Building Amendment Bill consultation

Public submissions are now open on the Building Amendment Bill, which proposes changes designed to help speed up development, reduce unnecessary costs, and provide greater certainty for builders, councils, and homeowners.

The Building Amendment Bill proposes a range of changes to the Building Act 2004 in order to modernise New Zealand's building system.

Key proposals include:

  • moving from joint and several liability to proportionate liability for defective building work
  • introducing mandatory home warranties for new homes, certain multi-unit residential buildings and qualifying renovations
  • requiring professional indemnity insurance for building design professionals
  • creating a 10-working-day building consent pathway for eligible homes with solar generation or sustainable features
  • reducing processing times for Project Information Memorandum (PIM) applications
  • making it easier for councils to work together or combine building consent authority services,
  • changing how building research is funded.

The proposals may affect LBPs and others working in the building sector. LBPs are encouraged to read the Bill and consider whether they would like to provide feedback.

Have your say

Submissions close at 11.59pm on Sunday, 15 November 2026. You can read the Bill, find more information about the proposed changes, and make a submission through the New Zealand Parliament website.

More information