuff, I want the old stuff”. It just took a little bit of time for me to get my head in the right space!!

Excelsior Residential Team below: Steven Prosser, Peter Brooky, Phirun Fallas, Colin Steer, David Brooky

26 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

The house’s exterior envelope was tired, so it has been reclad in cedar, mirroring the original material. There was also new framing, a new roof, and aluminium joinery replaced the previous timber fittings.

The house was insulated to modern-day standards, and there were also some adjustments, and some challenges, to meet 21st century building codes. Lesley remembered that halfway through the job, I gave her a quizzical look and said, “You’re doing pretty well, you’ve had more challenges to overcome than most have for the entire build!!

The L-shaped footprint was retained, although the bedroom wing was lengthened to accommodate an en suite bathroom, and there’s more storage space. The house is now 220 square metres, a little bigger than it once was.

Other tweaks include extra windows at both ends to let in more light, and the greywacke fireplace was rebuilt in Kaimai stone.

This was a rewarding project for our team, we could admire the craftsmanship of the previous builders, and play our part in the present day reincarnation. “It was not that difficult, we got inspired by Lesley, and the passion she had.”

Lesley describes it as a labour of love, craftsmanship and thoughtful problem-solving by the builders. “All the team including the subcontractors put heart and soul into this special project.”

The job took from about April to December last year. It was finished in time for Christmas and a big New Year’s Eve celebratory bash. Lesley says she is well settled now, and has embarked on the landscaping. The exterior ground work remains a work in progress, but the interior is perfect.

As you walk down the entrance stairs, the open-plan kitchen and living room unfolds, warm, mellow, and inviting. Lesley makes coffee at the sturdy stainless steel kitchen bench which bears the patina of age, and untold culinary feats.

Without really trying to, she is replicating a photograph of Heather Lomas in the same spot, years earlier.

A snug sitting room opens off the living area, and this has a staircase to Alan Lomas’ former study and library. The sitting room can be sealed by a heavy mahogany cavity slider, but this weighs a tonne and is rarely used. The bedroom wing runs beyond the kitchen, the sleeping and living areas being well separated.

Architect Middleton, who was English, believed in such zoning, and he saw the living room as the hub of the home from which the family’s activities radiated.

Lesley has remained faithful to her godfather’s plan, and to the spirit of Alan and Heather Lomas. “I wanted to keep the house’s character, and its soul.”

Lesley went on to say the Lomas children have all been involved with the project, some have been hands-on with various tasks, and they’ve supported her vision. One of them was heard to say, “Ooh, that’s weird”, as he came down the stairs for the first time and saw his old family kitchen and living room in front of him.

I was privileged to be onsite when Peter Middleton’s daughter visited from Australia. It was great to see her reaction; she was so thrilled that one of her father’s houses survived. Many of them have been pulled down, including the one Lesley grew up in Warkworth. A painting of this hangs above her bed.

Lesley explained that the name Rangimarie represents her past, her present and future, and a truckload of hard work and collaboration with all those who’ve worked on it. She loves the building, its environment, the river rolling in front of her, the ever-changing light on the bushy Hakarimata hills beyond. “It feels like home, it did from the first day.”

Photos courtesy of Waikato Times

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 27

EXCELLENCE THROUGH TRAINING

Ongoing Excellence Through Training

NZ Carpentry Apprentice Challenge 2015 Will you be the New Zealand Carpentry Apprentice Challenge WINNER for 2015?

1. Are you a current ITAB carpentry apprentice?

2. And/or a carpentry apprentice employed by a Certified Builder?

3. Do you think you have what it takes to win this prestigious Challenge?

Regional challenges start in March 2015 and will be taking place at the following polytechnics, please chat to your tutor for more info: • Otago & SIT – Dunedin or Otago TBC – 14th March 2015 • NMIT – Nelson – 14th March 2015 • BoPPoly – Bay of Plenty – 21st March 2015 • Waiariki – Rotorua/Taupo/Hamilton – 21st March 2015, held in Taupo • UCol – Palmerston North – 21st March 2015

Buster Coughtrey

• Weltec – Wellington – 21st March 2015

Membership Development Manager

• CPIT – Christchurch – 21st March 2015

- South Island Email: buster@certified.co.nz Phone: 0800 CERTIFIED (0800 237 843)

• Northtec – Whangarei – 28th March 2015 • EIT – 28th March Napier/Hastings • Unitec – North Harbour – 13th April 2015

Well 2015 is off to a flyer. Happy New Year to you all and let’s get cracking on what is shaping up to be a busy year ahead of us.

Toolbox seminar: The seminar Nuts and Bolts is a follow on from our last seminar about the new law changes.

In this seminar as the title says, we take you through the nuts and bolts, from showing you how to fill out the forms right through to tips and examples of what to look out for. This is a must see seminar, one you really can’t miss. See dates on page 7 for one near you.

