The Building Practitioners Board has ordered a designer to pay $4,000 after he submitted sub-standard plans to the council for building consents.

The designer submitted plans to the council on two occasions. Both applications were rejected due to missing a substantial amount of information including structural details. The council advised the designer to consult an engineer.

The designer told the Board that his usual engineer was unavailable, and he had used another. However, it transpired that the engineer was a civil engineer, not a structural engineer.

The designer did not have any other person checking his work before it was submitted.

The Board held that the quality of the designer’s work was a significant departure from acceptable standards, and amounted to negligence.

The Board ordered the designer to pay a fine of $1,500 and $2,500 in costs.

It is important that all plans submitted to councils for building consents are completed by the correct professionals, and contain all required details. Failure to do so may lead to significant delays, additional expenses, and unhappy clients.

If concerns have been raised about the quality and completeness of any of your applications or building work, it is wise to speak with a professional experienced in the area.

Leading law firms committed to helping clients cost-effectively will have a range of fixed-priced Initial Consultations to suit most people’s needs in quickly learning what their options are.  At Rainey Collins we have an experienced team who can answer your questions and put you on the right track.

 

Alan Knowsley
Construction Lawyer