Commercial

Masonry fix timeline extended

Commercial building owners are being given six more months to secure unreinforced masonry – as long as they have undertaken action to carry out remedial work.

Wednesday, March 07th 2018

Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa

Following the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake, the then government announced it would be requiring urgent upgrades of parapets and facades on around 200 high risk unreinforced masonry buildings.

Initially, a March 2018 deadline for the completion of work on such buildings, which are mainly in Wellington and Lower Hutt, was set.

Now Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa has announced that timeline has been extended due to practical concerns, including industry capacity constraints.

However, Salesa says the new deadline will only apply to building owners who have made genuine efforts to get the work done but haven’t been able to complete it in the time given.

To qualify, building owners must show they have taken “reasonable steps” at remedial work.

These include design work being complete, or in progress and a demonstrable programme of work which indicates when a builder will be contracted and when the work is expected to be completed.

But where building owners have done nothing, Salesa says she expects councils to exercise their powers to manage public safety risks.

Councils have the power to limit access to the building, and/or take enforcement action and the penalty for non-compliance is a fine of up to $200,000.

Salesa says it is crucial for building owners to make their buildings safe and unreinforced parapets and facades pose significant risk to life and safety of the public.

“Thirty-nine people were killed by falling unreinforced masonry in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and we know the risks can be reduced by securing parapets and facades to the main building structure.

“We have struck a balance between the need to protect public safety and the need to recognise the practical constraints that have delayed progress for some building owners.”

The government also recently increased the funding cap for masonry securing work on buildings that are three storeys or taller from $25,000 to $65,000.

Read more:

Changes to unsecured masonry repair initiative 

Greater flexibility for earthquake fund 

Comments

No comments yet

Heartland Bank - Online 6.69
SBS FirstHome Combo 6.74
Wairarapa Building Society 6.95
Unity 6.99
Co-operative Bank - First Home Special 7.04
ICBC 7.05
China Construction Bank 7.09
BNZ - Classic 7.24
ASB Bank 7.24
ANZ Special 7.24
TSB Special 7.24
Unity First Home Buyer special 6.45
Heartland Bank - Online 6.45
China Construction Bank 6.75
TSB Special 6.75
ICBC 6.75
ANZ Special 6.79
ASB Bank 6.79
AIA - Go Home Loans 6.79
Kiwibank Special 6.79
BNZ - Classic 6.79
Unity 6.79
Westpac Special 6.39
China Construction Bank 6.40
ICBC 6.49
SBS Bank Special 6.55
Kiwibank Special 6.55
BNZ - Classic 6.55
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 6.55
ASB Bank 6.55
AIA - Go Home Loans 6.55
TSB Special 6.59
Kainga Ora 6.99
SBS FirstHome Combo 6.19
AIA - Back My Build 6.19
ANZ Blueprint to Build 7.39
Credit Union Auckland 7.70
ICBC 7.85
Heartland Bank - Online 7.99
Pepper Money Essential 8.29
Co-operative Bank - Owner Occ 8.40
Co-operative Bank - Standard 8.40
First Credit Union Standard 8.50
Kiwibank 8.50

More Stories

Support for regulation

Monday, March 18th 2024

Support for regulation

REINZ has emphasised the need for property management regulation to Parliament’s Social Services and Community Committee.

A better investment market

Thursday, March 14th 2024

A better investment market

“Reinstatement of interest deductibility starting from the new tax year on 1 April brings property investors back in line with every other business in the country, where interest costs are a legitimate deductible expense," Tim Horsbrugh, New Zealand Property Investors Federation (NZPIF) executive committee member says.

[OPINION] Recessionary times

Thursday, March 14th 2024

[OPINION] Recessionary times

It is not the best out there for many businesses and property sector people. Sales are down across the board, our clients’ confidence is falling, and there is a lot of uncertainty.

Interest rate expectations: It’s not over yet

Thursday, March 07th 2024

Interest rate expectations: It’s not over yet

Most Kiwis think interest rate increases have peaked.