An Overview of Building Permits in Australia
When you are building a house there are a variety of processes that you will have to follow to ensure your home is up to standard. These can include a variety of inspections and permits. This article will focus on the building permits and what they are. This article will explain what building permits are, who needs a building permit, why you need a building permit and how you get a building permit.
What are Building Permits
Building permits are documents that certify that the work that is planned to be conducted has been approved by a surveyor. By law, you will need to get a building permit for most renovations, extensions and new homes.
Who Needs a Building Permit
Building permits are required before you start the work on your home. However not all jobs require a building permit. This section of the article will explain who needs building permits.
- Building a new home. Under all circumstances you will need a building permit when you are building a new home. There are no exemptions to this rule as a new home will need to be examined by many parties.
- Renovating your old home. You will need a building permit for most renovations to your home. The will include building extra rooms, building large sheds, demolishing a room, building a retaining wall and many more.
- Are there exemptions. You do not need a building permit for some of the construction jobs around the home. You will not need a building permit if you are building a pergola less than 20m2 in area, building a shed that is less than 20m2 in area or maintaining your home.
Why you need a Building Permit
As you can see above, building permits will be needed for most construction jobs that you plan on carrying out around your home. Building permits are issued:
- For your safety. The main reasons building permits are issued is because of your saftety. Building permits are required so that you can be sure that the work that you plan on carrying out is done in a safe way.
- The work is reviewed. Part of the building permit application stages is a review of the work that is planned to be done. By having an independent reviewer look over your work you can be sure that the planned construction is feasible.
How to get a Building Permit
- Apply. To apply for a building permit you will have to fill out the application form. This form will usually require you to provide the plans of the proposed construction, details of the builder and their insurance and you will have to pay a fee. If you are building a new home you will have to also provide evidence that you are the title holder of the land and soil reports. You may also have to hand in a variety of inspection and occupancy permits.
- What happens if you don’t get a permit. The law requires you to get a building permit for most forms of construction. If you do not get a permit you may receive severe penalties. There is a $10,000 fine for any persons shown to be building without a permit.
Building permits are primarily a way to ensure that any homes that are built or renovations that are conducted are built up to standard. The building permit ensures that the work will be carried out by a qualified and insured builder and that the work is independently reviewed. If you would like to know more about building permits then please contact us.
Related posts:
- Permits for Building
- Tips to Building Your Own Home
- How to Choose an Independent Building Inspector
- Commercial Building Inspector
- Building Inspectors
- How to Renovate Your House – a Guide
- Which Loans are right for Building or Renovating
- St.George Banks Guide to Calculating the costs of building your home
- Homestar Advantage Construction Loan
- Construction Inspector
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