Rebuild with confidence A guide for homeowners in Canterbury

Transcription

1 Rebuild with confidence A guide for homeowners in Canterbury

2 BUILD IT RIGHT CANTERBURY The groundwork for good decisions. Disclaimer: This document is a guide only. It should not be used as a substitute for legislation or legal advice. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is not responsible for the results of any actions taken on the basis of information in this document, or for any errors or omissions. Crown Copyright 2013

3 Building or repairing your home can be a complex process. This booklet gives an overview of the process, but does not cover all the rights and responsibilities involved in building or repairing a home. Always remember to check with others who may have an interest in the property, such as EQC, your insurance company, the council and any tenants, before you start work. As the homeowner you are responsible for ensuring that any work done on your property complies with the law and is of a good standard. This is for your protection, and also to protect anybody else who may buy your property in the future. If your home has been damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes you will more than likely work with EQC, your insurance company and a Project Management Office (PMO) to get your home repaired or rebuilt. This does not alter your legal responsibilities or those of the contractor working on your home. This guide is designed to assist you in the process of planning your repair or rebuild. It will help you to ask the right questions, rebuild with confidence and ensure your home is built right. 1

4 Index Step 1 Get informed The Building Code...4 Upgrading building standards after earthquakes...6 Guidance for rebuilding and repairing...7 House repairs that don t involve work on foundations...9 Repairing a leaky home...10 Insurance...11 Warranties...11 Checklist...12 Step 2 Rebuilds and repairs resulting from the Canterbury earthquakes Advice on the process...14 Rebuilding in areas that suffered from liquefaction...16 Step 3 Hire competent building contractors Build it Right...20 How to find reliable designers and builders...21 Selecting a designer Simple Home How to select a building contractor...25 Owner-builders...26 Managing the project...27 Checklist...28 Step 4 Take control Get it in writing! Checklist...32 Step 5 Stay or move out? What are my accommodation options if I need to move out?

5 STEP 1: Get informed There s a lot to think about when starting building work or doing major repairs on your property, so it s important to do your research. 3

6 The Building Code All building work must comply with the New Zealand Building Code, which sets national building standards. The Code aims to ensure homes stay warm, safe and dry by setting standards for structure, durability, fire safety, access, moisture, services and energy efficiency. Although there are national standards, design requirements vary from region to region depending on conditions and the likelihood of certain hazards. In some areas houses are built to a more robust design to resist heavy snow loads or extremely strong winds. There are many parts of the country where, because of ground conditions, local authorities require specific engineering design for foundations. Even before the earthquakes, site-specific foundations were required in the Port Hills and in peaty areas of Canterbury. Site-specific foundations are not new. 4

7 Your designer and building contractor are responsible for making sure their work meets the Building Code requirements. This applies to repair or rebuilding work done by Project Management Offices (PMOs). All building work requires building consent unless it is exempt under the Building Act 2004 usually only simple and low-risk work. Talk to your council to see whether your work needs a building consent or can be done without one. A building consent is issued by a building consent authority (BCA) usually your local council. If you need a building consent you must obtain one before you start work. When work begins there will be regular inspections by a BCA official. A code compliance certificate (CCC) is issued after the final inspection of the finished building project. A CCC confirms that the building consent authority is satisfied the completed project conforms with the building consent. As the homeowner you are ultimately responsible for ensuring the work has a building consent and code compliance certificate. You can delegate this task to your architect/designer, builder or project manager. If your work is being managed by a PMO, check this has been done. If you choose to do the work yourself, you are responsible for ensuring the building work meets the Code, as well as getting the building consent and code compliance certificate. NOTE: If you are rebuilding or repairing your house as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes ensure EQC or your insurance company have given approval to proceed. 5

