building without approval

[luvvit]

quick question

Im getting inspired by reading lots of natural building articles and books and find that you can (in many states in the US) build a small house without a building "permit". Some of the small strawbale houses are amazing to say the least......

whats the largest building you can have in Aus without going through council for a dual occ or subdivision?

I know its ball park question, but does it happen here?

Luvvit.

 

[gottabespotless]

Building anything without council approval is lunacy. I wouldn't even consider the thought unless you want to have big headaches - constant fights with council and neighbours, not to mention wasting money and time. If you don't feel the structure would be passed by council then there's probably a good reason why it won't, ie. dangerous. And if it's the money that council approval would cost then you can't afford to build it as council approval and it's associated cost is part of it.

 

[Sheryn]

Luvvit


IMHO - 3 x 3 mtr garden shed in town, in some rural areas you can build farm sheds without council approval if you stick to their guidelines.


Hop on your local council website and look at exempt developments as a 3 x 4 mtr garden shed would need to go through council.



Cheers
Sheryn

 

[Melbournian]

quick question

Im getting inspired by reading lots of natural building articles and books and find that you can (in many states in the US) build a small house without a building "permit". Some of the small strawbale houses are amazing to say the least......

whats the largest building you can have in Aus without going through council for a dual occ or subdivision?

I know its ball park question, but does it happen here?

Luvvit.

wouldn't try it.

I had an aunt - who migrated to australia and then bought a unit in a block of six which she decided to do it her way. First was to cut the tree on the street frontage and then put 2 extra A/C units facing outwards. as well as doing her own thing. Build a deck without a permit.

Put it simple, the neighbours dobbed her in. She then had to pay a hefty fine.

So best just keep following the laws.

 

[Ocean Architect]

In some parts of Australia (Katherine, NT) you can build whatever you want, however you want, without council approval, legally.

So to answer your question, you can happily build the Taj Mahal next to a giant chocolate palace legally in Katherine - just look out for the locals. They're...an interesting bunch, shall we say

 

[Aaron Sice]

most councils in WA have a 20sqm outbuilding concession, some are 10sqm, some are none, but most have it.

so as long as the total gross floor area of the outbuildings don't exceed their given amount, you don't even have to call them.

in France (in fact, most of the mainland EU) you can build without a permit in most non-heritage areas. their view is, if it falls down, it's your own damn fault.

here, we have the BCA guidelines (based on UK building standards and modified) for everyone to use, yet we still have to have council check every single application for compliance.

i say leave your insurance to it - get the builder to lodge proof he has adequate insurance and then let them build. that way, if the house falls down and was built as per the BCA, then it's a personal insurance matter. if it falls down and someone built it dodgy, then it's a liability insurance matter.

council - and the public purse - are removed form the situation entirely.

 

[MrCrumbpacker]

I would presume there is planning permission, which would be required for anything over a certain size/height/proximity to boundry etc.

An then building regulation approval. As I understood it, an owner builder can build what they like as regards building regs, but they wont get a habitable dwelling approval, and if they decide to sell, the purchaser would be unlikely to get a mortgage.

But if someone pays cash for land with a construction on it, they can use it for what they like.

So if someone builds a house with planning consent, but without building inspections/approval, (but possibly to the building codes, or even higher standards) then they could sell it on to a cash buyer who could happily use it.

The above is what I have understood talking to people, if anyone knows any better, I would be interested to hear.

 

[Ocean Architect]

most councils in WA have a 20sqm outbuilding concession, some are 10sqm, some are none, but most have it.

so as long as the total gross floor area of the outbuildings don't exceed their given amount, you don't even have to call them.

in France (in fact, most of the mainland EU) you can build without a permit in most non-heritage areas. their view is, if it falls down, it's your own damn fault.
here, we have the BCA guidelines (based on UK building standards and modified) for everyone to use, yet we still have to have council check every single application for compliance.

i say leave your insurance to it - get the builder to lodge proof he has adequate insurance and then let them build. that way, if the house falls down and was built as per the BCA, then it's a personal insurance matter. if it falls down and someone built it dodgy, then it's a liability insurance matter.

council - and the public purse - are removed form the situation entirely.

The indonesians don't even have building codes. At all. If you get hurt, they just shrug their shoulders and say "shouldn't have been walking there". Which is why it costs a dollar fifty to build a house in indonesia

 

[Aaron Sice]

I would presume there is planning permission, which would be required for anything over a certain size/height/proximity to boundry etc.

An then building regulation approval. As I understood it, an owner builder can build what they like as regards building regs, but they wont get a habitable dwelling approval, and if they decide to sell, the purchaser would be unlikely to get a mortgage.

But if someone pays cash for land with a construction on it, they can use it for what they like.

So if someone builds a house with planning consent, but without building inspections/approval, (but possibly to the building codes, or even higher standards) then they could sell it on to a cash buyer who could happily use it.

The above is what I have understood talking to people, if anyone knows any better, I would be interested to hear.

yes of course and thanks for clarifying - they are two entirely seperate processes. i was taking the "i work in this industry all the time so i understand it implicitly" response when in reality i should have given an "outsider looking in" response.

planning is a whole different ball game.

cheers.

 

[Aaron Sice]

The indonesians don't even have building codes. At all. If you get hurt, they just shrug their shoulders and say "shouldn't have been walking there". Which is why it costs a dollar fifty to build a house in indonesia

well, they do...kind of....ish.

most of the time it's the 3m cube strategy with 350sq brick piers and the 350sq conc 'lattice beams' connecting them all and holding the next floor up.

it's not a "regulatory standard" - more of an accepted "industry standard".

but anyone building something decent in size pays as much for engineering as the do in backhanders - the trick is getting those on site to follow the drawings.

having spoken to a few folks who did devvy's in thailand and bali pre 2006, this was the way it was.

 

[tobe]

I got planning permission for a dwelling in country vic, then built a little strawbale building.
I didnt need a building permit because,
it was built to code, and the cost was less than $5,000.

It didnt have a kitchen and bathroom either, but thats a whole other story.

 

[Aaron Sice]

I got planning permission for a dwelling in country vic, then built a little strawbale building.
I didnt need a building permit because,
it was built to code, and the cost was less than $5,000.

It didnt have a kitchen and bathroom either, but thats a whole other story.

that's stringent - in WA the price has moved up to $20,000 for owner building.