Who can do this job?
Pick the job and see who's allowed to do it, whether it usually needs a building consent, and what paperwork to ask for at the end. Plain English, with links to the official guidance.
What's the job?
General information, not legal advice. Check with your council before you start.
Jobs, one by one
Tap a job to see who can do it, whether it needs a consent, and the papers to ask for.
A deck
Who can do it. A builder. If the deck needs a building consent, any restricted building work on it must be done or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP).
Consent. A deck where someone could fall 1.5 metres or less usually doesn't need a building consent. Higher decks do. Either way it must meet the Building Code.
Papers to ask for. The invoice, product warranties (timber treatment, fixings) and, if consented, the Record of Work.
A bathroom renovation
Who can do it. An authorised plumber for the plumbing and drainage, a registered electrician for any wiring (they give you a Certificate of Compliance), and a builder for walls, floors and waterproofing.
Consent. Replacing fittings in the same place usually doesn't need a consent. Adding a new toilet, shower or basin, moving drains, or changing walls that hold the house up usually does. Ask your council if you're unsure.
Papers to ask for. The electrical Certificate of Compliance, a gas certificate if gas work was done, warranties for the waterproofing and fittings, and a Record of Work if an LBP did restricted building work.
A kitchen renovation
Who can do it. A builder or kitchen installer, an authorised plumber for the sink and dishwasher, a registered electrician for the wiring, and an authorised gasfitter for a gas hob.
Consent. Replacing a kitchen in the same layout usually doesn't need a consent. Moving plumbing or drains, or removing a wall that holds the house up, usually does.
Papers to ask for. The electrical Certificate of Compliance, a gas certificate for any gas work, and the appliance and benchtop warranties.
New power points, lights or rewiring
Who can do it. A registered electrician. If you own and live in the house, you can do a few small jobs yourself, unpaid: replacing a switch, socket or light fitting (not on the switchboard), replacing fuse links, and connecting or disconnecting fixed appliances. Anything more is for an electrician.
Consent. Electrical work doesn't usually need a building consent, but some work must be inspected before it's connected, such as a new switchboard or mains supply. Your electrician arranges that.
Papers to ask for. A Certificate of Compliance (CoC) for fixed wiring work, and an Electrical Safety Certificate when the work is connected to the supply.
A heat pump
Who can do it. A registered electrician for the wiring (with a Certificate of Compliance), and an installer certified to handle refrigerant gas.
Consent. Usually no building consent. Check your council's district plan rules on where the outdoor unit can go and on noise, especially near a boundary.
Papers to ask for. The electrical Certificate of Compliance, the manufacturer's warranty, and the model and serial number (add them to your Kepuro logbook).
A hot water cylinder
Who can do it. An authorised plumber, an authorised gasfitter for a gas unit, and a registered electrician for the wiring.
Consent. Replacing a cylinder with a similar one in the same place is often exempt from consent when an authorised plumber does it. A different type, size or location may need a consent.
Papers to ask for. A gas certificate for gas units, the electrical Certificate of Compliance, and the cylinder's warranty.
A granny flat (small standalone home)
Who can do it. Under the granny flat exemption, the work must be done or supervised by licensed building professionals: an LBP for the building work, an authorised plumber and drainlayer, and a registered electrician.
Consent. Since 15 January 2026, a new single-storey, standalone home of up to 70 square metres can be built without a building consent if it meets the exemption's conditions. You still need a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) from your council before building starts, and you tell the council when it's finished, with the Records of Work and certificates. It must still meet the Building Code, and council infrastructure charges still apply. There's no Code Compliance Certificate at the end.
Papers to ask for. Records of Work, the electrical Certificate of Compliance, plumbing and drainage certificates, and the final plans.
A retaining wall
Who can do it. A builder or landscaper, with an engineer's design for higher walls.
Consent. A wall holding back 1.5 metres of ground or less, with no extra load above it such as a driveway, a building or a slope, is often exempt. Higher or loaded walls need a consent and usually an engineer.
Papers to ask for. The invoice, the design or engineer's details for a consented wall, and drainage details behind the wall.
A new roof (re-roofing)
Who can do it. A roofer. If the work needs a building consent, roofing is restricted building work and must be done or supervised by an LBP with a roofing licence.
Consent. Replacing a roof with similar material is usually exempt. Changing to a heavier material or altering the roof structure usually needs a consent.
Papers to ask for. The roofing product warranty, and the Record of Work if it was consented.
A fence
Who can do it. Anyone competent. No licence is needed.
Consent. Fences up to 2.5 metres high usually don't need a building consent. Swimming pool fences have their own safety rules, so check those with your council.