8 Upgrading building standards after earthquakes New Zealand building standards have been upgraded after major earthquakes as knowledge about earthquakes and designing buildings to resist them has improved. However, there is always the risk of some damage in a major earthquake such as the Canterbury earthquake of 22 February Stronger buildings and foundations are now required in the Canterbury earthquake region so that buildings will better withstand future earthquakes. You should ensure your designer and/or builder is aware of these changes. They apply to the local authority areas of Christchurch City, Waimakariri and Selwyn District Councils. On 19 May 2011 the seismic hazard factor for the Canterbury earthquake region was increased from 0.22 to 0.3 minimum. The seismic hazard factor influences the way your house is constructed and a higher hazard factor means your house is more strongly built and better able to withstand future earthquakes. Although your house will be more strongly built, there will always be a risk of damage in future earthquakes. This is due to the variable nature of Canterbury sub-soils and the risk of future liquefaction in TC3 areas. For information on stronger foundations see the next section, on Guidance. Stronger buildings and foundations in the Canterbury earthquake region 6

9 Guidance for rebuilding and repairing CERA has divided the Canterbury earthquake area into zones. Information about zones and your property can be found at my-property. To assist with foundation rebuilds and repairs, land in the residential Green Zone has been divided into three foundation technical categories (TC1, TC2 and TC3). The technical categories are a guide to the level of site investigation required and the appropriate foundation system for properties with foundation damage. In TC1 and TC2 you can use standard foundations or enhanced concrete slab foundations recommended by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) for most standard timber framed homes. In TC3 you need geotechnical advice and design input from a chartered professional engineer to ensure your foundations are appropriate for your site. Maps of the areas covered by the technical categories can be found at cera.govt.nz/maps/technical-categories Without the technical categories, every site in the residential green zone with foundation damage would require further geotechnical investigation and site specific foundation design. This would slow down the repair and rebuild process considerably. Site-specific foundation systems are not a new approach. There are many parts of the country where local authorities require site-specific engineering design for foundations because of the ground conditions. The technical categories reflect the variability of the Canterbury soil conditions. They are based on intensive analysis of scientific and technical data, much of which had been collected following the September and December 2010, and February and June 2011 earthquakes. This included observed land damage, observed property damage, groundwater depth and underlying soil composition drawn from multiple cone penetration and borehole tests in each suburb. 7

10 Engineers applied this knowledge as well as a mix of historical and postearthquake data, and engineering judgement to determine the areas for each technical category. MBIE has published technical guidance on repairs and reconstruction for residential properties in the green zone. The documents are at nz/canterbury-earthquake-residential-building In brief, the requirements for foundations are as follows: TC1 Your builder can use standard foundations for concrete slabs and timber floors (as long as your site meets the good ground test). TC2 enhanced concrete foundations are needed and there are templates in MBIE s guidance. Standard timber foundations can be used for houses with lightweight cladding and timber floors. TC3 Deep geotechnical investigation may be required, depending on the damage, and foundations may need to be designed by a chartered professional engineer. Houses rebuilt to the standards in the guidance will perform significantly better in future earthquakes but there will always be a risk of future earthquake damage. This is due to the variable nature of Canterbury sub-soils and risk of future liquefaction in TC3 areas. 8

11 House repairs that don t involve work on foundations House repairs such as repairing chimneys, wall bracing and frame connections are covered in MBIE s guidance. Consult with EQC, your insurance company and the council before going ahead with any house repairs. If your home is in TC3 and at a future date you decide to build a major extension, you may be required to get advice from a chartered professional engineer and construct site-specific foundations for the extension. Any major extension to an existing house must comply with modern-day building standards. Talk to your local building consent authority about your repair plans, as some simple, low-risk repair and rebuild work can be done without a building consent. Low-risk repair and rebuild work can include: replacing or altering linings or finishes of any internal wall, ceiling, or floor of a dwelling making a penetration no greater than 30cm in diameter to enable the passage of pipes, cables, ducts, wires, hoses and the like through any existing building, and any associated work such as weatherproofing, fireproofing or sealing installing thermal insulation in an existing building other than in an external wall or a firewall of the building demolishing all or part of a damaged building that is detached (stand alone) and no more than 3 storeys high repairing and replacing all or part of a damaged outbuilding with a comparable outbuilding within the same area. For more information go to 9