Apprentice challenge: It is that time of year again, this is when you get to show off your apprentice and we get an insight as to how our future builders are going, again not to be missed, so get those forms in as the countdown has started.

Till next time,

Buster

28 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

• Unitec – Auckland – 16th April 2015

EXCELLENCE THROUGH TRAINING

Considering the difference in

Carpentry Apprenticeships What is the true value of Apprenticeship training?

The obvious answer is the passing on of the skills and knowledge to become a competent and trusted tradesman.

We also know that there are different avenues that lead to the same qualification, but have you ever scratched below the surface and looked at “how” the apprentice is trained?

Have a think about what the apprentice is learning.

Option 1: In some cases, the apprentice will be solely taught and schooled by his employer, a trade qualified practitioner. On site practical experience and earning when you learn. They will be supported by a Training Advisor who supplies the necessary documentary material required, and assesses his ability to “do the job”. This means that all of the learning and teaching comes from the employer and the apprentices scripted homework requirements. This is in essence is a good model, but consider the teaching aspect and also the content.

needs of the apprentice. This model critically includes a 3rd party Industry Specific Education Provider. We are the experts in the education field of apprenticeship training. We are here to support, educate, and deliver a well-rounded and comprehensive apprenticeship training programme.

Yes, we can teach the apprentice all about the science, maths and literacy and numeracy needed to meet the true requirements of the National Certificate in Carpentry Level 4 which option 1 cannot.

The National Certificate in Carpentry is a level 4 qualification, and by no means an easy task. Even for the experienced tradesman.

There is a taken assumption that the employer has the skills necessary to instil the fundamental basics needed for the successful completion of the apprenticeship requirements.

Do employers have this additional skill, and if not, what happens to fill the gaps needed? In my opinion, only a small number of all the excellent tradesmen in carpentry has this ability to really educate the finer points of the qualification.

We all work as a team on site, and get specialist help in to complete aspects which we are not able to do ourselves.

Why is this not the case for the apprenticeship training as well?

Time on site is precious, and at best, only a small amount of time is put aside for training.

So, what can we do to fill the shortfalls in this system?

The answer already exists.

I strongly believe that a well-rounded apprenticeship should encompass the industry experts in their field, being the employer, the apprentice and also a body who can educate and teach the apprentices the key elements missing from option 1.

Option 2: Is a tried and tested model which works well, meets the needs of most employers and also meets the

The Institutes of Technology throughout New Zealand are geared up to identify and meet the needs of our learners as well as industry. Is there a financial difference to you as an employer? Not really, as the course costs is comparable to option 1 providers. Yes, there is a time requirement away from site to be instructed in the finer points of the qualification, however these can be tailored to accommodate both the apprentice and employer needs.

One last thing to consider is the pastoral care available to the apprentice via the Institute of Technologies student support and student organisations. Assistance is also available through our respected industry partners.

As tradespeople, all of our futures will be in the hands of our apprentices. Consider the options and make a difference.

Our industry depends on it.

Eddie Shields Trade qualified Carpenter and Joiner, Advanced trade Carpenter and joiner, seasoned journeyman and educator.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 29

30 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

So drop into Mitre 10 for your next job and you’ll be on your way and back on the clock mitre10.co.nz/trade

DRAFTFCB M10 7442

At Mitre 10 we’ll do everything we can to get you sorted, saving you time and money so you can get on with the job.

EXCELLENCE THROUGH TRAINING

ar 2 Most Promising Ye e tic en ITAB Appr Aaron Stevens Each photo: ton Left - Brent Chatter y rd La Mc Right - John

ar Most Promising Ye e tic en ITAB Appr Stefan Jaeckel

Big thanks again for the Apprentice Scholarship Trust donations you gave for our prize giving event.

Most Outstanding display of upcoming abilit y Jamie Berryman

ITAB Most Promisi ng Apprentice of the Year Fraser Snelling

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 31

IT’S A

IT’S A CHANCE

TO WIN 25,000 $

*

RegisteR ONLiNe, shOp weekLy, make the quaLifyiNg puRChase** head Off tO that weekeNd’s Nz based hOme games & be iN the dRaw Get to www.placemakers.co.nz/Gameday to find out more *The Trade/ Know how Card aCCounT holder is The winner. Players who have linKed To ThaT Trade/ Know how Card aCCounT will noT direCTly win The major or minor Prize. **Entries for that weekend’s match draws of Super Rugby

games close at 11.59pm every Thursday during the 2015 Investec Super Rugby season. Spending $200 excl GST or more on fastenings, sealants or adhesives (in one transaction) on a Trade Account or spending $100 incl GST or more (in one transaction) on your Know How Card account earns 1 entry in all match draws for that week.

