The Building Act 2004 fully came into force on March 31, 2005 and introduced a new framework for the regulation of building work. The 2004 Act repealed the Building Act 1991 and represented a major change for people working in the building industry.

The 2004 Act aims to improve control of, and encourage better practices in building design and construction so that buildings are designed and built right first time.

This will give greater assurance to all building owners and users, particularly homeowners, that their building meets standards set out in the Building Code.

The changes are designed to provide:

• More clarity on the standards we expect buildings to meet.
• More guidance on how those standards can be met.
• More capable people undertaking building design, construction and building inspections.
• More scrutiny in the building consent and inspection process.
• Better protection for homeowners through the introduction of mandatory warranties.