12 Note: All building work must still meet Building Code requirements. There may be other council approvals required before you start work. Getting building consent is your responsibility, but you can delegate this task to your architect/designer, builder or project manager. Repairing a leaky home If you are repairing a house that you know or suspect has weathertightness problems, check out the government s Financial Assistance Package at If you are a qualifying homeowner you will receive a 25 per cent contribution from the Government (and may receive 25 per cent from your local council) towards the actual repair costs for the weathertight damage. The package does not cover earthquake or other repair costs. 10

13 Insurance If you are rebuilding or repairing your house as a result of earthquake damage, MBIE s guidance is only one piece of the jigsaw. If you are insured you need to put in a claim to EQC and/or your insurance company, you may need a building consent from your local building consent authority, and you may need other consents and authorisations, such as resource consent, before you begin repair or reconstruction work. There is more detail about this in Step 2 Rebuilds and repairs. If you are planning renovations or extensions to your home, discuss your homeowner insurance policy with your insurance provider to be clear about what work is and is not covered by your policy. Check if your homeowner s insurance covers construction-related risks. Also, check that your building contractor has appropriate business liability insurance. Warranties All residential building work is covered by the implied warranties set out in the Building Act. These are basic protections for consumers and apply to all contracts for residential building work, whether written or verbal. In summary, the warranties require all building work to be fit for purpose, meet the requirements of the Building Code and be undertaken with reasonable care and skill. If you believe any of the warranties have been breached you can take the tradesperson to court for breach of contract. This applies to PMOs and the contractors working for them. Some building contractors might offer guarantee products, which can provide additional assurance that any building defects will be put right. If you are building or managing repairs or reconstruction yourself and thinking of purchasing a guarantee product, shop around and make sure you are aware of what you are getting, including the limitations and exclusions on cover. 11

14 Checklist Use this checklist to remind yourself of the things you need to do: Familiarise yourself with the Building Code Familiarise yourself with the CERA zoning system Familiarise yourself with Technical Categories (TC1, TC2, TC3) Talk to your local authority about consents and about your section Call the EQC (if this is a rebuild or repair as a result of earthquake damage) Call your insurance company (either to check the process for repairs and rebuilds for damage from the Canterbury earthquakes, or to check your policy and cover for any construction-related risks for projects that are not related to earthquake damage) Talk to your council about any other requirements that may apply to your repair or rebuild (such as resource consent). Notes 12

15 Step 2: Rebuilds and repairs resulting from the Canterbury earthquakes 13

16 If your home, contents or land have been damaged by the Canterbury or Christchurch Earthquakes (or aftershocks) and you have current home and/or contents insurance, you have probably lodged a claim with the Earthquake Commission (EQC) and have contacted your insurance company. The Earthquake Commission automatically covers people with house and/or contents insurance. EQC s insurance cover applies to both holiday and permanent homes. Information about your entitlements, how to lodge a claim and the assessment and repair process can be found at Note: Your have probably checked your zoning, and if you re in the green zone you know which technical category you are in. If not, check at CERA has published a booklet that outlines the step-by-step process for property owners in technical category areas. It is primarily for homeowners in TC3 but covers the process for homeowners in TC1 and TC2. It also contains information about: the roles and responsibilities of the various agencies and insurers land assessments the guidance available from MBIE EQC drilling programme and land cover updated floor levels useful contacts. The CERA booklet can be downloaded from their website: residential-green-zone-technical-categories/overview#tc3-residential-rebuildbooklet 14

