deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 (edited) Anyone here know about building reg's & rules? I've looked everywhere on the DCC site and other sites over probably a good 3 or 4 hours here and there's conflicting things on what I can and cant' do! I'm wanting to put a pergola which will be about 45sqm, covered on the roof only with perspex. Currently I have two pergolas here, one was here which I use for keeping a car under cover, the 2nd I built on the end of the house, but this one will be a lot bit bigger. In there, I've already bought a wood burning fire which has a cooker on the top, so it's classed as a BBQ and doesn't have to meet emissions rules e.t.c. I'm told? Does the Pergola have to be a certain distance from any boundary? I've already bought a LG Plasma home from work and video sending unit so I can have a few out there with mates and watch the rugby, bought a spa for the wife & kids to go out there, pool table, drinking memorabilia and even a dart board! I also have a Polaris Ranger which I will store out there when it's not at our other property. I've put a pic of the Pergola I made several months back to give you an idea of what I want, I can get someone up from the Council but really wanting to avoid that & just have it built to spec if at all possible. Worse comes to worse I will get the foundations made (asphalt) and use the area for parking. Any genuine info would be appreciated before I undertake this! Edited June 19, 2012 by The Diesel Guy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 609 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 Looks like a good setup! Inlaws have a similar one. I've got afew mates that are builders that should be as to help you out. Il get in touch with them tomorrow. They'd also build it for you as a cash job if wanted Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 Looks like a good setup! Inlaws have a similar one. I've got afew mates that are builders that should be as to help you out. Il get in touch with them tomorrow. They'd also build it for you as a cash job if wanted Hehe thanks mate, I'm sure they would, but I'll be doing it myself, done the other one pictures on my own, gotta put those tools to use ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
euroriffic 609 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 Haha fair enough. If you want give my mate rory a call, he'l be able to help with boundary issues etc. His number is 027-666-9580 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
allan 295 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 Hi Clinton, how long ago was it that you built the other covered in area as you maybe able to use the same method of construction for this new project. Although with all the changes going on in the building industry and with what you have mentioned you could need a permit to carry out this job. Plus a qualified builder to help you carry it out or one that is willing to sign it off for you as being up to the curtain building code. If not it could come back to bite you when you try to sell and it is found to have these additions and no permits to back them up. Sorry to be a joy germ but to do any structural building work these days properly the system has you by the short and curlees and charges accordingly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 Hi Clinton, how long ago was it that you built the other covered in area as you maybe able to use the same method of construction for this new project. Although with all the changes going on in the building industry and with what you have mentioned you could need a permit to carry out this job. Plus a qualified builder to help you carry it out or one that is willing to sign it off for you as being up to the curtain building code. If not it could come back to bite you when you try to sell and it is found to have these additions and no permits to back them up. Sorry to be a joy germ but to do any structural building work these days properly the system has you by the short and curlees and charges accordingly. Construction method will be the same as I did it, that job was done about 3-4 months ago now. Wanting to keep builders out of it, as that whole job including timber and roofing and the asphalt only cost $1200 - brother owns a asphalting business. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CamB 48 Report post Posted June 19, 2012 In Auckland, if the council was involved (and I'm not sure how the new building changes affects it) you'd need to consider site coverage and storm water. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 In Auckland, if the council was involved (and I'm not sure how the new building changes affects it) you'd need to consider site coverage and storm water. Sorted, the new pergola will fall into an existing spouting Where the garage ends, there's the coal and wood room, that falls towards the divide where the new pergola will be, the new pergola will fall into that spouting also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Might pay to check about the percentage of covered area allowed on any particaular sized property by council as well. I know there is an allowable percentage but I don't know the figure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Here. States that a pergola with a roof is not a pergola, but a veranda. Seems work on verandas over 5m2 require consent. What would I do? You can probably guess ha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Also, (and I'm a bit sketchy on this crap) it's maybe possible you can build such a low risk structure yourself within the licensing regs(horseshit). As I understand it, if you go the legal route the council notes the structure on the PIM/LIM for the property as owner built. Check with TA (council) for this. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rookie 0 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 There are a number of small things to consider which will save you potential heartache in the long run... particularly if you, for example, build it within the side yard and have to remove it later. I would look for you myself but every council has different rules, definitions of buildings etc etc etc not to mention i dont know the location of ya property . Just ring the council and ask to speak to the duty planner - do it once and do it well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Here. States that a pergola with a roof is not a pergola, but a veranda. Seems work on verandas over 5m2 require consent. What would I do? You can probably guess ha. Something makes me want to just do it & have the problem when it comes time to sell, but I was under the understanding that a veranda was classed as enclosed with walls? Check this out : An owner wishes to alter a 28 square metre pergola attached to her house by fitting clear, poly carbonate roofing material to the structure. As a result, the pergola has become a veranda and, as it is greater than 20 square metres, it will require a building consent. Only woman in this country own houses, kgo. If that's the case then I might be able to downsize the actual roofed area to 20sqm cause f**k those hairy muppets coming up with their pens and clip boards & invoices larger than the national debt to sort it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Thing is, once you attach a roof to a pergola, it's subject to uplift from wind (needs anchoring/bracing) and, for Dunners, probably snow load. And watch out because they seem to contradict themselves over veranda size higher on the page, suggesting a limit of 5m2. Larger area, larger loads. Welcome to the building code, where nothing is quite what it seems and it doesn't apply anyways cause they'll just change in 6 mouths. