32Considerations for proper and skilful work—construction

32 Considerations for proper and skilful work—construction tolerances—Act, s 42 (2) (1) In deciding whether building work has been carried out in a proper and skilful way, consideration must be taken of whether the work has been carried out— (a) to meet or exceed the standards stated in the approved plans; or (b) if the approved plans do not vary reasonable minimum industry standards—to meet or exceed reasonable minimum industry standards. reasonable minimum industry standards—a matter covered by the tolerances guide meets reasonable minimum industry standards if the matter is not a defect under the guide.

tolerances guide—see schedule 3, section 3.1. Examples 1 The approved plans for a building show a proposed floor bowing upward (precambered). The amount of precamber would be a defect under the provisions of the tolerances guide dealing with how flat or level a floor must be. If the completed floor complies with the approved plans, the precamber does not mean that the construction of floor was not done skilfully. 2 Specifications forming part of the approved plans for a prestigious building show that construction tolerances are stricter than the corresponding tolerances in the tolerances guide. The building work may not be considered proper and skilful if the work does not does not meet the standards stated in the plans, even though the work is not defective under the tolerances guide.