Guide to building in preparation for a disaster

​Consider stormwater when building

People wishing to develop an area of land for housing need to think about stormwater considerations early on. See Consider stormwater when building for more information.

Design of the stormwater system looks at the standards people need to meet to reduce environmental impacts and flood risk.

See Stormwater forms and guides for best practice advice.

Maintenance of stormwater pipes and drains

Property owners are responsible for maintaining stormwater pipes and drains on their property.

See Who maintains stormwater pipes and drains for more information on public and private stormwater assets.

How you will maintain stormwater, wastewater and other hazards also needs to be considered when you are subdividing your property. See Check if you can subdivide your property.

Consider flooding risks

There are some ways that you can Check for flood risks before you buy or build on a property.

See Reduce flooding risks on your property for information on how to minimise risk.

It is also important you report a Missing, dislodged or damaged manhole or catchpit cover near your property.

Our 'Prepare your property for flooding' brochure has information on ways to reduce flood damage and long-term improvements to reduce the impact of future floods.

Natural hazards

Find out how we recognise, manage and assess the risks from:

• Natural hazards
• Earthquake-prone buildings.

Building on land at risk of a natural hazard

When you apply for consent for a new building or a major alteration to an existing building, consider how the building could be affected by natural hazards, or how your work could accelerate or worsen a natural hazard.

Find out more about Building on land at risk of a natural hazard.

General consent information

Getting the right consent and complying with all the conditions is an essential part of protecting your property from potential disasters.

See What is a consent and do you need one? to find out more.

If you need help completing online application for resource and building consents, see the following guides:

• Resource consent process 10-step guide
• Building consent process 10-step guide.

Building and renovation projects

Building and renovation is a complex process that might involve several steps involving consents, safety rules and approvals.

See Consents, building and renovation projects for information about:

• getting started on a project
• building and resource consents
• building issues and legislation
• land, infrastructure and permitted activities.