The Government has introduced the Building Amendment Bill, which proposes a range of changes to New Zealand's building system, including reforms to liability settings, consenting processes and building research funding.
The Bill had its first reading in Parliament
on 2 July and has now progressed to a select committee process, giving industry stakeholders and the public an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes.The reforms are designed to make it easier, faster and more cost-effective to build, while supporting a more efficient and productive construction sector, with strengthened protections for homeowners.
Key proposed changes include:
- moving from joint and several liability to proportionate liability in the building system
- introducing mandatory home warranties for new builds and major renovations valued over $100,000
- requiring professional indemnity insurance for building design professionals
- making it easier for councils to work together or combine Building Consent Authority functions
- introducing a fast-track 10-day consenting pathway for eligible residential buildings with solar generation and sustainable features and reducing Project Information Memoranda (PIM) processing times from 20 to 10 working days
- expanding options for the construction of granny flats, including allowing eligible offsite-built units to be constructed before a PIM is issued
- modernising building research funding by combining the Building Research Levy with the Building Levy and introducing a more contestable model.
Together, the changes are intended to support a more productive building and construction sector that can deliver the homes, buildings and infrastructure New Zealand needs.
Submissions are open until 15 November 2026.
Building Amendment Bill — New Zealand Parliament
More information on the Bill can be found on the Building Performance website.
Building Amendment Bill introduced to Parliament — Building Performance
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