For all terms and conditions and how to play go to www.placemakers.co.nz/gameday

The Official Community Partner 32 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 of

re we injuring ves at work?

FEATURE: Beating Fatigue

CARPENTERS & JOINERS

’s getting hurt in NUMBER OF INJURY COST TO BUSINESS FOR INJURY IN 2012: Canterbury Rebuild?CLAIMS IN 2012:

T TO

Beating Fatigue $135m +

11,423

Where it’s hurting us

ing from height.

So far the team has visited over 200 sites and distributed more than 3000 bottles of water. They have also been distributing a Fatigue Guide, developed by the Canterbury rebuild Safety Forum.

3 We’reINJURY tired.CLAIMS: 1,566

INJURY COST: $192,781 DAYS LOST: 4,356

“The Fatigue Guide is a great resource for contractors and It’s getting towards the end of subbies. It offers good practical advice and information on managing fatigue,the it outlines and employee year; employer you’ve been doing long responsibilities around managing fatigue, has checklists hours; some of usitaren’t getting and tool box talks to help everyone address and reduce the enough rest or sleep to properly risk of fatigue.”

“Cuttingrecover. steel and a bit of steel/spark flew If you would like to beatdespite fatigue on your into eye Fatigue is a wearing riskCanterbury on site.safety goggles” construction site, or you would like a copy of the fatigue avoid fatigue, get plenty of Guide, email Mike atTo Michael.flanagan@acc.co.nz

sleep and take regular breaks.

24,331

d and misjudged where as, drilled left middle g puncture wound.”

EAT

(three good meals a day)

SLEEP

(you’ll need 7 to 9 hours a night)

“Lifting 15kg purlin onto roof, shoulder ‘popped’ out.”

Alert!

We’ve noticed a drop in the use of PPE lately.

INJURY CLAIMS: 3,239 Remember PPE is worn at all INJURY COST: $5,239,923 times by everyone.

HYDRATE NO exceptions.

NO excuses

DAYS LOST: 152,440

(drink water regularly)

“Lifting sheets of iron onto roof.

Wind picked up, twisted my back.”

4

SPINE

l on site. mmer and holidays ch, it’s easy to get into bit of having a few beers IMS: ork. 2,340 guys. Don’t let T:moderate $1,125,252 t of the team down!

INJURY CLAIMS: 1,417 INJURY COST: $4,648,791 DAYS LOST: 105,711

CLAVICLE

good night’s sleep and keeping hydrated throughout the T: $1,378,979 day” says ACC Injury Prevention Consultant, Mike Flanagan.

44,082 der was shooting a reslipped, hungover. he and nail Keep yourself & others safe. s no place hand. ” for drugs or Avoid fatigue.

ck/Spine IMS: 1,260

$28m +

HOW WE’RE HURTING OURSELVES

February might seem like an odd time to be focussing on fatigue given everyone’s not long back from their summer holidays. But ACC often sees a spike in injury claims in the IMS: 2,845 early part of the year so they’ve teamed up T: this$1,476,711 month, awith labourer working Worksafe NZon to encourage people to ential site in east Christchurch fell in mind. start 2015 with safety 0 es. He suffered critical injuries.

‘Beat Fatigue’ campaign aims to help construction joiner withThe noisy machinery et this happen to you.understand workers the effects of fatigue and what they can working at height: do to avoid it. Since early January, ACC injury prevention seuntil nearly 65.

Wore hearing staff and WorkSafe inspectors have been visiting residential, klast there’s protection tenedge years on theandjob.” infrastructure commercial sites in Canterbury, ce. delivering tool box talks and bottles of water for workers. ’re using a ladder, make “Fatigue is a serious issue in the construction industry. t’s secured top and bottom It increases the chance of injuries occurring and reduces level ground. performance Don’t leanand off productivity. Our aim with this promotion IMS: raise awareness de and 1,413 never isgotohigher than of fatigue and how to avoid it. It’s as simple as eating properly, taking rest breaks, and getting a d rung from the top.

ITES

COST OF INJURY CLA TO ACC IN 2012:

TOP 5 INJURY SITES BY NUMBER 1) Lower back/Spine OCCUPATIONS WITH BIGGEST 2) Finger/Thumb INCREASE 3) Eye IN CLAIMS INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 33 4) Hand/Wrist 1. Carpenters & Joiners 5) Shoulder/Claivicle

FEATURE: Online Action! @ www.certified.co.nz

ONLINE ACTION! @ WWW.CERTIFIED.CO.NZ Employment Agreements ONLINE!

Download Certified Builders Logo’s

Certified Builders have added another tool to your Business Toolbox to make running your business that bit easier!

