Hi All
Have been lurking for some time and learnt a lot thank you. Like many here my wife and I have been buying IP's and renovating them ourselves, but have just hit a snag in this process.
I'm fairly handy and can handle most reno challenges so have never engaged a builder and if we need a contractor it is usually just a plumber or electrician, doing all the grunt work ourselves along with painting, tiling, kitchen replacements etc.
Recently I was working on our current IP ( had ripped out the kitchen and was fitting new one ) when I was paid a visit from officialdom (QBSA) who wanted to know who the builder was as there was no sign out the front but obviously with the skip out front, building work was being done. ( nice enough bloke ). I told him there was no builder as this was my property and I was Owner Building and doing the work myself.
Fair enough, how much work are you doing? I'm ripping out the kitchen, replacing the bathroom, repainting the house and landscaping.
So what is that going to cost you? I figure around $15K. And what would it cost you if you had contractors carry out the work? I figure around $35K.
OK. So your project will cost you around $35K if you had contractors do the work? Yes.
Can I see your Owner Builders permit?
My what?
Your Owner Builders permit. Any work carried out over $11K requires an Owner Builders permit ( and that isn';t calculated on you doing the work and the savings you may make, it is calculated on the cost of having a contractor carry out the work)
Alarm bells. No Owner Builders permit. But it gets worse.
In the course of the conversation it comes out that I nwon't be living here and that it is an IP.
Now we are really in trouble. Why? Because an Owner Builders permit ( which we don't have ) is only for work you carry out on your PPR. It does not cover IP's or any property you do not reside in.
Next problem. I am now classed as an unlicenced contractor carrying out building works ( albeit on my own property) and am subject to the full weight of the law!!!
I'm now prevented from carrying out any further work on my property, I have to engage a builder to finish it, and I may be prosecuted for unlicenced contracting!!!
I've checked with my solicitor and he confirms what QBSA have said. Am now awaiting the outcome to see if they will prosecute. I've since made enquiries in a few other sates and it is the very similar.
Be warned!!
Have been lurking for some time and learnt a lot thank you. Like many here my wife and I have been buying IP's and renovating them ourselves, but have just hit a snag in this process.
I'm fairly handy and can handle most reno challenges so have never engaged a builder and if we need a contractor it is usually just a plumber or electrician, doing all the grunt work ourselves along with painting, tiling, kitchen replacements etc.
Recently I was working on our current IP ( had ripped out the kitchen and was fitting new one ) when I was paid a visit from officialdom (QBSA) who wanted to know who the builder was as there was no sign out the front but obviously with the skip out front, building work was being done. ( nice enough bloke ). I told him there was no builder as this was my property and I was Owner Building and doing the work myself.
Fair enough, how much work are you doing? I'm ripping out the kitchen, replacing the bathroom, repainting the house and landscaping.
So what is that going to cost you? I figure around $15K. And what would it cost you if you had contractors carry out the work? I figure around $35K.
OK. So your project will cost you around $35K if you had contractors do the work? Yes.
Can I see your Owner Builders permit?
My what?
Your Owner Builders permit. Any work carried out over $11K requires an Owner Builders permit ( and that isn';t calculated on you doing the work and the savings you may make, it is calculated on the cost of having a contractor carry out the work)
Alarm bells. No Owner Builders permit. But it gets worse.
In the course of the conversation it comes out that I nwon't be living here and that it is an IP.
Now we are really in trouble. Why? Because an Owner Builders permit ( which we don't have ) is only for work you carry out on your PPR. It does not cover IP's or any property you do not reside in.
Next problem. I am now classed as an unlicenced contractor carrying out building works ( albeit on my own property) and am subject to the full weight of the law!!!
I'm now prevented from carrying out any further work on my property, I have to engage a builder to finish it, and I may be prosecuted for unlicenced contracting!!!
I've checked with my solicitor and he confirms what QBSA have said. Am now awaiting the outcome to see if they will prosecute. I've since made enquiries in a few other sates and it is the very similar.
Be warned!!