Benefits of a Product Technical Statement

POSTED: 04/29/2022

Question: Is a Product Technical Statement in effect an Appraisal-light?

Answer: Yes and No!

A ‘Product Technical Statement‘ is a manufacturer’s or supplier’s means of assuring designers and consenting officers that based on the supplied evidence and any ‘in-service-history’, the product is expected to be compliant. (and, meets S14G of the Building Act).

Building Act 2004: S14G: Responsibilities of product manufacturer or supplier

(1) In subsection (2), product manufacturer or supplier means a person who manufactures or supplies a building product and who states that the product will, if installed in accordance with the technical data, plans, specifications, and advice prescribed by the manufacturer, comply with the relevant provisions of the building code.

(2) A product manufacturer or supplier is responsible for ensuring that the product will, if installed in accordance with the technical data, plans, specifications, and advice prescribed by the manufacturer, comply with the relevant provisions of the building code.

An ‘Appraisal Certificate’ is primarily designed to assure designers and consenting officers about compliance, by providing third-party scrutiny of the information plus verification / testing / buildability evidence of performance.

Testing, having an engineer’s review, completing a buildability assessment, having a product quality plan, are extra requirements of an Appraisal.

A Product Technical Statement is inexpensive and can usually be completed within a week or so. However not all Councils like these forms of demonstrating compliance, especially where the risk of non-performance is medium to high. For this reason, an Appraisal Certificate is more appropriate since it provides a more reliable means for demonstrating compliance. Appraisals require much more information and assessment work, making them more expensive and taking several months to complete, but provide the best investment in the long term.

To better understand the pros and cons of a Product Technical Statement, download a table that explains the differences between a Product Technical Statement and an Appraisal Certificate, by clicking here.