Papers to ask for. The invoice and any timber or product warranty.
A garden shed or sleepout
Who can do it. A builder, or yourself for a kitset shed.
Consent. Small single-storey detached buildings can be exempt from consent within size and distance-from-boundary rules. Bigger ones, and any with plumbing or that people sleep in, usually need a consent. Check the exemptions guide or ask your council.
Papers to ask for. The kitset or product warranty, and consent documents if one was needed.
Removing an inside wall
Who can do it. A builder. If the wall holds the house up, an engineer may need to design a beam, and the work is restricted building work for an LBP.
Consent. Removing a wall that doesn't hold anything up is often exempt. Removing a load-bearing wall needs a building consent.
Papers to ask for. The engineer's design and the Record of Work if it was load-bearing.
Drains and sewer pipes
Who can do it. An authorised drainlayer, registered with the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board (PGDB).
Consent. Some minor drain repairs are exempt from consent. New drains and new connections usually need a consent.
Papers to ask for. An as-built drainage plan and the drainlayer's certificate.
Gas appliances and pipes
Who can do it. An authorised gasfitter. Gasfitting is restricted to authorised people under the Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Act.
Consent. Most gas appliance installs don't need a building consent, but the gasfitter certifies the work.
Papers to ask for. A gas certificate for the work, and the appliance warranty.
Painting
Who can do it. Anyone. No licence is needed.
Consent. No building consent. In older homes, old paint may contain lead, so take care when sanding, or ask a painter who follows the lead-paint guidance.
Papers to ask for. The paint brand, colours and finish. Add them to your Kepuro logbook for touch-ups.
Solar panels
Who can do it. A registered electrician for the electrical work, which is inspected before it's connected, and an installer who keeps the roof weathertight.
Consent. Solar panels on a roof are often exempt from consent if they meet the exemption's conditions. Check with your council, especially for bigger systems or older roofs.
Papers to ask for. The electrical Certificate of Compliance and Electrical Safety Certificate, the inverter and panel warranties, and the model and serial numbers.
The rules in plain English
Who can do restricted building work?
Restricted building work is work on the main structure, the weathertightness (roof and outside walls) or the fire-safety design of a home, when the work needs a building consent. It must be done or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). When they finish, the LBP must give you, and the council, a Record of Work. They can't contract out of it. Check a licence on the LBP public register at lbp.govt.nz.
Can I do my own electrical work?
Only a little. If you own and live in the home and aren't paid, the law lets you do some small jobs, such as replacing switches, sockets and light fittings that aren't on the switchboard, replacing fuse links, and connecting or disconnecting fixed appliances. Other electrical work is for a registered electrician, who gives you a Certificate of Compliance for fixed wiring work. Some work must be inspected before it's connected. WorkSafe's guide on doing your own electrical work has the details.
Who can do plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying?
In most cases, an authorised plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer registered with the PGDB. There's a narrow owner exemption for some sanitary plumbing in your own home in specified places, but drainlaying and gasfitting are for authorised people. If in doubt, check with the PGDB before you start.
Do I need a building consent?
Many low-risk jobs don't need one: Schedule 1 of the Building Act lists the exemptions, such as like-for-like repairs, low decks, small sheds and fences up to 2.5 metres. Exempt work must still meet the Building Code. Your council confirms whether a job is exempt, and a Project Information Memorandum (PIM) tells you what council rules apply to your property.
What changed for granny flats?
Since 15 January 2026, a single-storey standalone home of up to 70 square metres can be built without a building consent if it meets the exemption's conditions. It must be built or supervised by licensed building professionals, you need a PIM from your council before you start, and you notify the council when it's finished.
When do I need a written contract?
For residential building work of $30,000 or more, including GST, when you hire the contractor directly. Before you sign, the contractor must also give you a disclosure statement (who they are, their insurance and any guarantees) and the official checklist, or whenever you ask for them. Contractors can be fined $500 for not providing them. After the work, the contractor must fix defects you tell them about within 12 months of completion.
Where this comes from
Checked 24 October 2026. Rules change, so the official pages always win.
- building.govt.nz: small standalone dwellings (granny flats) without a building consent
- building.govt.nz: building work that doesn't need a building consent (Schedule 1)
- building.govt.nz: before building work starts (written contract, disclosure statement, checklist)
- building.govt.nz: consumer protection measures
- Licensed Building Practitioners: the public register and Records of Work
- WorkSafe: doing your own electrical work
- building.govt.nz: gas and electrical work, and energy work certificates
- Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board: check a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer
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