Repairs and minimising future damage

Repairs

The building must be sufficiently dry before repair work is carried out.

Contact your local council to understand whether you need a building consent, and to learn what work you can do yourself.

Certain types of building work, such as restricted building work, must be carried out or supervised by a licensed building practitioner.

Minimising future damage

Consider talking to your local council and/or a registered engineer or licensed building practitioner about how you can minimise potential future damage to your building.

Especially if you live in a flood-prone area, ensuring your home is efficiently sealed and uses water-resistant materials is important. Requesting frequent inspections and repairs will help to prevent leaks and drainage issues before they become a larger issue.

Building owners should also make sure that roof gutters, surface water drainage sumps or catch pits, and channel drains are regularly cleared of debris.

When your property is affected by a natural hazard

If your property has been affected by a natural hazard such as flooding or landslip you may need to consider this when undertaking repair work, or rebuilding.

Information and guidance on the natural hazard requirements of the Building Act

Additional resources

Building work that doesn't need a building consent.