Compliance, standards and regulatory obligations
Compliance, standards and regulatory obligations
This domain tests the legal framework around plumbing: the Building Act 2004, the Building Code, the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 2006, building consents, exemptions, inspections and records of work.
Core rules
- Plumbing and drainage is building work. Unless an exemption in Schedule 1 of the Building Act applies, it needs building consent before work starts.
- Use the cited Acceptable Solutions and standards: G12/AS1 for water, G13/AS1 for foul water, E1/AS1 for surface water, AS/NZS 3500 series and AS/NZS 5601 for gas.
- Work must be supervised and certified by the appropriately registered person; certifying plumbers sign records of work and producer statements within their competence.
- Know the inspection sequence: pre-line, pre-cover, drainage, testing and final. Do not cover work that needs inspection.
- A Code Compliance Certificate is issued at completion; specified systems need a compliance schedule and ongoing maintenance.
Worked example
A homeowner wants a new WC connected to the council sewer. The work alters sanitary plumbing and drainage, so check Schedule 1 for an exemption. A simple like-for-like replacement may be exempt in limited cases, but a new connection and new drain is not. The process is consent, inspection of the drain before covering, testing, record of work and CCC.
Traps
Assuming all replacements are exempt, starting before consent, missing a record of work, covering a drain before inspection, and signing outside your registration class.