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Thing is, once you attach a roof to a pergola, it's subject to uplift from wind (needs anchoring/bracing) and, for Dunners, probably snow load. And watch out because they seem to contradict themselves over veranda size higher on the page, suggesting a limit of 5m2. Larger area, larger loads. Welcome to the building code, where nothing is quite what it seems and it doesn't apply anyways cause they'll just change in 6 mouths. The one I built would be more than 5spm, but apparently it was built in 1908 before the house was here and not 3 months ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Carport Because I'll easily be able to get a car into this area, worse comes to worse I could cover over 20sqm, have at least one wall for strength and pass it off as a carport? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Looks good ha! Still want to check you max covered area/license stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) Looks good ha! Still want to check you max covered area/license stuff. Bugger the councils, the code is there to protect from muppets getting out there and building a house with PVA glue and a paper mache whilst high on meth but otherwise it's just for the council to rape your wallet. Thing is, once you attach a roof to a pergola, it's subject to uplift from wind (needs anchoring/bracing) and, for Dunners, probably snow load. See the stupid thing is, the roof actually made the whole pergola stronger, after putting the roof on there was no sway on it at all, the 3x 100x100 posts were in the ground 1.5 - 2.0 meters and two-three bags of concrete each and wouldn't go anywhere but there was still a slight amount of sway even though it was dynabolted to the house and concreted into the ground, but yeah once the roof was on, nothing, not even the weight of your wallet would make it move Westy. Edited June 20, 2012 by The Diesel Guy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CamB 48 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Just to clarify, although I think you understand so apologies ahead of time ... the reason its so hard to work out is that you have to (potentially) meet the building code (what and how its built) **and** the district plan (what and where its built). The stormwater one gets me - the requirements are not in the district plan but (at least in Auckland) a requirement to manage stormwater onsite is somehow tacked onto the side of the building consent process. I live in a 150 year old suburb. We have no stormwater and poor permeability, but somehow that's my fault not Metrowater's fault... so my house + garage features a gold-plated on onsite stormwater management system funded by the previous owner and me (he renovated the house, I had the garage built) with a large rainwater detention tank, 2x huge soakage pits complete with manhole covers, and an exorbitant fee paid to a drainage engineer to design and convince the council that we should be able to discharge a modest portion of water (just the garage roof) to the street. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 See the stupid thing is, the roof actually made the whole pergola stronger, after putting the roof on there was no sway on it at all, the 3x 100x100 posts were in the ground 1.5 - 2.0 meters and two-three bags of concrete each and wouldn't go anywhere but there was still a slight amount of sway even though it was dynabolted to the house and concreted into the ground, but yeah once the roof was on, nothing, not even the weight of your wallet would make it move Westy. This is where the DIY goes astray. Regardless of the roof bracing the side load, the frame of the structure must be able to resist side load in its own right. But in the case of a pergola/veranda this is beside the point as there is no wall cladding to present any side load. Your concern is regards vertical load, being uplift (wind) and down load (roofing and potential snow). Remember, regardless of council consents, everything you build must still meet the building code. Last I knew, it was still legal to build a 1.5m high retaining wall in Auckland(!). But if you were to build one it still had to meet the code requirements. Like Cam says, these are 2 separate issues. The 'Code' is the Govt regs covering 'how' you build with a side helping of 'what requires consent'. And the 'District Plan' is the Council regs for 'what' you build and 'where'. Is it any wonder no ones building sod-all these days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 The stormwater one gets me I read somewhere along the line that your "Pergola" needs to conform with stormwater rules, yet other sites contradict what a Pergola actually is, they say a roofed pergola is a veranda. What is the worst that could happen I guess? they'd make me take the structure down? I've always had an issue with over doing things, so it's not like the structure won't be sound, come down and smash a 24 pack (worst case scenario) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*Glenn* 854 Report post Posted June 20, 2012 Just build it and enjoy it for as long as you can. Us Jaffas all know the South Islands going to sink soon anyway Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deeveus 81 Report post Posted June 21, 2012 Just build it and enjoy it for as long as you can. Us Jaffas all know the South Islands going to sink soon anyway +1 But I'm some 350 meters above sea level Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard 384 Report post Posted June 25, 2012 Hi , don't want to rain on your pergola , but keep in mine Cave Creek . Its to keep the next owner save . just sayn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westy 614 Report post Posted June 25, 2012 Justa couple of things on the pics of the veranda you've built, I'd have used a larger beam (150x90) and bolted it to the posts. Purlins could have been spaced further also. These are guesses from the pics and without looking up nzs3604, so could be out. The main problem with it, is that there is no step between the inside floor and the outside ground level. It must be a step of 100mm min. Potentially a real problem in the future. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
