WHAT IS A BUILDING PERMIT?

​Once issued, it is consent to commence building works.

It is a legal document.

It is issued once plans and relevant documents have been assessed and approved as per the requirements of the Building Act, Regulations and Building Codes.

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​Almost all buildings require a building permit.

There are some exemptions for minor structures:

Sheds less than 10 square metres in area and very minor structures may also be exempt.  

Almost all buildings will require a permit to carry out building works. 

There is no minimum monetary exemption. The only exemptions are as per Building Regulations 2006.

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WHAT IS A PLANNING PERMIT?

 A Planning Permit approves the use of a proposed building or works; relative​ to the ZONING of the land.       

It is issued by the Council. This is a required document BEFORE commencing works.

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 TIMEFRAMES & BUILDING PERMITS?

DOMESTIC: [ ie house/garage ]............... 12 months to start.  2 years to finish.

RE-LOCATED HOUSES:.............................. 6 months to start. 1 year to finish.

COMMERCIAL: ........................................... 12 months to start. 3 years to finish.

These are approximations. Some works will be done more quickly and some will take longer as there are many variables including location, zone, design complexity, and more.

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 TEMPORARY BUILDINGS?

The only buildings exempt from permit requirements are;
Builders site sheds and

mock apartment buildings.  
These mock apartments must be for sales purposes only.

These must be decommissioned once the main building is completed.

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 REPLACEMENT BUILDINGS?​

 If a building collapses in any disaster such as storm or fire, or even through use and time, and is proposed to be rebuilt;  It requires a building permit. Reconstructing a building is NOT exempt from legislative compliance and Building permit requirements.

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 SHEDS & FARM BUILDINGS?

Farms sheds require a Building Permit. Unless; an exemption is obtained by the relevant Council according to the building regulation 1804. For this exemption, the council must specifically exempt this building by policy resolution. Only farm buildings used solely for farm purposes can be exempted.

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OWNER BUILDER?

The property owner must apply to the Building Practitioners Board in order to gain approval to be the owner builder on and for the specified building works. An owner-builder must have a certificate of consent from the Building Practitioners Board for the specific building. You must apply to be an owner-builder if the value of the works is over $12,000.

 

ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS AND DESIGNS?

Building designs that include ‘alternative solutions’; a design methodology different to the standard design approach contained in the “deemed-to-satisfy” provisions of the NCC/BCA: is another matter entirely.  The alternative solution approach means;  that the minimum design standards of the NCC/BCA, are assessed and considered separately against established performance provisions.  The most common example of an alternative solution is: when a designer carries out an energy efficiency report, using a computer program to assess the energy performance of a design;  e.g. using FirstRate or Nathers programs or similar.  The programs are not part of the standard provisions of the NCC/BCA;  but the reports generated are accepted broadly, as showing that a dwelling meets the minimum 6-star requirement.  In accepting such a report, the building surveyor is accepting this report as proof that the energy efficiency requirements of the NCC/BCA have been met.

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 IF A BUILDER IS CONTRACTED TO CARRY OUT WORKS TO "LOCK UP" STAGE: AND I WANT TO COMPLETE THE WORKS? 

If you want to complete a building project from the ‘lock-up' stage and the value of the works is over $12 000; You are required to gain consent to become an owner-builder.

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