a building approval is the formal process that confirms your proposed building work can proceed under the building legislation, regulations and national construction code.

for most projects, this usually means preparing the right drawings and documents, resolving any planning or council issues, and obtaining a building permit from a registered building surveyor before work starts. in victoria, a building permit cannot be issued until any required planning permit is in place.

many projects need a building permit, including new homes, extensions, structural alterations, garages, carports, verandahs, decks, swimming pools and some sheds.

some minor works may be exempt, but it is not always obvious. dot. can review your proposal and confirm whether a building permit is required, what documents are needed and whether any council approvals are likely to apply.

dot. helps you understand the approval pathway before the project gets too far down the track.

depending on the project, our scope may include design advice, siting reviews, building permit documentation, report and consent applications, performance solution support, consultant coordination and liaison with council or the relevant building surveyor.

our role is to make the process clearer, reduce avoidable delays and help prepare the information needed for the approval to move forward.

yes. dot. includes qualified designers as well as building surveyors and inspectors, which means we can assist with both the design process and the approval pathway.

for homeowners, this can be useful because design and compliance are considered together from the start. this helps identify siting issues, building code requirements, fire separation, overlooking, overshadowing, access, amenity and other approval risks before they become expensive redesign problems.

part 5 of the building regulations 2018 sets out siting requirements for single dwellings, associated class 10a buildings and fences in victoria. these rules deal with matters such as setbacks, building height, site coverage, overlooking, overshadowing, private open space, front fences and walls on boundaries. the vba’s siting practice note confirms that part 5 provides guidance for these siting controls.

in simple terms, part 5 helps determine where and how a house, garage, carport, shed or fence can sit on a block.

if your design does not meet a siting requirement, it does not always mean the project cannot proceed.

in many cases, you may be able to apply to council for report and consent. this is where council considers whether a variation from the standard siting requirement is acceptable. dot. can review the non-compliance, prepare the application material and help explain the design in a way that responds to the relevant regulation.

Regulation 116 relates to protection of the public during building work. it may apply where building work could affect a street, footpath, road, public space or public safety. councils commonly refer to this as public protection report and consent. council guidance notes that the relevant building surveyor assesses whether regulation 116 consent is required, and supporting documents may include a written rbs statement, site plan, hoarding or gantry details and structural designs for precautions.

for homeowners, this may become relevant where works are close to a footpath, road, laneway or other public area.

a performance solution is an alternative way of showing that a building design meets the required level of performance under the national construction code.

instead of following the standard deemed-to-satisfy pathway exactly, a performance solution uses technical justification, expert input, testing, calculations or comparison with accepted standards to demonstrate that the design still achieves the required outcome.

performance solutions are often used where a site is constrained, the design is unusual, or the standard code pathway does not suit the project.

the earlier, the better.

many approval delays happen because design, planning, siting and building permit issues are not identified until after drawings are already developed. speaking to dot. early allows the approval pathway to be checked before time and money are spent on a design that may need to be changed.

for homeowners, the best starting point is usually a site address, a short description of the proposed work, any drawings you already have and any council or planning information already received.

a planning permit and a building permit are not the same thing.

a planning permit is issued by council and looks at how the proposed work affects the site, neighbouring properties and the surrounding area. it may deal with matters such as neighbourhood character, setbacks, overlooking, vegetation, heritage, parking and land use.

a building permit is issued by a registered building surveyor and confirms that the proposed building work complies with the building legislation, building regulations and national construction code.

some projects need both. some only need a building permit. some minor works may not need either. if both are required, the planning permit usually needs to be resolved before the building permit can be issued.

dot. can help confirm which permits apply, what order they need to be obtained in, and what documentation is required.