Safety rules add to NZ house cost: report

UNNECESSARY safety standards are costing New Zealand homeowners an extra $NZ100 million each year, says a market-orientated think tank.

UNNECESSARY red tape around safety standards is slapping extra costs on homeowners, exacerbating the housing affordability problem, says The New Zealand Institute.

IN a report released on Thursday, the market-orientated think tank found increased workplace safety requirements were adding thousands of dollars to the cost of building new homes and maintaining existing ones.