17 Important things to remember are: Repair work done by a Project Management Office (PMO) is covered by the implied warranties in the Building Act. Many repairs will include Restricted Building Work (RBW), which is critical to the integrity of a building. This must be supervised by or carried out by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). Check with your Project Management Office or builder to ensure the work is supervised or done by an LBP. If you think that work may be faulty, don t ignore it. Discuss it with the person doing the work or the lead contractor. Check if your homeowner s insurance covers construction-related risks. Also, check your PMO or building contractor has appropriate business liability insurance. 15

18 Rebuilding in areas that suffered from liquefaction If you are rebuilding in an area that is at risk of land damage in future large earthquakes, such as land in TC3 areas, then MBIE s guidance recommends that, as a guiding principle, you do not build using heavy materials. Using lighter materials for the roof, walls and floors will help to safeguard your asset for the future. It will significantly reduce the load on the foundation and the ground beneath; this will reduce the potential for the subsoil to settle in future significant events. Lighter construction can reduce the weight around the perimeter of your foundation by as much as 70%. In general, houses built of lighter materials suffered significantly less damage in the Canterbury series of earthquakes and are likely to be significantly less expensive to repair than houses constructed from heavy materials. Removing heavy claddings and replacing them with lighter claddings will sometimes allow existing foundations to be repaired instead of rebuilt. If you prefer to use heavy construction materials in areas such as TC3 you can do so, but you will need appropriate engineering advice and careful design. 16

19 Lighter wall coverings and roofing are used on many modern homes. They include: Weatherboards these can be made of timber, fibre cement, PVC, or aluminium. Some of these, such as PVC and aluminium, can come prefinished and are lower maintenance than materials which require painting. You can also choose a timber species such as cedar or macrocarpa, which can be left uncoated and involves less maintenance than painted weatherboard. Profiled metal there are a wide range of profiles to choose from including the usual corrugated profile. Metal pre-finished with colour or left in a natural look could be considered low maintenance. There are various grades and substrates (zincalume and aluminium being the main ones) available to cope with different environments, including coastal. Sheet materials the two obvious ones are ply and fibre cement. There are numerous variations and the ply comes in various face treatments (eg. flat, grooved, rough sawn). There are many ways to treat the sheets aesthetically, including cover battens, or jointers. Ply can also be made to look like vertical board and batten. The ply can be stained or painted; the fibre cement is usually painted or finished with a reinforced plaster system. EIFS (exterior insulation and finishing system) Again there are numerous systems but all have a substrate, usually a polystyrene panel, and are then finished with a painted reinforced plaster system. Common types of lighter roof: Sheet and metal tile roofs, either pre-painted or painted by the homeowner Other materials that don t exceed 20kg/m 2 So, there are a huge range of options for lighter cladding including options that address any concern you may have about maintenance or aesthetic appeal. Think about what you want, look around and discuss the options with your designer. 17

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21 Step 3: Hire competent building contractors 19

22 Build it Right When you build or renovate your home there are a few provisions in the Building Act that will make sure the right people are on your job. Work critical to the structure of the building or to its weathertightness is known as Restricted Building Work (RBW) and must done by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). For further information go to the Built It Right section of the MBIE website: A lot of the work that requires a Building Consent will include RBW. For example: design and construction of a house or small to medium sized apartment s primary structure (eg. foundations and framing) to ensure the building can withstand vertical and horizontal loads design and construction of a house or small to medium sized apartment s external envelope (eg. roofing and cladding) to ensure the building is weathertight design of fire safety systems (eg. sprinklers, fire alarms) for small to medium sized apartments to ensure people are adequately protected from the dangers of smoke and fire. The important things for you to know when you are rebuilding, repairing or renovating your house are: use a designer who is an LBP or Registered Architect or Chartered Professional Engineer to draw the plans for your building use Licensed Building Practitioners to build your home all LBPs doing Restricted Building Work on your home have to give you a Memorandum when their part of the work is done. It documents what RBW they did. Designers, builders and tradespeople who are LBPs have been independently assessed as competent to do the type of work they hold a licence for. Complaints about a licensed building practitioner s competence can be made to an independent Building Practitioners Board. 20