Employment Agreements can now be filled in online and printed from your office ready for signing with your new Employee. www.certified.co.nz/members/employmentagreements/

The Certified Builders logo’s and brand guidelines are available for Business Members to download at your convenience. Getting your van sign written? Having new business cards printed? Everything you need is on www. certified.co.nz/members/member-benefits/certified-logos/ Regional Event Calendar

Building Contracts ONLINE! Online Contracts are so simple to use! Raise your professionalism and give it a go! Why wait for the snail mail when you can fill in an online contract today!

We regularly update the Event Calendars to keep you informed of upcoming events in your region! Check it out for info on the latest ToolBox Seminars, trade training nights, Council forums, trade breakfasts or local golf days.

Online Shop

• Enter the job information on an easy 6 step template

• Save and close at any time if you need to come back later • Email the draft contract to your client so they can read it over before signing

The Online Shop is chock-a-block full of clothing, stationery, vehicle stickers, LIFEPROOF phone cases, DIRTYMAN skincare, building publications (NZS3604), John Bull work boots and much more! Everything you need can be ordered online! www.certified.co.nz/members/online-shop/

• Print the completed contract and drop it round to your client • Certified Builders can personalise the front cover of the contract with your company logo! www.certified.co.nz/members/online-contracts/

Building Act Amendment – Are You Confused?

We have created a whole new section in our comprehensive members website just on these changes to help you out and to ensure that your upcoming projects comply with the new laws.

Firstly login to your Certified Builders Members Section and then follow these simple steps:

1. Step-by-step Compliance Menu – download and print off this handy compliance menu where you can simply check off the steps that you have completed. This will be a crucial help to guarantee that you have handed everything over to the homeowner and completed all other Building Act requirements.

2. Compliance Tree – with your handy Compliance Tree printed out you can see the steps that will lead you to the path of success – from your first meeting with your client all the way through to the 12 month defect period. Handy

34 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

FEATURE: Building Act Amendment tip – we recommend printing out this compliance tree and sticking it on your wall in your office for easy reference.

3. Document Downloads – Simply click on the document that you need to download, then proceed to step 4.

4. ToolTube Video Help Guides – not sure what to put in where on the numerous forms? Then view the ToolTube Video Help Guides that explain and show you what to fill in where – it couldn’t be easier!

5. FAQs – still a little unsure of a few things? Then simply go to the FAQs page on the Law Changes 2015 section to see if your question is there…

6. FREE helpline – You’ve followed the menu, checked out the ToolTube clips, squizzed through the FAQs – but still have a curly question – then contact Peter Degerholm for your FREE 20 minute consultation: Ph: 04 587 0061 or Cell: 021 307 232 or Email: peter@calderglen.co.nz

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INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 35

“We are happy here, which flows through to everything else.

Everything has been better since being here”

“No one had been sick since arriving in the house and we no longer needed our asthma inhalers”

“Being warmer has made us happier; we were on edge before, and cold, it was a nightmare, this has taken a weight off us”

Joe and Hayley, Waitakere

HomeSmart Home family

Papakowhai family

Do energy and water efficient homes cost more?

By Verney Ryan Claims by Canterbury architects that building new homes to be energy and water efficient would add $15,000 to the cost of home building are not only wrong, they are short-sighted.

This affordable house, built by New Zealand Housing Foundation on a shared ownership basis, also reduced power and water bills for the family 36 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 on an ongoing basis.

FEATURE: Beacon Pathway Late in 2014 the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) in Canterbury challenged proposed new rules in the Christchurch City Council’s district plan that would require new homes to be built to a minimum Homestar 6 rating. They claimed this would add unnecessary cost to the building process. If the Building Code doesn’t require these levels of performance, why should Christchurch City Council?, they asked.

The assertion that building a new home to reach a Homestar 6 rating would make it unaffordable refers only to affordability of purchase price.

It is true that reaching Homestar 6 will add some additional cost to the build over a similar design. Jasmax calculates it would add a little under $6,500, or just over 2% to a typical Auckland house (http://www.homestar.org.nz/newsroom/ value-and-affordability-homestar ). It’s important to remember that this isn’t fixed – there is a range of ways to reach the Homestar requirements and it’s not all about expensive equipment. Good solar orientation, compact design, and simple resource efficiency need not cost more, especially if the house design incorporates these from the beginning rather than just adapting existing designs.

There are mandatory minimum requirements for energy and water efficiency but, other than that, there is no set way to achieve your particular target.

I recently assessed house designs for one of the new Special Housing Areas in Auckland to see how they could cost effectively meet Homestar 6 requirements.

Some of my recommendations added cost to the build (such as upgrading to double glazing), but some were a case of ticking off low cost and easily achieved credits.

These included WELS rated plumbing fixtures, increased insulation, better construction waste management.

The big problem with the NZIA’S argument is that it focuses on upfront affordability and ignores the ongoing operation of the house. Yet a new owner will be paying the power bills, gas bills and water bills for many years to come, covering rising prices and increased charges.

