Orchiston Architects ARCHITECTURE & DISPUTE RESOLUTION

An architecture firm with specific expertise in building disputes

Contact Info:

Orchiston Architects Ltd
PO Box 41033
Eastbourne
Lower Hutt 5047

New Zealand
ph 04 5627 438

Email:

orchiston@buildingdisputes.co.nz

Links:

This website provides general advice as at 1/04/2015, which is not to be construed as legal or specific advice. The copyright on its content remains with Orchiston Architects Ltd. Note that at the time of updating, the review of the Construction Contracts Act has not been finalised.

Architecture: As a Registered Architect with 35+ years experience, I design and manage building projects.

Building Disputes: I have had 20+ years experience in helping owners, contractors, designers and lawyers avoid them, understand them, and resolve them.

Both roles benefit from practical and professional skills and qualifications in construction, design, valuation, law, & dispute resolution. As well as a dollop of reality and common sense.

Our Clients

Architectural projects: private, institutional and commercial clients.
Disputes: builders, subcontractors, owners, designers, & lawyers.
Governance & risk management: statutory and corporate boards.

Our Company

Colin Orchiston started out as an architect, picked up qualifications in valuation in the 1980's, and then after qualifying in arbitration and mediation in the early 1990's has been active in building disputes. Since 1976 he has been involved in a range of residential and commercial architecture, including managing an office with a dozen or more staff, as well as serving on the Weathertight Homes mediation panel, the Building Practitioner's Board, and in professional indemnity insurance. He is still very much "hands on" in design and construction, but more often these days has his brains picked by lawyers, designers and builders to sort out what has gone wrong, why, and how the resulting hassles can be sorted in the most cost-effective way and with the least fuss.

Arbitration: An independent person decides a dispute on the evidence. The process is confidential and the outcome is enforceable, final and binding.

Mediation: An independent person helps the parties reach an agreement. The process is confidential and the outcome should be enforceable as a contract between the parties.

Adjudication (under the Construction Contracts Act): Similar to arbitration, but whilst the outcome is enforceable and binding, it may not be final.

Leaky Buildings: A homeowner may have the dispute investigated and resolved under the Weathertight Homes Resolution Services Act.

Licensed Building Practitioners Board: Investigates complaints about the competence of an LBP, but not contractual/commercial disputes.