Regulatory Changes Underfoot What Flooring Pros Need to Know About the Building Overseas Building Products Standards and Certification Schemes Amendment Bill
Rebecca Richter, Lawyer, Ford Sumner Lawyers. New Zealand’s construction sector is undergoing a significant regulatory update that will impact all contractors, suppliers and manufacturers, including those in the flooring industry. The Building (Overseas Building Products, Standards, and Certification Schemes) Amendment Bill (the Bill) aims to streamline the use of overseas building products and ensure they meet New […]
Small Homes, Big Opportunities: What the Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Bill Means for Contractors
Rebecca Richter, Lawyer, Ford Sumner Lawyers New Zealand’s construction sector is undergoing a significant regulatory update that will impact all homeowners, contractors, architects and insurers. The Building and Construction (Small Stand-alone Dwellings) Amendment Bill (the Bill) aims to streamline the process of building small stand-alone dwellings, otherwise known as granny flats. If you’re a residential builder, subcontractor, […]
Keep the cash flowing – tips to get paid – Part 2
Rebecca Richter, Lawyer, Ford Sumner Lawyers Cashflow is king for any small contractor — yet late payments or clients who don’t pay at all can cripple your business. But one powerful tool can help protect your cash flow – making sure your invoices are valid payment claims under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA). Do you have small […]
Christmas Special: Employment law tips for the holiday season
As the festive season approaches, it’s the perfect time for employers to start planning, not just for a well-earned break, but for the unique workplace issues that can arise at this time of year. From managing holiday leave, to hosting Christmas parties, and handling staff conduct, a little forward-thinking can prevent issues from spilling over […]
Keep the Cash Flowing – Tradie Tips to Get Paid – Part 1
Rebecca Richter, Lawyer, Ford Sumner Lawyers Cashflow is king for any contractor — yet late payments, unclear terms, or clients who don’t pay at all can cripple your business. A good contract is your first line of defence. Here are practical tips to help you lock in better contract terms and get paid on time, every […]
Big Win for Subcontractors on Retentions
The High Court of New Zealand has delivered a landmark ruling in Burt & Ors v Grant [2025] NZHC 2486, and it is great news for subcontractors who’ve had retentions withheld. Ford Sumner, which powers Tradie law, was proud to represent the successful subcontractors in this case, securing a decision which provides long needed guidance for subcontractors’ […]
Subbies suck it up again? Stanley Group collapse leads to calls for subbie protection
On 5 September 2019, Auckland and Waikato-based Stanley Group/Tallwood became the latest in a long line of construction companies to go to the wall. Initial estimates put the amount owed to creditors at $5 million, with individual subcontractors reportedly owed up to $600,000. Stanley Group’s projects included building homes for Housing New Zealand and a […]
Retention Money Revolution: New Zealand’s Construction Industry Braces for Game-Changing Amendments from 5 October 2023
Members of New Zealand’s construction industry should familiarise themselves with upcoming changes to the retention money regime in the Construction Contracts Act 2002 (CCA). Retention money refers to an amount withheld by a party to a construction contract (party A) from an amount payable to another party to the contract (party B) as security for […]
Make safe your retentions by injunction – a timely remedy when developers are in trouble
This article was written by our colleague and barrister Finn Collins of Lambton Chambers, with whom we work closely with on construction law matters and assisted us in obtaining a recent court injunction to secure retentions. It’s one thing to have the comfort of knowing your retentions are held on a statutory trust, [1] but who […]
Duty to Warn: When is a contractor is responsible for design choices made by an owner?
Introduction A duty to warn is when a party may be held liable for damage or loss caused to another where the party had an opportunity to warn the other of the issues and failed to do so. We are regularly asked by contractors whether they have any responsibility in situations like the following: A […]