Building with an eye to reducing energy and water use is just commonsense and will pay off for many years to come.

Beacon’s demonstration homes reflect the savings that can be made: the Waitakere NOW Home saved 33% on energy compared to other houses in the area, and 40% less water than the average in the area. With good design, orientation and higher than Building Code minimum insulation levels, the house needed no additional heating, saving on power bills and the costs of installing a heating device. The NZHF HomeSmart Home incorporated water efficiency measures that reduced the family’s water use to 117 litres per person per day, compared to the average in the Waitakere area of 165 litres per person per day. Water is metered and paid for separately in Auckland, so using less water had a direct financial benefit for the family of $570 a year.

Building and designing with an eye to reducing ongoing costs in the future is a definite value add for clients. Even better are the non-financial benefits of warmer, drier, healthier, more efficient homes.

Beacon’s (and other) research highlights wide ranging benefits to homeowners that go beyond traditional cost benefit analysis. Homeowners in our demonstration projects paint a clear picture; improving your home performance extends benefits to social, health, mental health and family benefits.

Our families report increased warmth throughout the house leading to improved physical health, with fewer reported colds and flu. Especially important were reports of the effects of a healthier environment for their children - less asthma, less medication, fewer days off school.

Strikingly, the participants report happier, more relaxed families enjoying better relationships and socialising I would also take issue with the NZIA’s criticism that Christchurch City Council should not require more than the Building Code requires. Homes built strictly according to the standards of the Building Act are likely to get only a Homestar 4 rating. That’s because the Building Code only mandates minimum levels of performance. To achieve the benefits of a warmer, drier healthier home, you need to exceed those minimums, and Homestar provides a structure to help you do it.

Christchurch City Council, quite rightly, sees the opportunity to influence its housing stock to perform better for the residents of the future, with spin-offs for local infrastructure requirements, reduced demand on energy and water, and reduced costs at both local and national level.

Finally I should point out that not all architects agree with this stance. Let’s hope the good architects (and designers) out there can assist with a culture change that enables us to build Christchurch back better.

Further reading Original article: Energy efficient homes cost more to build: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/10684203/Energy-efficienthomes-cost-more-to-build How much does Homestar cost? http://homestylegreen. com/much-homestar-cost/ National Value Case for Sustainable Housing: http:// www.beaconpathway.co.nz/further-research/article/the_ national_value_case_for_sustainable_housing The value of high performing homes: http://www. beaconpathway.co.nz/further-research/article/the_value_ of_high_performing_homes

Beacon Pathway is an Incorporated Society committed to transforming New Zealand’s homes and neighbourhoods through research and demonstration projects that show how to make homes more resource efficient, healthier to live in, adaptable, resilient and affordable. For further information about Beacon Pathway visit: www.beaconpathway.co.nz

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 37

TECHNOLOGY SURVEY The letter of thanks received from Aidan and Michelle:

ercial, Leeming Comm team and Noel s er ild Bu d fie ‘Dear Certi tifully wrapped ed today, beau riv ar 3 b Ta y ax ng Gal Our new Samsu under the tree. go rvey to y ad and re Technology Su rtified Builders Ce e th n wo ve vvy. to ha We are thrilled bit more Tech Sa us to become a d ire sp in s ha it and oel Leeming d, especially N lve vo in rous l al k an to th tmas and prospe We would like l a Happy Chris al u yo sh wi d Commercial, an New Year.

Thanks to all those who completed the Technology Survey in November, we really appreciate your input! Congratulations to Aidan and Michelle Foster of Foster Building Ltd who were the lucky winners of the Samsung Galaxy Tablet kindly sponsored by Noel Leeming Commercial!

Certified Builders conducted this technology survey to ascertain the technology needs and abilities of our members so that we can gauge what we as an association can do to further help you. The results of this survey will help Noel Leeming put together learning modules for their Open Learning Centres targeted to your specific needs.

Watch this space!

Kind regards, n Foster Michelle & Aida Ltd’ g Foster Buildin

Here’s another tool you can take on-site This is how you do it!

Scan the code to view videos for MiTek product installation tips or go to vimeo.com/channels/howyoudoit

www.miteknz.co.nz

38 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

ASSOCIATION NEWS

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INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 39

MEMBERSHIP

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS Save time and As a member money of Certified Builders you are for your fleet entitled to a number of great benefits. with BP Fuelcard Certified Builders Association and Toyota Finance have teamed up to give members a BIG FINANCE deal on Hilux and Hiace. With Toyota’s proven reliability, strength and versatility to get big jobs done - this is an amazing offer not to be missed.

So what are you waiting for? Go in to your local Toyota dealer and mention you’re a Certified Builder for some great Tradies deals.

