DIY, building and architecture

New Zealanders love to renovate and build and do all kinds of handy tasks around the home. Building and DIY projects need to follow certain guidelines – for safety and weathertightness, for example. Always check with your local council before you start a project to see what is required – knowing what needs to be done before you start can save a lot of headaches. Christchurch City Libraries has a building guide, with quick links to council building information. Architecture and architects have their separate pages.

New Zealand Building Code

This code specifies the level of performance for building work, not how the work should be done. The Central Library has a printed copy that can be used in the library and most of the individual sections of the Building Code and Approved Documents can also be borrowed. The New Zealand Building Code, including the approved documents is now available online.

Borrow Standards for up to one week

Standards provide specifications to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions, to ensure that materials, products, and services are fit for their purpose. The Standards Collection is held at the Central Library, and includes New Zealand, Australian and international standards, which can be borrowed for one week. The team of experienced librarians in the Central Library can help you find the standard you need and our Internet Gateway lists catalogues from standards organisations around the world. If you would like more information about standards, please contact us.

Be a star on our website

Christchurch City Libraries is now featuring images of its customers on our website home page. If you and your whanau enjoy using the library, please send us your photo.

We recommend: DIY, building and architecture resources

Our online resources:

• Relocate or renovate?
• Building guide
• Architecture and an interview with Richard Dalman, architect
• Standards collection
• Christchurch City Council building information
• localeye's your property section
• How to research the history of a house in Christchurch
• Building and maintenance firms from localeye
• Community information directory CINCH lists
  • Building
  • Do it yourself work
  • Interior decoration and
  • Carpentry

Our Internet Gateway recommends:

• Building and construction websites
• Department of Building and Housing - especially the building page
• Consumer Build
• Nailed
• DIY devotees - site for New Zealand women DIYers

Browse the resources in your library:

• Do-It-Yourself titles, including:
  • Collins complete energy saving DIY
  • The clever girl's fix-it guide
  • The great DIY book
• Carpentry
• See also maintenance and repair for dwellings
• Interior decoration:
  • bathrooms
  • bedrooms
  • dining rooms
  • kitchens
  • living rooms
  • colour
  • storage
  • furnishings
• Christchurch architects
• Books about New Zealand architects
• Books about the History of Architecture in Christchurch
• New Zealand Architecture
• Australian Architecture
• Environmental Architecture
• Magazines Our libraries have digital versions of architectural magazines and many more which can be borrowed.
• Videos and DVDs A diverse collection ranging from the wonderful My Architect – a documentary about the American architect Louis Kahn to video recordings of the Nurses’ Chapel at Christchurch Hospital and Ngaio Marsh’s house.
• American Architecture
• Sustainable architecture
• Sustainable Development

This week in Christchurch history

What interesting things happened in Christchurch this week? Find out with the help of the Christchurch Chronology on the library website.

• November 15, 1928 First performance by Canterbury Repertory Theatre Society, a production of "Milestones".
• November 16, 1901 Earthquake (most severe at Cheviot) damages Cathedral spire again! After this third incident, the top of the spire was re-built in timber and metal instead of stone.
• November 17, 1895 Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) visits. He described Christchurch as a town where half the people rode bicycles and the other half were kept busy dodging them.
• November 18, 1874 Addington saleyards open.
• November 18, 1947 Disastrous fire in Ballantynes Department store. 41 lives lost in New Zealand’s worst fire tragedy. The fire led to drastic revisions of fire safety codes throughout the country.
• November 21, 1865 Provincial Council buildings in Durham Street completed. The complex of buildings was architect B.W. Mountfort’s masterpiece. He had survived a professional disaster soon after arrival in New Zealand when his first building, a church in Lyttelton, had proved structurally unsound and had to be demolished.
• November 21, 1957 4 killed in SAFE Air Bristol freighter crash at Russley golf course.
• November 21, 1988 Visit by Chinese Premier Li Peng.

What's new online?

New on the blog

• Golden Notebook project
• What’s got me excited
• 6 word memoirs
• The Fire Gospel
• Coming home
• The morning after…
• Hellraisers!
• How to Read Like a President

New on the library website

• New: Building guide
• Updated: Read the book, then see the film
• New: Architecture and Architects
• Digitised: Gallipoli papers
• Digitised: The Kiwi
• Updated: Mars Phoenix lander RIP
• Media release: 1950s snapshot wins historical photo competition
• Photos: Bridge of Remembrance
• Edition: Courage Day and Armistice Day
• Digitised: Seditious prisoners & conscientious objectors fund
• Digitised: Memorial Service held on Anzac Day, 1916
• Digitised: Christchurch War Memorial
• Digitised: The Canterbury Aviation Co. Limited
• Digitised: Canterbury Aviation Co.: the first 100 pilots
• Courage Day: International Day of the Imprisoned Writer

Next week: Podcasting

Find out about the first series of Christchurch City Libraries' podcasts next week.