Builder Sean Breckon of Breckon Builders Ltd says small building jobs are currently not viable. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Builder Sean Breckon of Breckon Builders Ltd says small building jobs are currently not viable. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Small jobs and renovations might no longer be part of the toolbox for many Northland builders as severe supply shortages, particularly for Gib, turn construction projects into logistical nightmares.
As the country's only supplier of Gib, Fletcher Building's manufacturing subsidiary Winstone Wallboards, can't keep up with demand for the popularplasterboard.
Fletcher holds 95 per cent of the plasterboard market share and says interruptions of manufacturing processes due to lockdowns coupled with Kiwis building at a record pace have led to the shortage.
While the number of building projects in Northland has not gone through roof within the past 12 months – 1141 building consents were issued from January-May 2021 compared with 1080 building consents from January-May 2022 – local builders are still bearing the burden of the short Gib supply.
For Sean Breckon of Breckon Builders in Whangārei, it's a matter of turning away small jobs such as doing up bathrooms as they are not viable to the business.
"We don't have easy access to Gib. Being organised is part of navigating the issue."
Breckon said there was no confirmation from their merchants when Gib is back in stock so it's currently a matter of waiting for months with little indication as to when the plasterboard is back on the shelves.
Builders could only hope that customers are accommodating.
Craig Cogan, owner of Cogan Custom Homes said it was "really hard for the smaller guys".
"It's super tough at the moment and requires a lot of forward planning."
Builders used to order the materials and get them within a week, Cogan explained.
"You get a contract and start almost immediately." Now they wait at least six months.
Because other building material, such as cladding, is also in short supply builders are facing logistical challenges trying to get all their materials on site at the right time.
Cogan explained that some material will lose their warranty after three months if left outside. Scaffolding hire also needed to be taken into consideration – the longer that is set up, the bigger the cost – which can fall back onto the builder if they are on a fixed price contract.
Northlanders planning to build are in for longer waiting times. Photo / 123rf
Meanwhile, the increasing cost for materials such as Gib and cladding is passed on to the customer meaning that building is more expensive than ever.
Winstone Wallboards will bring a new Gib allocation system into force from July which stops merchants from pre-ordering too far in advance.
Instead, the plasterboard will be distributed among the merchants, such as Placemakers, ITM and Carters, as they become available.
While the manufacturers hope the new model will help distribute their product more evenly across the country, Justin Roberts, owner of Rob Littlejohn Builder, is worried it won't guarantee that builders get their full order at a time.
"Without plasterboard, you can't do tiling, no plumbing – you'll have to wait for the rest of the supply, however long that may be."
Roberts said there were very limited alternatives to Gib available on the market because Gib is so popular.
While the building and construction sector can select whichever material – as appropriate – to use, the Gib brand is the only plasterboard manufactured within New Zealand and has established itself as a trusted product in the building industry.
Through the Building Code, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) sets the minimum performance standards that building products must meet but does not prescribe which materials to use to achieve them.
The Gib brand of plasterboard is one solution for ceiling and wall linings but is not required for a build.
There are four other plasterboards available in New Zealand; Elephant Board, USG Boral, Saveboard and ProRoc.
"MBIE has provided guidance to building designers to encourage them to consider designing homes with alternative products and methods, and provided building consenting authorities with technical information about the performance of alternative products to enable faster consenting," John Sneyd, MBIE general manager for Building System Performance said.
"This includes clarifying that substituting alternative plasterboard products that are for use where Gib was previously specified for wall linings without specialist performance requirements should be treated as minor variations, considered low-risk and managed on-site."
He explained that the building sector was facing material shortages as a result of the pandemic, global shipping constraints, high commodity prices, and record demand for new houses.
A new allocation system by New Zealand's Gib supplier Fletcher Building will come into place in July. Photo / 123r
In the meantime, Fletcher Building is constructing a new Gib manufacturing site in Tauranga – set to open in June 2023 – which will ramp up Gib production.
One problem people planning to build might face is when Gib is written in their building consent. But there is a way to scratch Gib from that building consent and replace it with alternative plasterboard.
"The Building Act 2004 provides for a consent holder to apply for an amendment or a minor variation (as may be appropriate) to demonstrate how the proposed change of materials will still satisfy the requirements of the Building Code," Whangārei District Council's acting manager for Building Control, Murray McDonald explained.
However, McDonald noted that the plasterboard system in residential builds is commonly used as a structural element of the design to provide bracing.
"This being the case the change of plasterboard from one supplier to another may impact on the bracing system's compliance. This would be the key consideration in whether or not compliance is met through the amendment or minor variation."