The Caltex StarCard® is an excellent way to efficiently manage your fuel expenses and reduce your running around costs. t: 0800 733 835 For all the info you need andThe a benefits at BP include: fantastic online shop check •outA the free Fuelcard online system to manage fleet costs purchase limits and product restrictions • PIN security, members section of the Certified

reduce fraud risk Builders website. Simply login to with • Receive discounts at over 200 retail stores, 60 truck your details and start exploringstops and 130 Noel Leeming discounted GAS Alley sites nationwide everything Certified Builders member Up to 40 days free credit prices exclusive to • can offer you and your business.For more information, Certified Builders. visit bpfuelcard.co.nz www.certified.co.nz

BP & G.A.S Alley Discounts

To find your nearest BP7 , visit bpfinder.co.nz Save cents off the pump BP0749 Fuelcard Print for Company Vehicle - 210x297.indd 1

Special members price for AA membership. AA Business Care – Passenger Standard $43.00 per vehicle per year.

Normally costs $67.00.

Vodafone Contact Alex Marshall on 0800 422 202 for some great business smart plans with up to one month free on signup!

price at BP, BP Truckstop and G.A.S. Alley stations across the country with no card or transaction fees. Simply download the application form on the Deals & Discounts page of the members website.

We have partnered with Fisher & Paykel to bring you discounted prices exclusive and confidential to members. Take advantage of these special prices and pass on the discounts to your clients to sweeten the deal.

Check out the Certified Builders website for the latest monthly price list.

13/09/13 1:36 PM

Need some of the world’s most durable outdoor clothing for doing the stuff you enjoy? Hunting, fishing, building or sports? Grab your Swazi gears at trade price! Join Clan Swazi as a CBANZ member today and you will be able to purchase Swazi Clothing at special CBANZ prices! www.swazi.co.nz/Prodeal/CBANZ/

Secure information from your mobile direct to your online diary with LocknLoad. Onsite job management tool, proof of work completed, photo diary notes, create job files.

Certified Plans This scheme is a powerful new tool to help secure new clients and new home building projects! The plan range consists of approximately 24x architecturally designed new home plans. Check out: www.certified.co.nz/members/certifiedplans/

40 INHOUSE |FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

MEMBERSHIP

CBA Insurances Limited & Homefirst 10 Year Builders Guarantee. Access to the resources of CBA Insurances Limited – your Insurance Brokers, and to the Homefirst 10 Year Builders Guarantee.

TOOL SEMINAR BOX SERIES Regional Trade Training and ToolBox Seminars Regular Trade Training and ToolBox Seminars in your region which are provided to both up skill your knowledge as well as teach good business practice. LBP Skills Maintenance Points are awarded for attendance.

INHOUSE Magazine The official Magazine of Certified Builders – comes to your letterbox bi-monthly bringing you up to date with issues that affect members and happenings within the Association and the Industry.

Site Safe

Licensed Building Practitioner We help you get licensed! We have created a streamlined process for our members to make it quicker and easier for you. We also have LBP stickers available for purchase.

There is a selection of vehicle size and stationary stamp size decals.

Certified Builders liaise with Council and DBH giving guidance on compliance. We have also created a great tool for builder’s onsite – a detailed Licensing Handbook which is a paint by numbers approach with all things licensing on site, so you can get on with the next job and not waste time chasing compliance documents.

Clothing As a member you can purchase a range of clothing which comes with the Certified Builders logo embroidered or screenprinted. T-Shirts, polo shirts, vests, jackets, overalls, hoodies, beanies, and sun hats all available for purchase! Why not get your company logo on your clothing too!? Millie T can organise this all for you! View our online shop under the members section of the website.

MEMBER

Ensure that your Health and Safety is up to scratch with Site Safe’s Safety By Steps – join Site Safe and get 10% discount off. If you are already a member of Site Safe you can apply for the 10% discount after 1 June 2015 by stating that you are a current member of Certified Builders.

NZS3604:2011 Get the members rate for the new version of the NZS3604:2011, E2 Moisture Manual 2011, NZS Onsite Handbook or any other Acceptable Solution.

Stationery A range of stationery available including: presentation folders, letterhead, self-adhesive logo stickers, electronic Certified Builders logo’s, invoice books, variation books, subcontractor forms, site signage and much more.

View our online shop under the members section of the website.

Websites & Online Advertising It is VITAL to have an online presence in this day and age and CBANZ offers our members two different website solutions. The first option is an enhancement of your information that sits on the Certified Builders website (under Locate a Builder) which we call a Display Page (setup for $390 + GST). We list ALL of our members details to be found by consumers looking for builders (over 3,000 people per month) – here you can enhance the information by including your logo, images of past projects and even yourself and your team as well as text to build trust and interest with the consumer.

