Certified Builders welcomes growth in building consents

Certified Builders welcomes Statistics New Zealand’s release of new building consent numbers as positive for the building industry and the economy, but says the shortage of skilled trades people continues to be an issue in some areas.

The trend for the number of new dwellings consented is at its highest level since August 2007. While the rate of growth is slowing somewhat, the trend for new dwellings has more than doubled since the series low in March 2011, meaning demand for builders is strong.

Certified Builders Chief Executive, Grant Florence said, "As a trade association with members from all areas of New Zealand we are pleased to see growth in building consents in the vast majority of regions.

"We expected the number of new consents to be highest in Auckland and Christchurch, and while this is certainly positive, there is a risk in terms of the number of qualified builders there are to meet the demand.

"What we don’t want to see is unqualified builders filling the vacuum and potentially compromising the quality of new housing, which could reflect badly on the building industry as a whole."

Certified Builders helps address skill shortages in the industry by working closely with apprenticeship schemes and through an Apprenticeship Scholarship Trust, which supports apprentices in times of hardship.

"As a trade organisation, what we can do is help give our members a competitive advantage by providing consumers with confidence in engaging a Certified Builder.

"Consumers can take confidence from the fact that all our members are trade-certified, and that we have the most comprehensive independent guarantee and provide ongoing professional development for our members," said Mr Florence.

Certified Builders currently has a record number of members - approximately one third of all builders are members - and remains the only building trade association in New Zealand that requires trade-qualification for membership.