If you want to build a new home, you need to hire home builders, engage building surveyors and apply for legal permits to begin the process. Planning and building permits may seem like a hassle, but they are important from safety, environmental and legal perspectives. Here are four factors involved in obtaining planning and building permits.
Type Of Permits
There are two types of permits involved in the home building process. Planning permits are essential for land to be used for development. They cover appearance of the land and building, boundary guidelines and the purposes that the building can serve. This should be obtained from your local council. A building permit is written approval from a registered building surveyor that your building project is ready to commence. It confirms that your plans comply with regulations laid out by the local council. Usually local councils offer planning permits, but a building surveyor issues the building permit.
Permit Costs
All states usually have their own rules regarding the type of work that requires a permit. For example, Victorian law indicates that a building permit is necessary for most building work, demolitions and alterations. The cost of building permits depend entirely on the size, complexity and scale of your project, so naturally large-scale home building projects will cost more than simple renovations. While obtaining a permit involves a cost, the fine for non-compliance is far more expensive than the original permit cost. Some of the costs for obtaining permits include building fees, lodgement fees, inspection fees, crossing deposit and government levy. Check with your local council on the fees involved in your specific area.
Who Can Obtain Permits?
As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to obtain all legal planning and building permits before any work is undertaken in your home. You can also assign home builders or architects to obtain permits on your behalf. Remember that if you nominate any third-party, you must have a proper contract in place. This contract stipulates your approval for the agent to obtain permits on your behalf. Keep in mind that local councils take some time to process applications, so you must plan early.
Application Process
To get a planning permit, draw up building plans with your home builders to comply with local council regulations. Lodge an application with the council and present all documents to support your application process. Remember that when you present the plan to the local council, you must be prepared to conduct some revisions, so it's always advisable to involve home builders in the application process. Once approved, you are presented with a Construction Certificate to move forward with your building plans. Before building, you also need to get a building permit from a registered surveyor. The surveyor continues inspecting the property in different developmental stages and issues an occupancy permit when work meets the minimum criteria. Home builders are responsible for keeping surveyors informed when each building stage is complete.
Always check with your home builder on the expected completion from the time of obtaining the permit to ensure that everyone involved in the building process stays on track.
Share4 December 2014
The kitchen is the most used room in my home, and in the past, I found it could get messy and chaotic very quickly. Trying to cook dinner when you can't find an essential appliance or see past the clutter on the counter is no fun. I realised I enjoyed my time in the kitchen more and was more productive when my kitchen was organised and laid out in a way that optimised functionality. I changed my kitchen cleaning and organising routine, decluttered, got rid of appliances I don't use and moved things around to ensure frequently used items were easy to reach. I started this blog to share my tips for creating a kitchen that's enjoyable to use, and I post about ways you can optimise the space you have. I hope you find my posts useful.