23 How to find reliable designers and builders If you are not working with a PMO ask around. Some of the best recommendations for designers and builders come from friends, family and colleagues who have had positive experiences. Check that the contractors you plan to use are LBPs. The Licensed Building Practitioner Register has details of licensed building practitioners in your area. Trade associations can also provide information. People registered to carry out building work under other statutory registration systems such as architects, engineers, gasfitters and plumbers are automatically treated as licensed under the corresponding class in the licensed building practitioner scheme. Note: PMOs are bound by the law. They must ensure RBW done on your home is supervised or carried out by an LBP. To find a register of Licensed Building Practitioners and other information go to 21

24 Selecting a designer You have a choice of designer; for example, an architect, an architectural designer or an architectural draughtsperson. A designer will add cost-effectiveness and overall value to your home. Once you have selected your designer, and depending on how much ground was covered in your initial meeting, the next stage is the thorough briefing. In this briefing: go over your ideas have a budget and be prepared to shuffle items within the budget be flexible be clear about exactly what services your designer will be providing. Have everything agreed in the contract and reviewed by your lawyer. Note: Your designer must identify all the Restricted Building Work on your job when they fill in their Certificate of Work. They ll do this when they draw up your building plans. 22

25 Simple Home the speedy way to get a well designed home Many New Zealanders don t even contemplate building their own first home because they believe the process to be too expensive, time consuming and complicated. However, building a simple house can be just that simple. MBIE has created a Simple House Acceptable Solution, a guide that helps to make a new house an attainable goal for first home buyers. It can be found at: Anyone interested in building a simple home can ask their architect or designer to use the details and specifications in the Simple House Acceptable Solution. The guide is a resource to help architects, designers, and builders to develop innovative and affordable houses that comply with the New Zealand Building Code. A complete, all-in-one document that covers the 25 relevant Building Code clauses. The Simple House Acceptable Solution ensures your home meets the requirements of the Building Code and provides options for innovation so each home is as unique as the people that live in it. Design by Tony Koia, Koia Architects Limited 23

26 The Simple House Acceptable Solution is for single storey framed construction using limited roof spans and a limited range of cladding materials, incorporating the following criteria for home design: structural strength and durability for the majority of locations in New Zealand finishes that reflect the requirements for durability and low maintenance flexibility to meet changing family needs over time through incorporation of lifetime features such as wide doorways and easy access energy efficiency, water efficiency, material efficiency, and waste minimisation low ongoing operational costs. Design by Geoff Walker, Image Architecture Limited 24

27 How to select a building contractor It s important to find out as much as you can about the building contractor s competence and business standards before making any decisions. Check that your contractor is an LBP. Give the building contractor as much information as you can about what you want, your budget and your expectations. This will help you to get off on the right foot and reduce the likelihood of a dispute later. Always get at least three quotes. A competent contractor will tell you: their full contact details, including name, address and phone number whether they are trading as an individual or part of a company and, if it is a company, details about how long the company has been trading and what role the company directors will play in the project about the skills, qualifications and licensing status of the people who will carry out the work what, if any, financial back-up or insurance is available to cover the costs of fixing any faults about their track record, including any disputes they may have had their GST number and proof of any licenses they may hold. When hiring anyone to work on your house, make sure you have a written contract with them (see Step 4). Written contracts protect everyone involved by setting out obligations and responsibilities, including incentives to build right first time. If a dispute does happen and you can t negotiate a resolution between yourselves, you can use the dispute resolution processes set out in the contract. 25

