Bathroom alteration consents
Bathroom consents can be simple, or complicated! Your application will be assessed by a Building Officer to determine the complexity of the work being applied for.
Potential requirements
Wet area showers
Building alterations or new dwellings involving tiled floor wet area showers are becoming increasingly common. These showers must be correctly detailed and constructed to ensure that there are no problems encountered in the future.
Some of the areas that are looked at closely by Council staff are:
- Flooring structure - concrete or timber. New concrete and timber floors can be shaped to fall to drains; good falls in the floor are essential to prevent ponding and possible water problems
- Timber floors require careful detailing. Using treated timber H3.1 minimum (H4 is recommended) for framing timbers, H4 plywood or fibre cement sheeting under tiles. Framing sizes should be larger than typical floors required in order to reduce deflections and the risk of cracking in tiles.
- A wet area membrane must be applied over all of the area that may be exposed to splashing or water flow. The type and extent of membrane must be shown on building consent documents and comply with the New Zealand Building Code clause E3. As new products are introduced to the market regularly you should include full installation details with you application. Don't be surprised if Council ask for details of testing of these products to prove they will comply with the New Zealand Building Code. A good list of products tested in New Zealand can be obtained from the BRANZ website
These types of showers can cause real problems in the future if they are not properly detailed and constructed.
Fees
Fees and levies are based on the value of works and are explained in the Building Unit Fees and Charges.