Site/Carpentry frequently asked questions
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- One of my referees is based overseas. Can I still use them when I apply to be licensed?
- I am applying for two different classes. Can I use the same people as referees or do I have to find six different referees in total?
- My current role involves controlling budgets and developing and managing building contracts on behalf of the building owner. Does this mean I should or can apply for a Site 3 class?
- Does the scope of a Site 3 class include overseeing the construction of straightforward houses and smaller scale commercial building work, that is, the sorts of work that a Site 1 and Site 2 licensed person would undertake?
- I currently do a lot of remedial and repair work; both design and build, on houses and apartments. However, the scope of work is not very wide. Can I still apply to be licensed even with this limitation?
Trade and Site applicants with experience from other countries need to show how their experience relates to the license class competencies in the New Zealand context. In some cases overseas experience may be very similar to the New Zealand working environment (ie, some kinds of buildings in Australia or the UK); or it may be different.
The assessor will look to see how you would have approached that specific project in a New Zealand context. They may need to have a face-to-face meeting. Remember, at this stage you have until March 2012, when restricted work is proposed to be introduced, to gather experience and information about projects to use when you apply.
1. One of my referees is based overseas. Can I still use them when I apply to be licensed?
Remember that the referees that you choose must be able to talk about the projects you have chosen to describe in your application. If one of your referees is based overseas it will make it difficult for your assessor to contact them.
We recommend selecting New Zealand based referees, however, the assessors will treat this on a case-by-case basis.
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2. I am applying for two different classes. Can I use the same people as referees or do I have to find six different referees in total?
For all applications you will need to find referees who can talk about the work you have done on the projects you have selected.
It may be possible for one person to comment about two different aspects of the work you did, for example, the carpentry project and managing the site, but often your referees will need to be different people.
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3. My current role involves controlling budgets and developing and managing building contracts for the building owner. Does this mean I should or can apply for a Site 3 class?
From the way you describe your role, it sounds like you are a client project manager.
The focus of the Site 3 class is on the managing the construction of large and/or complex buildings. A good example of these would be a hospital or a stadium.
The Site 3 licence class holder controls and directs construction through a project team. This project team report to the Site 3 on their work, and that person will be managing the entire construction phase. This is different from the work you have described.
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4. Does the scope of a Site 3 class include overseeing the construction of straightforward houses and smaller scale commercial building work, that is, the sorts of work that a Site 1 and Site 2 licensed person would undertake?
The focus of the Site 2 and Site 3 classes are different. The focus of the Site 3 class is on construction management of large and/or highly complex buildings. The focus of the Site 2 class is on technically coordinating the building site.
A Site 3 license class holder would not automatically oversee residential work, because the competencies are different. However, some Site 3 holders who have come up through the ranks may have good technical knowledge and might be quite capable of providing the technical oversight on smaller commercial and residential buildings.
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5. I currently do a lot of remedial and repair work; both design and build, on houses and apartments. However, the scope of work is not very wide. Can I still apply to be licensed even with this limitation?
The idea behind the LBP Scheme is for applicants to demonstrate a wide-range of skills and experience. In your case, even though your company is focused on remedial and repair work, there should be enough range for you to select projects that detail your skills experience.
In cases like this, the assessors will look at each project on a case-by-case basis, so you need to make your role very clear in your application forms.
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