Newsletter EDITION No 12 - 13 03 2017 - resized

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Strengthening our community now to grow and prosper into the future
Unauthorised Building
Work is Costly...
Not many people are aware that un-authorised building work
can cost you significantly; legislation now exists that if a first
offence is committed a fine of $50,000 can be applied.
In addition to this, if you are required to submit an application
for un-authorised work, called a Building Approval Certificate,
it carries significant costs in having to engage specialist
services such as Draftspersons, Structural Engineers and
Building Surveyors, additional costs in building modifications
and additional levies and fees.
It is especially relevant when you intend to
sell your property, as a property inspection may
reveal the un-authorised work, subsequently
causing you significant delays, a reduction in
price or even costly remedial building work.
New State Government building laws introduced in 2012
allows for some exemptions in having to apply for a Building
Permit for alterations and additions to a building; however it
can easily be interpreted incorrectly leaving you exposed to
litigation and significant costs.
To determine if you think that you are exempt from a Building
Permit it is recommended that before you commence your
design, to contact the Shire office to discuss with an officer if
your proposed buildings are exempt. There are a few
examples such as replacement of kitchen cabinetry and
repainting, however some re-tiling, removal of a wall or
re-roofing is not exempt and requires a Building Permit.
For example, in wet areas such as showers or baths there
are National Construction Code requirements for water-
proofing behind tiles and removal of the waterproof
membrane could subsequently affect your health, therefore a
Building Permit may be required.
Removal of walls will definitely require a Building Permit as
the structure could be compromised if the wall is load
bearing. Even re-roofs require a Building Permit as there are
very specific hold down provisions, energy efficiency and now
with bushfire prone areas being introduced, additional
construction requirements may be required to prevent
ember attack.
Exemptions for the requirement of Building Permits can be
found on the State Law Publisher website
- Legislation database - Building Regulations 2012. However if
you have doubts that the work you are considering may not
require a permit, contact the Shire office for prompt and
helpful advice.
Currently the average cost of submitting a Building Permit for
work $20,000 and under is $156.65, therefore when compared
to an application for a Building Approval Certificate potentially
costing $1,000 - $2,000 in consultants, fees and additional
costs for remediation work, it is definitely worthwhile
submitting a Building Permit Application.
Contact staff at the Shire office before you start any work to
ensure your work will be compliant.
The best way to approach all building
work is to use the mantra...