The Institute of Surveyors is to review the Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation's guidelines on how the floor levels of earthquake-damaged homes are assessed.
There's been ongoing criticism and controversy about the training of those measuring tilting caused by the Canterbury earthquakes and the methods used.
Last year a registered professional surveyor in Christchurch, Adrian Cowie, told Radio New Zealand the Earthquake Commission was providing misleading and incorrect measurements of floor tilting in quake-damaged houses, a claim rejected by the commission.
Mr Cowie says the ministry's guidelines allow for too much leeway when it comes to measurement "tolerances", that is, the acceptable differences in floor tilt, and they must be clarified.
"The insurers in general are misapplying the assessment criteria that are outlined in that part of the guidelines.
"The guidelines state that they are not absolute and they also state that the insurance policy may have a higher standard so if the institute looks at what is required in terms of the insurance policy I think that that is a great thing."
Institute chief executive Hayden Smith says it will now review the methodologies and technical equipment used, as well as who should sign off the measurements.
Mr Smith says homeowners don't want to have to keep dealing with the issue day-in-day-out.
He says they want certainty around the process. "Clearly there's a need for some focus and so that's we're giving it. I don't think anyone wants to work on this day in and day out and not have a solution."
Mr Smith says the institute will also look at whether specialised measuring equipment is being applied properly.
The ministry's guidelines will be examined by a working party made up of the institute's surveyors and the University of Otago's Emeritus Professor John Hannah, from its School of Surveying.
Canterbury advocacy groups WeCan and CanCern both say they're pleased the Institute is taking action.
CanCern spokesperson Leanne Curtis says while the guidelines were written for builders and surveyors, the insurance companies are using them to reduce their payouts and they need revising.
But Insurance Council chief executive Tim Grafton says it makes no sense for insurers to minimise their costs as they want to insure rebuilt homes are safe and sustainable.
