Producer Statement

A producer statement is a formal declaration by a qualified professional — such as an engineer, architect, licensed building practitioner, or specialist tradesperson — that their work or design complies with the relevant provisions of the New Zealand Building Code. Producer statements are not defined in the Building Act but are widely used in practice as part of the building consent and inspection process.

There are four main types: PS1 (design — by the designer confirming the design complies), PS2 (design review — by a peer reviewer confirming they've checked the design), PS3 (construction — by the constructor confirming the work was done according to the plans), and PS4 (construction review — by an observer confirming they've monitored the construction).

Producer statements help councils process building consents and issue CCCs by providing professional assurance about work they can't easily inspect (like structural steelwork or concrete placement). However, councils are not obliged to accept producer statements — they retain the right to require further evidence of compliance.

Producer statements are an important part of the paper trail for building work. If a property has significant structural or specialist work (e.g. steel structure, engineered foundations, fire engineering), producer statements should be on file with the council. Missing producer statements may indicate incomplete documentation or that the professional oversight wasn't as thorough as expected.

When reviewing building consent files, check that appropriate producer statements were provided for critical work. Your building inspector or engineer can advise on whether the documentation is adequate for the type of construction.

Producer statements are held in the council's building consent file, which can be accessed through the council or via a Property Information Memorandum (PIM) request. Your lawyer or building inspector can review the building consent file. For properties with significant structural work, check that both design (PS1) and construction (PS3/PS4) producer statements are on file.