28 Remember that you get what you pay for; a low price does not necessarily mean you will be getting a good quality building contractor. If a potential contractor is asking for a significantly lower price than others, you should enquire further about why. They could have underestimated the cost of materials and time, or be using less-skilled labour. This could lead to cost blow-outs further down the track. Owner-Builders Owner-Builders are able to carry out Restricted Building Work on their own home. You are an Owner-Builder if you: live in or are going to live in the home (includes a bach or holiday home) carry out the Restricted Building Work to your own home yourself, or with the help of your unpaid friends and family members, and have not, under the Owner-Builder Exemption, carried out Restricted Building Work to any other home within the previous three years. To use the Owner-Builder exemption you need to complete a Statutory declaration as to owner-builder status showing that you meet the ownerbuilder criteria. The statutory declaration form has to be witnessed and signed by a Justice of the Peace or someone else authorised by law to do so. This form needs to be given to your local council with your application for a building consent, or before Restricted Building Work on your home starts. An Owner-Builder is responsible for ensuring that Restricted Building Work carried out under the Owner-Builder Exemption complies with the building consent and the relevant plans and specifications. If you are planning to use the Owner-Builder exemption for a home damaged as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes, ensure you have approval from EQC and your insurance company to go ahead with repairs or rebuilding. 26

29 Managing the project There are different ways of managing a building project: You manage the project, including contracting the designer, building contractor and sub-contractors. You get the design work done, then contract a builder who is responsible for hiring sub-contractors. You hire an independent project manager, who manages the project on your behalf. You have earthquake-related damage and you use the PMO appointed by your insurance company. There are pros and cons of these approaches. For example: managing the project yourself can be more stressful and time-consuming, and you may find it harder to hold others to account for defects in the work; however, you have more control over the project, including who does the work leaving it to the building contractor might mean you have less control of who does the work, unless you have a comprehensive contract, however, you will be in a better position to hold those who carried out the work to account if things go wrong an independent project manager adds more to the cost of the project, however, you will have more certainty that the project will be managed in your best interests by an independent expert if the PMO is appointed by your insurance company you will not pay the cost of project management. The PMO is working on your behalf to repair your home and the work is covered by the implied warranties in the Building Act. 27

30 Checklist Ask around about designers and builders Get three quotes Interview designer and building contractors Check out the Simple House Acceptable Solution Ask to see their Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP) card or trade association membership card Follow up references Get the necessary building consents from your council Check contractor s business liability insurance (if they have any) Notes: 28

31 STEP 4: Take control Get it in writing. 29

32 Get it in writing! A written contact protects your interests and sets out your rights and obligations. It also gives your building contractor an incentive to build right first time. A written contract should include: the names and addresses of the parties the date the contract is agreed the contract price a full description of the work, including materials and products to be used. Note that your contract will need to specify whether any recycled materials are to be used. If this is not specified, the contract terms implied under the Building Act require materials to be new a clear payment schedule that lays out when and how much you will be charged, including who pays for any council fees (structure your payments so they are aligned to the cost of completing each stage of your project avoid a large up-front payment) a statement that the building contractor is responsible for making sure that building work meets Building Code and Restricted Building Work requirements the date when the work will start, and the date when it will be completed warranties detailing what is covered and for how long. Note that all residential building work is covered by the warranties set out in the Building Act. Your building contractor may have written these warranties into the contract, or be offering an additional guarantee. If you are offered a guarantee, make sure you re aware of what you re getting. Check the contractor s warranty or guarantee against the Building Act warranties to ensure they at least match. Ask your contractor how their guarantee or warranty works information about how any disputes will be resolved how any contract variations will be dealt with any other obligations on you as the owner. 30

33 There are a number of different contract options. Take time to read and understand the contract don t sign it straight away, and consider getting legal advice. Contracts not only protect you and the other party but they also commit you to obligations and responsibilities. Try to avoid paying a deposit of more than 10 per cent if your contractor wants more, ask them to put their reasons in writing to give you additional protection. Your project and money is at risk if you pay too much, too far in advance. A deposit should be a reasonable proportion of the total value of the work. Be wary of a contractor who wants a significant proportion of the cost up-front. Many contractors have accounts with building suppliers that they settle when work is complete, so query this with your contractor if they ask you to pay for materials up-front. Note: A contract is enforceable when both you and the contractor have signed and dated it. Remember to initial every page and keep a copy. 31

