Alan Chellp (CB25422)

The Board has chosen to publish the details of this hearing due to the LBP negligently supervising roofing work that did not meet acceptable standards.

Mr Chellp supervised the installation of a profiled metal roof which was found to have been carried out in a sub-standard manner following a complaint, with both poor workmanship and Code compliance failures.

Issues relating to the work included:

  • cutting the ridging using a grinder which left exposed metal which would begin to rust in the near future
  • no attempt to join the round tops on the ridging
  • no allowance for turn downs
  • apron flashings that were not mitred, sealed, or riveted
  • apron flashings which ran parallel to the roofing ribs with soft edge instead of a 30mm turn down
  • roofing sheets which were not turned up at the top end
  • sheets which lapped the wrong way
  • screw fixings missing and insufficient structural timber to allow full fixing
  • caps and some other flashings not installed.

…and the list goes on.

The Board commented:

“Licensed building practitioners should be aiming to get building work right the first time, and not to rely on the building consent authority to identify compliance failings or to assist them to get it right. Moreover, when compliance failings are identified, the Board would expect prompt action to be taken and that they would not repeat the same failings.”

As well as publically naming Mr Chellp, the Board’s decision is to suspend the respondent’s licence for a period of six months to record the suspension on the public register.

In addition, Mr Chellp is ordered to pay $3500 towards the costs of the inquiry of the Board.

What can we learn from this decision?

Whether there are pressures on site to keep costs down or a client is demanding something that does not comply with a building consent, a Licensed Building Practitioner, whether carrying out the work or supervising it, must make sure that the work is being carried out to a project’s building consent or to the Building Code if there is no consent. They must also carry out the work competently and to an acceptable level of workmanship.

This is what our licence says we will do.

Photos and a full record of the decision is available, have a look – it’s scary!