I’ve had clients call me with issues but then tell me, “the salesperson said it met Building Code”, as if that means something.
All it means is the developer wasn’t allowed to build it any worse.
This quote from the latest BRANZ Guideline newsletter (Feb 2021) comes with emphasis added by me:
“The Building Code is not a quality mark
Tackling a common misconception
A recent media promotion for a South Island affordable homes development included the comment that “the homes will meet Building Code standards”. The wider piece implied that, by meeting Building Code requirements, the homes had somehow achieved a quality mark. This is a common misconception among the general public that BRANZ has found in a number of different pieces of research.
Property promotions, where they mention the Building Code, should always make it clear that complying with minimum requirements is compulsory and in no way implies a tick of good quality. A house that just meets minimum Code requirements is the poorest-performing house you are legally able to build.“