Certified Builder's Licensing Program

The NZMPB Certified Builder’s License program 2011
The Dept Building & Housing Licensed Building Practitioner qualifications

OVERVIEW
The NZ Master Pool Builders Incorporated Certification and Pool Builder’s License Program 2011 was introduced in response to the Government's initiative in introducing the Licensed Building Practitioner qualification in the 2004 revision of the Building Act.

SPECIALIST LICENSING CLASS
As it currently stands, achievable qualifications in the Government Act do not cover the minor works of building residential swimming pools, as the latter encompasses a number of diverse trades, disciplines and knowledge, including (but not restricted to) the following Specialist Licensing Classes:

* Reading & understanding Architectural Drawings, site plans & Council Approvals
* Marking out and supervising the excavation of a swimming pool
* Planning & implementing site drainage requirements
* Use of transit levels and erection of height templates
* Correct placement and tying ReBar reinforcing steel
* Correct pneumatic placement of shotcrete concrete
* Straightening pool walls, floating & steel trowelling concrete floors
* Mosaic tile cutting and fixing
* Solid plastering of pool interior
* Installing waterproof membranes
* Coping stone placement and fixing
* Low pressure filtration plumbing & circulation lines
* Installing filtration, chlorination and heating equipment
* Training clients in on-going Pool Care and common maintenence details
* Awareness of the requirements of the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987
* Understanding the requirements of NZ Standard 8500:2006 and NZS 4441
* Understanding the requirements of AU/NZ Standard 1839:1994 (Fibreglass pool installatios)

"ALPEP" Accepted Levels of Prior Experience & Proficiency
Certified Builders Licenses (CBL) will be issued to those Builder Members who meet the NZMPB Inc requirements which will recognise a Builder Member applicant’s Accepted Levels of Prior Experience and Proficiency, (ALPEP) and have met the requirements of passing the Diploma in Pool Technology. CBL Members will be re-tested on compliance every three years to ensure their pactises are kept up to date.

to read the Govt publication "Is Licensing for me?"
To promote and monitor professionalism and uniformity in the New Zealand swimming pool industry - and as the sole Industry Trade Association - the NZMPB Incorporated undertakes to introduce to its Builder Members a suitable Trade Qualification: the NZMPB Certified Builder’s License (CBL).

The NZMPB Certification Committee, with the assistance and advice of peer professionals in relevant fields of residential swimming pool design and construction and with acknowledgement to NZ Standards NZ4441:2008 has developed a certification program that will recognise a Builder Member applicant’s Accepted Levels of Prior Experience and Proficiency (ALPEP).

At the most basic level, (a.) existing Pool Builder individuals who have been granted membership of the NZMPB Incorporated have previously provided evidence of five years continuous history in the profession of planning, constructing or/or supervising the construction of inground residential swimming pools, or (b.) individuals who have provided evidence of five years continuous history in supervising the transportation and installation of in-ground composite or fibreglass residential swimming pools, and (c.) including providing appropriate water circulation and sterilisation systems and finally (d.) whom have provided a list of ten names of owners of recent swimming pool installations that have been contacted by the NZMPB Incorporated for a positive testimonial and (d) have achieved the Diploma in Pool Technology. These Builder Members may then progress to the second phase of obtaining the status of Certified Builder’s License.
Applicants who wish to formalise their ALPEP informal or traditional skills by participating in the NZMPB Pool Builder’s License Program will be referred to as the “License Applicant”.

(a.) Certified Builder’s Licenses issued to NZMPB Builder Members will be subject to review every three years to ensure that the license holders are kept up-to-date with construction issues and changing requirements of the Building Act and Territorial Authorities.

(b.) Certified Builder’s Licenses will not be available to non-NZMPB Inc pool builders, who must qualify for membership in accordance with the rules of the association.

(c.) Builder Members holding a CBL and who fail to renew their membership in the NZ Master Pool Builders association will be unable to renew their Builder’s License
NZMPB Certification (i.e. a Certified Builder’s License) will be granted when the License Applicant can demonstrate acceptable education levels in the production and maintenance of residential swimming pools by passing a written examination intended to test the applicant's proficiency with respect to relevant standards and specifications, and a physical check of the Applicant's on-site workmanship. The first phase will be accomplished by the Licence Applicant participating in, and achieving a passing mark in the NZMPB Pool Diploma course. (Dip. Pool Tech) This qualification in combination with the Applicant’s ALPE and NZMPB Builder Membership will qualify for the issuance of a Certified Builder’s License with three yearly reviews.
(a.) Certification and issuing of a Builder’s License does not guarantee the competence of individual Builder Members, however the NZMPB Incorporated attests that builders thus certified have met its minimum education and ALPE requirements in achieving certification. However, no certification program can guarantee to the public the competence or successful implementation of those standards on an individual basis and the NZMPB Incorporated makes no promise or representation about the performance of individuals who have received its Certification.

(b.) Certification does not in any way guarantee or ensure satisfactory performance by the certified individual. Using a NZMPB Inc Certified Pool Builder is not a guarantee or assurance of the individual's capabilities, nor is the lack of NZMPB Incorporated Certification an indication that such individual lacks the ability to perform in a competent manner.
The final phase of Certification and the issuance of the NZMPB Inc Certified Builders License is conditional on the Applicant having completed the six levels of checking and examination as shown below:

1. Proof of 5 continual years in Business constructing residential swimming pools
2. Testimonials from Ten customers that we can talk to … AND
3. Inspect their work completed over that time by an NZMPB inspector visiting their customer’s sites
4. Passing grade (> 80%) in the Diploma in Pool Technology
5. Satisfactory understanding of the Performance Indicators section
6. Practical Knowledge of current residential pool construction to the satisfaction of the triumvirate (3 Builder Members)

Prepared by:
Laurence E (Larry) Ogden - Dip Pool Tech (Hon), CBL108/2011
President
20^th January 2011