Who can install a gas hob in NZ?

Book the gasfitter before committing to the hob

Use the gas cooktop installation enquiry to send the proposed model and photographs of the existing kitchen. WorkSafe says gasfitting, including appliance installation, pipework and alterations, should be undertaken by a currently licensed gasfitter or certifying gasfitter. A general kitchen installation booking should therefore identify who will actually handle the gas work. Ask for that person’s name and current licence details before confirming the appointment or treating the appliance purchase as the final decision.

Ask to see the current practising licence, either as a physical card or through the PGDB app. Check the gasfitting trade and expiry, then use the public register to look at licence history, conditions and supervision relationships. A person who also offers plumbing should still have the appropriate gasfitting authorisation for this task. If someone will work under supervision, ask the business who is responsible for supervision and the completion records.

Give the gasfitter the appliance model, installation instructions if available and a clear description of the existing arrangement. Say whether you are replacing a gas hob, moving its position or introducing gas cooking to a kitchen that has none. Ask the contractor to assess suitability rather than assuming a hob with similar dimensions will fit the whole installation. The physical opening is only part of the information needed to plan the work.

Separate appliance choice from installation scope

Before buying, ask the gasfitter what information they need about the proposed appliance and the available supply. Request confirmation of the installation requirements for that exact model, including the surrounding kitchen arrangement. Keep the manufacturer’s installation material with the enquiry rather than relying on a retailer’s short product summary. If an assessment is needed first, arrange that stage before booking a benchtop alteration or the removal of the existing hob. Tell the gasfitter whether the house has reticulated natural gas or an LPG bottle supply. Have them check the exact appliance’s gas type, regulator and installation instructions before purchase. An LPG bottle setup still needs the correct gasfitting and certification; do not treat a bottle connection as a reason to install the hob yourself. If replacing an electric cooktop, identify any electrical disconnection as separate work for the appropriate trade.

Ask what the quoted work includes: disconnection of the old appliance, any gas pipe alterations, fitting the new hob, checks, commissioning and applicable records. Also clarify removal of the old unit and responsibility for cabinetry, benchtop work or a separate electrical task if one is needed. These are scope questions to settle with the businesses involved, not tasks to allocate casually to whoever happens to arrive first on installation day.

If the project includes changes to water services or a wider kitchen refurbishment, identify those as separate workstreams. The hot water replacement guide provides a useful example of why appliance decisions and service connections need coordinated planning, even though a hob is a different appliance. Agree who schedules the sequence and what must be ready before the gasfitter attends. That avoids booking a finished connection visit while the surrounding work is still undecided.

1. Send the proposed model, kitchen photographs and details of the existing setup.
2. Check the named gasfitter’s current licence and relevant register entries.
3. Approve a written scope identifying preparation, gas work and other trades.
4. Ask for a commissioning explanation and the applicable gas certificates at handover.

Know which certificates to ask about

WorkSafe distinguishes the Gas Safety Certificate from a Certificate of Compliance. A Gas Safety Certificate verifies that the completed, connected installation or identified part is safe to use and that the work has not adversely affected the safety of another part of the installation. Certificates of Compliance support general-risk and high-risk gasfitting. Ask the gasfitter to explain the classification of the proposed work and which documents will apply, rather than selecting a certificate from the appliance’s name alone.

The gas certification guide explains the different purposes of these records. Ask who will issue them, how you will receive them and how the work will be described. Keep the records with the appliance model details, installation paperwork and agreed scope. An invoice can explain what you paid for, while the gas certificates address the work and installation identified on them. Request the applicable certification explicitly during booking rather than waiting until you need it later.

At handover, ask the gasfitter to explain the controls and the outcome of commissioning, and to identify any remaining issue or follow-up work. Have the manufacturer’s user instructions available for everyday operation. If a concern remains unresolved, ask for a written explanation of the appliance’s status and the next step. Keep that conversation separate from questions about the finish of cabinetry or decorating so responsibility for the gas installation remains clear.

Handle changes and faults through the right person

A change of hob position or appliance choice should go back to the gasfitter before the rest of the kitchen is finalised. Ask whether it alters the agreed scope, preparation or scheduling. Request an updated proposal where needed and keep it alongside the original. If a landlord, property manager or kitchen contractor is coordinating access, name the person who can approve changes so the gasfitter has a clear decision-maker during the visit.

If you smell gas, stop treating the situation as a routine installation question. WorkSafe says to keep flames and cigarettes away, avoid electrical switches and not use a mobile phone in the affected area. Follow its gas-leak instructions and make calls from a safe place away from that area. Call 111 in an emergency. Contact the gas retailer immediately for a supply issue or a licensed gas worker immediately for an installation or appliance issue.

For a tenanted kitchen, the rental repair responsibilities guide can help organise communication about access and who is arranging the work. Keep installation approval, attendance updates and completion records together. When you are ready to proceed, send the chosen model and the agreed preparation details through the gas cooktop installation page. Ask the business to confirm the attending gasfitter, the scope and certification arrangements so the booking ends with a clear handover rather than an unanswered paperwork request.