Plumbing DIY. What can I legally do?

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tims

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#262282 14-Jan-2020 13:19

My sister-in-law's ballcock valve assembly in her hot water cylinder's header tank does not completely shut off and water is coming out of the header tank's overflow pipe.
Am I legally allowed to change the faulty ballcock valve by turning water off; unscrewing the pipe attached to the existing ballcock and replace the ballcock? Or, is the most DIY plumbing work I'm allowed to do is to change tap rubber seal or change taps?

Thanks

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#2391816 14-Jan-2020 14:01

15Exemption for householders

(1)The owner of any premises situated in a place to which this subsection applies and occupied, or intended to be occupied, by that person as a residence for that person, or for that person and members of that person’s family, may do any sanitary plumbing in those premises.

(2)The sanitary plumbing done under subsection (1) may be done—

(a)with or without the assistance of any member of the person’s family living with the person; but

(b)without the assistance of any other person.

(3)For the purposes of subsection (1), owner, in relation to any premises, means the person who (whether alone or as a joint tenant or tenant in common) would for the time being be entitled to receive the rack rent of the premises on his or her own account if the premises were let to a tenant at a rack rent.

(4)Subsection (1) applies in the places that the Minister, after consultation with the appropriate local authority, specifies by notice in the Gazette.

(5)Subsection (1) applies despite any bylaw that requires sanitary plumbing to be done only by specified persons or classes of persons.

(6)Neither subsection (1) nor section 17 prohibits any person from completing any sanitary plumbing that the person has lawfully commenced.

so she can.. you can't

Matthew

Nate001

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#2391821 14-Jan-2020 14:05

I think you're overthinking. Anyway the above is for waste piping.

mdooher

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#2391839 14-Jan-2020 14:09

Nate001:

I think you're overthinking. Anyway the above is for waste piping.

Sanitary plumbing means the work of fixing or unfixing any pipe that—(i)supplies or is intended to be a means of supplying water to any sanitary fixture or sanitary appliance (whether or not that sanitary fixture or sanitary appliance is there when the work is done); and..

so this would be sanitary plumbing...

having said that, I'd do it

Matthew

tims

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#2391840 14-Jan-2020 14:11

Nate001:

I think you're overthinking. Anyway the above is for waste piping.

Thx for your replies.

If I needed to do that work in my own home, is this job (replacing a ballcock valve) permissible for a home owner? I'm not clear on what a home owner is allowed to actually do regarding plumbing work.

nickb800

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#2391843 14-Jan-2020 14:15

Nate001:

I think you're overthinking. Anyway the above is for waste piping.

The definition of sanitary plumbing under the act includes both water supply and waste supplies

mdooher

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#2391846 14-Jan-2020 14:17

tims:

Nate001:

I think you're overthinking. Anyway the above is for waste piping.

Thx for your replies.

If I needed to do that work in my own home, is this job (replacing a ballcock valve) permissible for a home owner? I'm not clear on what a home owner is allowed to actually do regarding plumbing work.

yes you can do this work in your own home

Matthew

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Gordy7

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#2391847 14-Jan-2020 14:17

Not a legal answer, but:

If "sister-in-law" owns the property, then I would just replace the ballcock...

Replacing like for like plumbing should not be a problem.

Gordy

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nickb800

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#2391849 14-Jan-2020 14:19

mdooher: in a place to which this subsection applies

I think this bit means that the homeowner exemption only applies in specific areas. These are listed here

Not that it's a particularly easy to read piece of English.

So back to the OP - no one except a plumber can legally replace the ballcock. But I wouldn't let that stop you

mdooher

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#2391854 14-Jan-2020 14:25

nickb800:

mdooher: in a place to which this subsection applies

I think this bit means that the homeowner exemption only applies in specific areas. These are listed here

Not that it's a particularly easy to read piece of English.

So back to the OP - no one except a plumber can legally replace the ballcock. But I wouldn't let that stop you

It certainly wouldn't stop me...or almost any person who knows one end of a wrench from the other

Matthew

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#2391856 14-Jan-2020 14:28

mdooher:

nickb800:

mdooher: in a place to which this subsection applies

I think this bit means that the homeowner exemption only applies in specific areas. These are listed here

Not that it's a particularly easy to read piece of English.

So back to the OP - no one except a plumber can legally replace the ballcock. But I wouldn't let that stop you

It certainly wouldn't stop me...or almost any person who knows one end of a wrench from the other

I agree. But interestingly, my uneducated interpretation of that legislation is that even changing a washer counts as sanitary plumbing, and thus is illegal for homeowners to do in most areas

chevrolux

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#2391865 14-Jan-2020 14:37

Gordy7:

Not a legal answer, but:

If "sister-in-law" owns the property, then I would just replace the ballcock...

Replacing like for like plumbing should not be a problem.

Fully agree. If you are confident and know what you're doing, just get it done.

I replaced the element in a hot water cylinder years ago in my first place - it's just not hard and far less mucking around than trying to arrange tradesman.

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SomeoneSomewhere

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#2392282 15-Jan-2020 07:12

the work of repairing or replacing taps, ball valves, tap washers, or plugs; or

Read down to the bottom of the list - there's a series of cases that are not considered sanitary plumbing. Replacing ball valves is one of them.

Bung

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#2392299 15-Jan-2020 08:48

I would be surprised if the ball valve needed complete replacement. If it is the old style brass valve they have had stainless steel inserts at least since the 1970s and should only need a new rubber insert. The washers typically come in packets of 3, if it is your place leave the spares by the header tank rather than hiding them in the garage. In this video by Hawkins Plumbing he mentions checking the seat if a new washer doesn't fix the leak, often the seat isn't damaged just slightly loose allowing water to bypass the seal. https://youtu.be/mTQy27l7qDQ

Tracer

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#2401015 17-Jan-2020 23:47

nickb800:

mdooher: in a place to which this subsection applies

I think this bit means that the homeowner exemption only applies in specific areas. These are listed here

Not that it's a particularly easy to read piece of English.

So back to the OP - no one except a plumber can legally replace the ballcock. But I wouldn't let that stop you

The plumbing board has really done a number on the regs here. Look at how much electrical work you're allowed to do as a homeowner (much more dangerous, and less obvious pitfalls).

gzt

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#2401200 18-Jan-2020 11:13

Micron Plumbing NZ Website: "Things that are ok to do yourself are: Installation of appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines; the replacement or repair of taps, ball valves and plugs."

The site above has a broken link to pgdb - maybe this: https://www.pgdb.co.nz/media/1137/what-plumbing-can-home-owners-do.pdf

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