Building Permits in Brisbane
Thinking about buying to renovate? Snapping up a little ‘fixer-upper’ is only the first tentative step of many along the way to a successful renovation. Owning a property doesn’t automatically give you carte blanche to renovate it as you see fit. All local councils are active in overseeing and regulating the type of building works carried out with respect to homes in their area. If you fail to obtain the correct building permits in Brisbane prior to demolishing, renovating, extending, raising or substantially reconfiguring your property, you’ll be in the firing line for the council to take swift action. In the worst case scenario, that could see your dream house tied up in a tangle of red tape for years to come.
Understanding the importance of obtaining and complying with building permits in Brisbane is the key to a smooth, successful and stress-free renovation.
Building permits – a necessary evil
In most cases, it costs money to obtain a building permit in Brisbane. Building permits aren’t just an opportunity for your council to raise revenue though; they’re an important mechanism through which your local council, state and federal governments flex their muscles to ensure that you comply with the building code, regulations and legislation designed to ensure adherence to minimum safety standards.
Building permits, and the building inspectors who ensure compliance with them, perform a range of incredibly important functions. The most important of these is to ensure that your building or renovated property is:
- safe and unlikely to be a risk to you or your tenants
- able to withstand extremes of temperature and your local weather conditions (eg. floods and cyclones)
- protected from pests and vermin
- safe as it can possibly be in the event of a house fire or even a bushfire
- adequately connected to infrastructure such as sewerage and drainage
- built in accordance with standards aimed at maximising energy efficiency.
That’s not all that building permits can achieve though. They serve other purposes too.
Building permits and how they affect your area’s character
Building permits work hand in hand with zoning, overlays, neighbourhood plans and the Brisbane City Plan, allowing your council to
- preserve the character, history and streetscape of particular areas
- impose additional requirements in areas prone to flooding, landslide, bushfire and other local hazards that can easily impact on building safety
- protect environmentally sensitive or significant areas (such as fragile wetlands and coastal areas)
- preserve access to precious natural resources
- pinpoint areas within your council’s boundaries that are ripe for potential development.
After all, what you have in mind for your property might not be a comfortable fit with your local council’s vision for the area or your area’s distinct character and appeal. The process of obtaining planning permission and the right building permits allows your council to have the deciding vote in relation to what you can and can’t do with your property.
The types of building or renovation works for which you should obtain a building permit in Brisbane
It’s easy to see why building permits are a necessary evil. What’s harder is working out exactly when they apply to you and your situation. You’d be surprised at the extent to which building permits feature in renovations. You should be wary of commencing any renovation of any Brisbane property without first checking which building permits might be necessary before you can undertake and complete the work. For example, if you’re raising your property, the proposed new height will be the primary factors determining whether you need to get a building permit.
It can be incredibly confusing to try and work out whether your plans to renovate the property will trigger an obligation to first obtain a building permit. Even what you might regard as minor building work might need planning approval or a building permit unless it falls into a category of building work that’s exempted. This is where the boundaries are blurred and it gets tricky. A qualified and experienced building inspector is an invaluable source of information and advice, pinpointing exactly when you’ll need to obtain a building permit and the steps you will need to follow to ensure full compliance with the permit.
Getting it wrong – Why not getting the right building permit can cost you a packet
Failing to comply with your obligations to obtain the right building permits before starting work on your Brisbane property can be incredibly costly…and not just to your hip pocket. It could also see you in court facing the prospect of criminal penalties.
You might be forced to demolish an extension or other addition to the property or to return the property to its original state. In some case, you could even face the prospect of a criminal record and exorbitant legal costs.
Building permits in Brisbane – How building inspectors play a key role in the process
Once you’ve got a building permit, you’ll see that building inspectors play a key role in the process of complying with the permit. That’s because many permits require building inspections to be carried out during the course of, and at the conclusion of, the building works.
Building inspectors can be employed by the council to perform some functions to satisfy your obligations under your building permit. However, you can also enlist the support and assistance of a private building inspector to perform the same role…and so much more.
Your building inspector must be familiar with the paperwork that has to be lodged with the council and must be in a position to certify that you’ve complied with your numerous obligations under state, federal and local law.
Of all of the states and territories in Australia, Queensland boasts one of the toughest regimes when it comes to ensuring that building inspectors or surveyors are up to this task. If you’re planning on renovating a Brisbane property, your building inspector can explain your obligations and outline your best options for making your dreams for the property a reality.
A building inspector can let you know where you need to get a building permit. Best of all, they can give you advice as to how your vision for the property can be safely accommodated within the confusing jumble of codes, acts and regulations that apply to form the regulatory framework governing renovation of your Brisbane property.
However, if you think that building inspectors only come into the equation once you’re applying for or have obtained your building permit in Brisbane, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to capitalise on their experience and expertise at a much earlier stage. Why not bring them in before you sign on the dotted line and commit to buying the property?
Building inspectors – How they can help you avoid being saddled with mistakes made by previous owners of the property
If you’re buying a property, a building inspection is essential. It’s one way of exploring whether the property you’re purchasing might have been built, extended or renovated without compliance with council requirements. In other words, has anything been done without the appropriate building permits having been obtained or inspections carried out. If you’re buying a property, you run the risk of inheriting the previous owner’s unauthorised renovation or building works.
A thorough pre-purchase building and pest inspection can also assist you to differentiate between a property that’s just in need of a coat of paint and one that has substantial structural defects calling for extensive work, time, money…and building permits. You can then make an informed decision as to your options to negotiate a better price or cut your losses and walk away.