You can also link directly from your Display Page to your Website (if you have one?) and if you don’t have one CBANZ can build you a 4 page website for just $750 + GST. Go to www.websites.certified.co.nz for more info.

Want to become a CB member? Check out our website for all the details www.certified.co.nz INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 41

FEATURE: .nz domain name changes

.nz domain name changes – act now before your options expire You may be aware that any person or business can now get shorter .nz domain names – for example, anyname.nz - in addition to all existing registration options like ‘.co.nz’, ‘.org. nz’ and ‘.net.nz’.

You should already have heard from your provider about this change and what it means. We don’t want you to miss out on any special options available to you - options which will expire on 30 March 2015 - so read on for a reminder.

You could have preferential eligibility If you already have a website or email address ending with .nz, you could be able to register or reserve the shorter .nz version of your domain name before anyone else.

To see if you have preferential eligibility, talk to your .nz provider or visit the Domain Name Commission’s anyname.nz site, which also explains how you can go about registering or reserving the new kinds of domain names.

Preferential eligibility expires 30 March 2015 If you are eligible to register or reserve the shorter version of your name, you need to decide if you want to do so by 1pm, 30 March 2015.

If you don’t, then the shorter version of your domain name will become available for someone else to register. Even if this happens, though, your existing domain name will still be yours as long as it remains registered to you.

42 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

‘Conflicted’ names dealt with at anyname.nz Some .nz domain names are ‘conflicted’, which means they’ve been registered in at least two different second levels. For example, you might hold the .co.nz version, while another person might hold the .net.nz or .org.nz version.

If your name is conflicted you’re able to go to the Domain Name Commission’s anyname.nz site and lodge a preference for who might get the new, shorter .nz version of the name. There’s no date or time limit for lodging a conflict preference.

Remember…

• Check your eligibility at anyname.nz or by contacting y our provider.

• If you’re eligible to register or reserve the short version of your name, you’ve only got until 1pm, 30 March 2015 to take action.

• Registering is done through any .nz provider. Reserving is done on the anyname.nz site.

• Anyname.nz is also where you can lodge a conflict preference if the short version of your name is conflicted.

For more information about this change to .nz domain names and what it means for you, contact your provider or visit anyname.nz.

FEATURE: Licensing

LICENSING Skills Maintenance to change The current skills maintenance scheme fails to capture the ongoing competency of a Licensed Building Practitioner, it provides plenty of learning opportunity which is self regulated, as we know this can get a little wayward at times and becomes a tick box exercise.

To correct this the LBP Registrar Paul Hobbs is making changes to skills maintenance, with a targeted implementation date of November 2015. When your LBP renewal falls after this date the way you collect your points will have changed. It moves away from an entirely points based system to a “mixed-model” which encompasses acknowledging your abilities at a site level. Broken into three, the first aspect it compulsory for all LBP’s.

Codewords: This newsletter will capture updates, technological and regulatory changes. Codewords will be mandatory to read with a quiz or similar to ensure key points have been absorbed, the questions will be specific to each licensing class. Currently Codewords is published every 1-2 months, I suggest you subscribe to Codewords now at www.lbp.govt. nz accessed through the “news and updates” tab on the Licensed Building Practitioner home page. Alternatively you can source Codewords from the members section of our website, navigate to the licensing page which sits within the knowledge section.

Elective learning: Similar to how LBP’s currently capture learning, ToolBox Seminars, Conference, InHouse magazine, trade publications etc. these elective option will account for 50% of required LBP skills maintenance, just how this is captured and recorded is yet to come. I suggest you be selective with what you are attending or reading, it’s no longer a scatter gun approach, instead spend time wisely so it is used taking in new knowledge and stretching your capabilities.

Onsite learning: The key to a successful LBP scheme is very much about competency, and to do that LBP’s need to be actively involved with their craft. Onsite learning captures this, it is a mixture of recording what LBP’s currently do and also seeking new training opportunities to up skill which will stretch the capabilities of all LBP’s involved in the scheme.

Again it’s about targeted learning because “if we always do what we’ve always done we are going to get what we’ve always got” and that’s not sustainable for our changing building sector.

Certified Builders Association will keep you up to date with these changes and learning opportunities as information comes to hand.

Feel free to call me should you have any enquiry on these changes.

Jason McClintock Operations Manager

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 43

ASSOCIATION NEWS

The Construction Dating Game Do you need to give your client a copy of the contract works insurance (CWI) policy at the end of the build?

The new building regulations require you to give the client a copy of any current policy of insurance you hold in relation to the building work. But it excludes policies that expire on completion of the building work.

So you may think you don’t need to supply a copy of the contract works cover, as this will have expired (see below).

However, most CWI policies split cover into two periods, the construction period and the defects liability period . Insurers all have multiple, but different, definitions of when the construction period ends.