34 Checklist Use this checklist to remind yourself of the things you need to do: Get a written contract Check out the payment schedule don t pay too much money up-front Take time to read the contract make sure it includes a clear warranty and dispute resolution options Ask the builder about the process for varying the contract, including any changes to the final price or timeframe Make sure you get any changes to the works or the contract in writing Sign the contract and make sure you keep a copy in a safe place Keep written receipts of all payments Follow up on any warranty issues without delay Notes 32

35 Step 5: Stay or move out? 33

36 What are my accommodation options if I need to move out? The Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service (CETAS) assists householders who need help finding temporary accommodation following the September 2010 or February 2011 earthquakes. There are three parts to the service: Matching and placing people in temporary accommodation Providing financial assistance Earthquake support co-ordination. Accommodation matching The Temporary Accommodation Service will assist householders (both homeowners and people in rented accommodation) whose homes are uninhabitable and who need help finding suitable rental accommodation while their house is repaired. Accommodation options include private rental accommodation and, for those who are eligible, government provided temporary villages. We will help work out what temporary accommodation option suits you best and will match and place you in the appropriate accommodation available at that time. (Housing New Zealand tenants should contact HNZC directly for help if needed on ) 34

37 Financial assistance There is a range of financial assistance available for householders affected by the quakes. Depending on personal circumstances, you may be eligible for: Temporary accommodation assistance (if your insurance cover for rental accommodation has run out, but you still need a temporary place to live and have additional accommodation costs), or Accommodation supplement (this is income tested assistance), or Hardship assistance (to supplement incomes, also income tested). Earthquake support co-ordination This service can also connect you to a team of Earthquake Support Coordinators who will assist individuals and families directly affected by the earthquakes, including those who have to be relocated while their homes are rebuilt or repaired, or while land remediation is carried out. Earthquake Support Coordinators can meet with you anywhere you choose your home, place of work, or a café. They can: help you to work out what you want to achieve and develop a plan provide information connect you with services undertake referral and application processes for services needed facilitate meetings between you and experts. 35

38 How to get help You will need to complete an assessment form online at or call When you complete the form your needs will be assessed and assistance offered. The form will help establish if you are eligible for the government supported accommodation and, if needed, if you qualify for financial assistance. For more detailed information around the Temporary Accommodation Service go to Call Freephone (Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm). Visit Canterbury Earthquake Temporary Accommodation Service (Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 4.30pm) Level 4, 7 Winston Avenue, Papanui Level 2, 10 Nelson Street, Riccarton Waimakariri Earthquake Hub (Call 0800 RING CERA for opening hours) 24 Sewell Street, Kaiapoi A local Work and Income office Selwyn District residents can contact and CETAS will arrange an appointment to see them at a convenient location. Avondale Earthquake Assistance Centre, (Call 0800 RING CERA for opening hours) Cnr Wainoni & Breezes Roads (located within Avondale Golf Course) Useful website Visit for more practical and reliable information about building, buying, renovating and maintaining your home 36

39 The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) develops and delivers policy, services, advice and regulation to support economic growth and the prosperity and wellbeing of New Zealanders. MBIE combines the former Ministries of Economic Development and Science + Innovation, and the Departments of Labour and Building and Housing. Leading aspects of Canterbury s rebuild and recovery is a key Government priority. 37

40 Published in February 2013 by Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, PO Box , Wellington, New Zealand. This document is issued as guidance under section 175 of the Building Act While the Ministry has taken care in preparing the document it should not be relied upon as establishing compliance with all relevant clauses of the Building Act or Building Code in all cases that may arise. The document may be updated from time to time and the latest version is available from the Ministry s website at ISBN: (print) ISBN: (web)