Get a BRANZ Appraisal

What is a BRANZ Appraisal?

An independent, in-depth assessment of your building product or system’s compliance with the New Zealand Building Code or, where relevant, the National Construction Code of Australia (NCC).

It involves a comprehensive evaluation combining rigorous testing, expert opinion, inspections and review of technical literature and quality procedures.

Who is it for?

A BRANZ Appraisal is for everyone involved in the building process such as specifiers, approvers, regulators, purchasers, installers and homeowners. 

Extend your product recognition to Australia

BRANZ can also assess for compliance with the NCC where relevant, extending your product’s recognition across markets.

Continuous assurance of your products

BRANZ Appraisals include annual revalidation to maintain certificate validity, ensuring ongoing trust and up-to-date compliance. 

Why choose a BRANZ Appraisal?

Get a competitive market advantage

Stand out in a crowded marketplace with the BRANZ Appraised logo. Our Appraisals are the most well known in New Zealand. Because they’re trusted, they can speed up consenting, reduce requests for information and provide confidence for BCAs, builders and all New Zealanders.

Most useful for innovative or non-standard products/systems

A BRANZ Appraisal is a good option when stakeholders need higher assurance before specifying/approving. 

Faster pathway to market

The riskier the product, the more valuable an appraisal becomes. We help reduce risk, support compliance and build trust with specifiers and regulators to get your product on the shelf and worksites sooner. 

Discover product strengths and weaknesses

Partnering with BRANZ helps you identify vulnerabilities and unique selling features. We often include real-world testing to show how a product performs under pressure, over time and against the Building Code, helping identify risks and areas for improvement. We do the hard yards in providing the evidence, so you don’t have to.

Your options

In some cases, your product may be better suited to other assurance options such as CodeMark certification. BRANZ can help you decide what best fits your goals and timeline.

Pre-assessment confirms the right pathway

If you’re not sure if you want or can meet the requirements of a full BRANZ Appraisal, you can apply for our Pre-assessment Service.

For a fraction of the cost of the full BRANZ Appraisal, BRANZ experts will review your product/system at a high level to confirm whether an Appraisal is likely to be feasible or whether CodeMark may be a better fit for your goals, evidence and timeframe.

An initial assessment provides:

• clarity on the best assurance route
• an early view of key evidence gaps and what testing/documentation may be needed
• a more confident next step before committing time and cost to a full certification process.

What a BRANZ Appraisal covers

A BRANZ Appraisal clearly sets out what a product or system has been assessed for and how it can be used. It defines:

• technical specification – the components and design features required for the product/system to perform as assessed
• scope of use – intended applications, conditions and limitations (a critical part of defining the evaluation criteria).
• evaluation criteria – what evidence is required to demonstrate performance against relevant Building Code (or NCC) requirements. 

Reviews, testing and inspection activities

During the Appraisal process, we typically carry out the following activities:

• Reviews of technical literature and quality procedures.
• Testing and/or expert opinions where needed to substantiate performance claims.
• Inspections, including site visits and in-service checks where applicable.

What to expect from a BRANZ Appraisal

• A published Appraisal that clearly states the product/system’s assessed performance, scope of use and any limitations.
• A single reference point that supports specification, consenting and procurement. 
• Greater confidence for customers and approvers that claims have been evaluated by an independent third party.
• A framework for ongoing assurance through annual validity reviews. 

The BRANZ Appraisal process

Step 1: Application

Complete the Pre-assessment Service form and share any existing supporting documentation. 

Step 2: Evaluation plan

BRANZ develops a tailored plan that defines technical specification, scope of use and evaluation criteria (including what testing/opinions/inspections are needed).

Step 3: Quote and timing

Once evaluation criteria are set, BRANZ provides a quote for the Appraisal and any associated testing and reviews. 

Step 4: Services agreement

Sign and return the BRANZ services agreement to begin the assessment phase. 

Step 5: Assessment

BRANZ specialists review evidence, conduct or review testing as required and complete any inspections/site visits.

Step 6: Issue and publish

BRANZ issues the Appraisal certificate (including scope and limitations of use) once requirements are met.

Supporting documents to provide for a BRANZ Appraisal

• Product/system description and intended use (including any known limitations). 
• Technical manuals, drawings and installation guidance. 
• Product literature and datasheets (for technical literature review).
• Previous test reports (where available) and performance evidence relevant to the intended scope.
• Quality procedures and quality control documentation. 
• Access for inspections/site visits where required (e.g. manufacturing or in-service installations). 

Typical timeframes

• If all required supporting information is provided at the start, the process is often around 3–4 months.
• A 6–12-month timeframe is more typical when the product/system is still under development, supporting information is missing/unsatisfactory or additional testing is required. 

Revalidation of an Appraisal

All BRANZ Appraisals are revalidated annually to ensure the products are still up to spec. We will reach out to you when it’s due. In the interim, please ensure that you notify us of any substantial changes that could potentially affect your appraisal.

Appraisal revalidation process

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. 

The 5-year review

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. We will contact you before your Appraisal expires.