The Defects Liability/Maintenance Period

In some policies this is an optional extension and needs to be included. It is defined variously as: 



It could end on the earlier of: 

The Construction Period

Depending on your policy, the end date of the construction period could be the earlier of:  

 



The end date on the policy schedule When the work is practically complete, except for minor omissions and defects that don’t affect the intended use of the works When a Practical Completion Certificate is issued When the works are occupied, taken over or put to use by the principal (or someone acting on their behalf) When the CCC is issued

In some policies, if a portion of the works is occup ied, taken over or put into use by the owner, then the insurance covering that portion will expire. For example, if you let the owners store stuff in the garage, the contract works cover for the garage may expire at that point.

If it is a spec, policies may also say that the cover ends on the earlier of:   

the end date shown in the policy when 95% of the project cost has been spent when it is made available for public viewing

CBA Insurances Benefit

The policy supplied by CBA Insurances has an automatic benefit, subject to some conditions, that extends cover for 30 days after practical comp letion.

This ensures there are no gaps before the owner arranges their own house insurance.

The defects liability/maintenance period shown in the policy schedule The period starting when the construction period ends



The expiry of the defects liability period shown in your contract The expiry of the defects liability period shown on the policy schedule

Now that you have a legal obligation to fix defect s for 12 months, your contract should show this as your defects liability/maintenance period, and your policy’s maintenance period cover should also reflect this.

In our opinion, CWI is a policy that contin ues after completion of the building work (if you have includ ed cover for the maintenance period) and you will need to supply a copy of it to your clients.

CBA Insurances will be sending its clients the policy documents, so that these can be provided to the owner.

What’s covered during the defects liabil ity period?

Most policies cover two things: 



The builder’s liability for damage that was caused during the construction period but only indent ified during the maintenance period The builder’s liability for damage caused during the maintenance period while they are carrying out repairs to the works

We suggest you refer to your policy or you can contact the Certified Builders Insurance Helpline if you are unsure about when your policy ends and/or whether your defect s liability period is covered.

Written by Jim Rickard at CBA Insurances Limite d 0800 237 843 (press 2 for insurances) insurances@cbainsurances.co.nz

44 INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER The 1st of January 2015 saw the introduction of changes to the Building Act that has been implemented to provide protection for home buying consumers. These changes I believe are the most significant that the residential builder has faced since licensing of building practitioners was introduced back in March 2012.

These changes have been the subject of our ToolBox Seminars held across the country in October/November last year and also those being held during February – April this year.

It is painfully obvious that the participants in the wider industry sector have not been aware of these changes and are in many cases totally unprepared.

It is pleasing to note however that in general our members of Certified Builders seem to be more aware and understanding of these changes and prepared to manage and comply with the new requirements.

Obviously there is one section of these changes that also requires education and that is the home buying consumer.

We have enquired from the regulator (MBIE) on what their intended public education programme is – as this is a vital component of the change being understood and embedded.

If we take a step back from these changes and consider the increasing industry specific compliance requirements for builders.

You do start considering if providing mechanisms/regulations that:

• provide consumer confidence

• reduce risk and

• start to lift the professionalism of the industry

compared to outcomes of:

• reducing industry productivity

• requiring compliance for compliance sake and

• making the industry less attractive to operate in

Grant Florence – Chief Executive

if the balance between these 2 sets of objectives and outcomes has been lost.

This is a point that the Association will be taking up with the relevant stakeholders over the next few months.

In fact we have started this by completing some media releases on this topic of the balance between protecting homeowners and promoting productivity (a copy can be found at our website certified.co.nz) The surge in new membership growth has continued into the New Year, which is pleasing. Much of this is a result of some hard work over the past 12 months – as we have increased the services that we provide to our members thus the value they see in being part of the Association.

The Board of Certified Builders Association has agreed to a small increase in membership fees for 2015 reflecting inflation and the increased range of services available, but has limited this increase to Business Memberships only. The fee for Personal Membership remains unchanged from that of 2014.

The Board has also recently adopted an Alcohol Use and Management Policy for all events that are hosted by the Association. This is a very positive Governance step by the Board and reflects the growing important ace of the safety of our members (and the protection of our brand) and coincides with the reduction of the drink driving limits.

This policy will be communicated to all Regional Presidents for use when they host the various Association events. Should a copy of this policy be required by any member please feel free to contact me directly.

Workloads continue to appear to be holding up nicely across most regions of the country – so that together with the recent spell of fine weather we have experienced I do hope that your build programmes have been humming along nicely.

INHOUSE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 45

If your clients are expecting quality results with their interior fit-out, then choose a Certified Business member of AWCI. WE are the professionals when it comes to interior fit-out installation.

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A full list of Business members can be found on www.awcinz.org.nz or phone 0800 292 469

www.awcinz.org.nz