BRANZ Appraisals

A BRANZ Appraisal is an independent assessment of a building product or system’s compliance with the relevant clauses of the New Zealand Building Code (NZBC). BRANZ can also assess for compliance with the National Construction Code of Australia (NCC).

To be issued with a BRANZ Appraisal, a product or system must undergo detailed assessment by our specialists.

A BRANZ Appraisal is not a requirement for a building product to be sold in New Zealand. The NZBC doesn’t specify that any product or system must have an Appraisal and BRANZ doesn’t approve or prevent products from entering the market. Nor can an Appraisal simply be purchased by any manufacturer or supplier. It’s a rigorous, robust and exacting process applied consistently to products brought to us by any manufacturer or supplier for assessment.

A BRANZ Appraisal demonstrates that a company has employed a third party to evaluate its claims against the recommended use of a product or system.

If you’re a manufacturer or supplier, subjecting your product or system to the rigour of the BRANZ Appraisal process demonstrates that it performs as specified. It can also help you learn things about your product you might not have thought of and that can be used as a marketing asset. A BRANZ Appraisal carries real weight in the marketplace.

If you’re a specifier, regulator, building official or building consent authority, a BRANZ Appraisal gives confidence that the product or system has been subjected to in-depth and rigorous examination by an independent, trusted organisation.

As a homeowner, specifying the use of BRANZ-appraised building products and systems gives you peace of mind that your home is built using components that comply with the requirements of the NZBC.

When BRANZ receives an application to appraise a building product, the first thing we do is learn as much as possible about the product, including its components and ‘scope of use’ – that is, all of its potential applications.

The process starts with you completing a BRANZ Appraisal pre-application form. We’ll ask you to supply any existing documentation relating to the product or system and its uses, such as technical manuals, product literature and previous test reports. Giving us all available documentation at the outset will help to speed up the assessment process.

We use this information to determine which clauses of the NZBC need to be complied with. These might not always be obvious and our experts will make sure all bases are covered.

Usually we will need to carry out a gap analysis to establish the criteria for the Appraisal. A pre-assessment fee may apply to this work.

We’ll then assign a dedicated project manager to you, who’ll work with you to determine how we can assess your product or system for compliance.

This might include testing, which you may already have done – perhaps overseas. Our specialists can assess whether any testing or certification undertaken overseas is valid in our unique regulatory environment. A BRANZ Appraisal demonstrates compliance with the specific clauses of the NZBC or NCC.

BRANZ’s facilities are world class and we can test a wide range of products against relevant clauses of these codes. However, you can get the testing done at another accredited testing facility if you choose. It’s important to note that testing done outside of BRANZ must be carried out by independent testing laboratories or under an independent scheme.

Alongside this testing, BRANZ will assess your manufacturing quality and supply systems to see how you ensure only compliant products, the same as the samples assessed, consistently make it to market. We visit your plant to check your quality management and problem correction processes.

If the test results, your management systems and technical information are all in order, you’ll be issued with your BRANZ Appraisal. You will be provided with Appraisal logos for your own marketing as well as an opportunity to advertise in BRANZ’s Build magazine to promote your Appraisal.

The BRANZ Appraisal journey doesn’t end with one assessment. BRANZ aims to ensure consumers get high-quality, compliant and fit-for-purpose products consistently. All BRANZ Appraisals are revalidated annually to ensure the products are still up to spec.

During the revalidation process, our experts check whether there have been any changes to relevant Building Code clauses or to the way your product or system is manufactured. It’s a thorough check to ensure the original demonstration of compliance is still valid.

In addition, every 5 years, we conduct a more robust review before each Appraisal is reissued. We might request more up-to-date testing or to revisit your sites if it’s been a while.

Obtaining a BRANZ Appraisal is a thorough and robust process and a collective effort between the Appraisal holder and the BRANZ project manager. Depending on your product or system, it might take anywhere from a couple of months to a couple of years to obtain. The cost of a BRANZ Appraisal will vary according to the testing already completed, the extent of testing and assessments required and the complexity of the product or system.

After learning as much as possible about your product, including its components and scope of use, our experts will be able to give you an indication of timeframe and cost.

The investment in a BRANZ Appraisal is repaid by the significant marketing advantage it gives you. A BRANZ Appraisal for your product or system is a prestigious status that’s hard-earned.

BRANZ is home to some of this country’s premier Building Code experts, who will drill down into the fine details of your product to ensure it’s going to be suitable for the New Zealand or Australian building industry and consumers.