Repairing and rebuilding houses affected by the Canterbury earthquakes

About these documents

  • Published on 1 December 2012
  • Updated on 29 May 2018
  • Of interest to Insurers, Building consent authorities, Builders, Designers, Engineers
  • ISBN: 978-0-478-39907-3 (Print) / 978-0-478-39908-0 (Online)
  • 3rd edition

Introduction

If you are working on Canterbury’s earthquake-damaged houses, this guidance (commonly referred to as the Residential guidance) provides technical solutions. 

The application of this guidance requires case-specific consideration and use of engineering judgement from appropriately qualified and experienced professionals.

Use the getting to grips tool to help find your way around.

Updates and clarifications to the residential guidance

Supplementary guidance includes information sheets and worked examples.

Contents

The residential guidance – in eight parts

You can navigate through the parts of the residential guidance and download the technical information you need, including:

  • appropriate geotechnical investigations
  • repairs to foundations and new foundations in TC1 and TC2
  • assessments of retaining walls for hillside properties
  • chimney repairs
  • repairs to house superstructures, pole frame houses and masonry walls
  • information about repairing and rebuilding foundations in TC3
  • guidelines for the geotechnical investigation and assessment of subdivisions in the Canterbury region. 

Introduction

  • information about previous versions (version control)
  • a foreward from MBIE
  • objectives, regulatory context and scope
  • a summary table of technical categories, land criteria and repair and rebuild approaches

Part A: Technical guidance (TC1 and TC2)

  • assessing, repairing and building foundations
  • assessing retaining walls for hillside properties
  • chimney repairs
  • repairs to house superstructures, pole frame houses and masonry walls. 

Part B: Technical information 

  • insurance and regulatory requirements
  • observed land and building performance
  • future liquefaction expectations

Part C: Technical Category 3 (including updates)

  • guidance for assessing, repairing and rebuilding foundations for residential properties in TC3
  • if you are an engineer, building control official or insurance assessor, this section will help you determine whether to repair or rebuild foundations
  • focuses on foundation design solutions for one and two storey timber framed dwellings, which are the dominant form of construction in the TC3 area. You also need to read Parts A and B of this guidance, as material is only repeated where it is considered necessary. 

Part D: Subdivisons

  • guidelines for the geotechnical investigation and assessment of subdivisions in the Canterbury region (including requirements for assessing the potential for liquefaction)

Part E: Repairing and rebuilding multi unit reseidential buildings 

  • assessment criteria and recommendations for the repair and rebuild of the foundations, firewalls, and superstructures of multi-unit residential buildings in Christchurch

Reference material 

  • a list of references and glossary of terms

This information is published by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Chief Executive. It is a general guide only and, if used, does not relieve any person of the obligation to consider any matter to which the information relates according to the circumstances of the particular case. Expert advice may be required in specific circumstances. Where this information relates to assisting people: