Insight / Construction Fuel crisis: how rising fuel costs affect construction projects and contracts The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East have sent fuel prices sharply upward in recent weeks, with diesel in New Zealand rising at more than double the rate of standard grade petrol. For construction projects, where fuel is a significant cost across the whole supply chain, the impact is being felt quickly and acutely. Owners and contractors across New Zealand are grappling with how these increased costs should be allocated, and what their contractual rights and obligations are in the current environment. Read more
Insight / Construction New Zealand Government announces further building reforms In addition to the move to proportionate liability, the Government has now announced that it will introduce mandatory home warranties, require all design professionals to have professional indemnity (PI) insurance and strengthen disciplinary penalties for Licenced Building Practitioners (LBPs). Read more
Insight / Construction Building consent reforms: move towards proportional liability In a significant move for the construction and legal sectors, the Government has announced its intention to implement the most substantial overhaul of building consent processes since the Building Act came into effect in 2004. Two key announcements were made earlier this week: Read more
Insight / Construction New policies aim to streamline building inspection process Recently, the Hon Chris Penk (Minister of Building and Construction) announced the Government’s two-pronged approach to streamline the building consent and inspection process. These initiatives are the opt-in self-certification scheme, and the introduction of mandatory inspection timeframes for Building Consent Authorities (BCAs). The schemes are designed to free up BCAs to focus on high-risk, complex builds, and reduce development delays for simple residential builds. Read more
Insight / Construction Time limits for building claims: 10 years or 10 + 2 years? The Supreme Court has released its long-awaited decision of Beca v Wellington City Council regarding whether the Building Act’s 10-year longstop applied to third-party contribution claims. In a 3/2 split, the Supreme Court held that it did not. Read more
Insight / Construction Construction update: Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Act 2023 Decoded Get ready for the Construction Contracts (Retention Money) Amendment Act 2023, effective October 5. Ensure compliance with these changes. Read more
