FAQ
Nearly all buildings and structures require a Building Permit from the Local Authority. This includes dwellings, outbuildings and swimming pools. Even many fences and retaining walls require a Building Permit.
There are a few exemptions granted under Schedule 4 of the Building Regulations 2012. These generally relate to small structures or buildings located in rural areas of the State. Please contact us to see if your proposal achieves an exemption.
This is a common misconception as it is confused with another requirement under the Building Act. There are no exemptions from gaining a Building Permit determined by the monetary value of the work.
Legislation allows a person to undertake work which has a value less than $20,000 without engaging the services of a registered builder. However, a Building Permit is still required to do the work regardless of the value, and regardless of who does it.
The bushfire requirements are only applicable to residential buildings and associated outbuildings or decks. This includes standalone dwellings, apartment buildings and even hotels.
DFES have provided an electronic map of bush fire prone areas. View the map.
By entering your property address into the search bar, you will be able to determine if you are located within a nominated bush fire zone. All designated areas are coloured pink on the map.
This is determined by a few different factors.
All commercial buildings will require a Planning/Development Approval from the Local Authority Planning Department. There are generally no exemptions to this rule.
Single residential dwellings do generally not require a Planning Approval if they comply with the Residential Design Codes of Western Australia (R-Codes).
However, there are a few Local Authorities which still require a Planning Approval regardless if they comply with the R-Codes. It is recommended to contact your Council to determine their requirements in regards to Planning Approvals.
The R-Codes provide the basis for controlling the siting and design of residential development throughout Western Australia. They are given their power by the State planning and Development Act.
They aim to control the design and structure of residential buildings in relation to set-backs, site coverage, building height, overlooking and over shadowing to name just a few.
A ‘certified’ building application is an application to the Local Authority in which the applicant has engaged the services of a private certifier prior to submission. Once the certifier has undertaken an assessment on the proposal and confirms it complies with all the relevant Standards, a Certificate of Design Compliance (CDC) will be issued for submission with the application. This is a ‘certified’ application.
An applicant has the option to submit a proposal directly to the Local Authority for both assessment and issue of a Building Permit. The whole application is dealt with by the Council from start to finish. This is an ‘uncertified’ application.
There are two main reasons for employing a private certifier to assist with your project – Time and Money.
Private certification fees are not regulated. Therefore the current market will determine rates. These may vary greatly between different certifiers.
However, uncertified fees are determining by the Building Regulations 2012. If an uncertified application is submitted directly to Council, the minimum regulated fee will be applicable.
Once MetroCert has undertaken an assessment and provided a Certificate of Design Compliance (CDC) for your project, the Local Authority must produce a Building Permit within 10 days. This is a ‘certified’ building application.
If you choose to submit your application directly to Council, a period of 25 days is permitted to assess and produce the Permit. This is an ‘uncertified’ application.
It should be noted that only Class 1a and Class 10 buildings can be presented to the Local Authority as uncertified applications. All other classifications of building must be certified prior to applying for a Building Permit.
For further details of Building Classifications, visit our blog for a full breakdown.
There are no legislative inspections required for Class 1 buildings. Once you have received a Building Permit from the Local Authority, it is the responsibility of the nominated builder to ensure that the building complies with the approved building plans and all relevant Standards.
Once the builder has issued their Notice of Completion to the permit authority, you can move straight in and start enjoying your new home.