Renovating without a builder - WA

[TheBacon]

Hi All,
In response to this thread http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36542 which highlights that there are large restriction on the works we as owners are allowed to carry out on our own without contracting a licenced builder I have started this thread.

I am NOT a real estate or renovating legal expert so I am looking for advice and to document our collective experience.

To start this thread off, a quick list of works that I think are completely acceptable for an owner to do by themselves without asking anybody for any permission, approval, licence, etc.

1. Gardening - mowing, pruning, edging - general domestic gardening.
2. Painting - internal, external, fences, roof?
3. Non-structural interior renovations - replacing kitchen cabinets, new window treatments, sanding floorboards. Works that dont require touching plumbing, electrics, structure of house.
4. External paving

I base my quick list on my perceptions and my idea of common sense - no legal opinion or referral to regulations here.

Over to the good ship SS...

 

[Celeste]

Hi all

I did some checking after the previous thread for WA.

I found out the following:

you need idemnity insurance for work above 20k (previously $12k) therefore you need a builder.

Building permits $$ by the govt for works $20k - tho each council can have their own regulations, so check it out with your relevant council.

building works of most concern and in need of builder - demos / extentions / any change to the buildings footprint. Does not include landscaping etc.

So you can paint / gut and redo kitchens/laundries/bathrooms/ remove replace internal walls (tho I would get a tradie to do this - do not need lic/permit)

things like carports / garages / patios /sheds only need council building permit as long as it is under $20k - So, you can have the plans drawn up, past thru council and go to stratco buy all the stuff and put it up your self. I would expect the council will want plans from an architect or such, not a home drawn ones. Heeeee!

I do know by my council (Melville) , when we built. that you need an engineers certificate for sails and any garden walls greater then (now I can not remember exactly) 300mm or 500mm needs council approval, again this has to do with drainage and run off etc.

You can not do any electrics (technically you can not even change a light globe) or plumbing your self - you can dismantle the plumbing, just not do the new stuff. There are some regulations on irrigation, you need to check if there are any special needs for your area. This has to do with drainage and run off.

Also, on our side I found out that anywork you have done by a firm ie kitchen cabinets / patios etc has to have an approved fixed price contract. Not just the OK on a quote, they have to give you an approved contract to sign.

Anyway, that is what I found out via the net. I have just joined the HIA, I am all official now!! This allows me free legal advice. When I have my break at xmas I will go and see someone there and get the full low down on DIY.

I will post what I find out then, probably in the New Year.

 

[Sheryn]

1. Gardening - mowing, pruning, edging - general domestic gardening.

Routine yard maintenance

2. Painting - internal, external,

routine house maintenance There are safety issues with external painting e.g scaffolding etc over certain heights.

fences,

lots of people put up their own fences

roof?

get professional as they know what they are doing and scafolding will be needed

3. Non-structural interior renovations - replacing kitchen cabinets, new window treatments, sanding floorboards.

depends schedule these in different financial years and I would get a professional for windows, sanding floorboards as they have the equipment and expertise

Works that dont require touching plumbing, electrics, structure of house.

4. External paving

How good are you?


I base my quick list on my perceptions and my idea of common sense - no legal opinion or referral to regulations here.

Reckon if you can purchase at Bunnings the DIY store then you are doing DIY.

A few years ago the neighbour next door built a pagola, then put in his application to Council $1.00 under the limit and was approved.

Over to the good ship SS...

The point is to know the requirements, costs and budget, also ask your local council and local council building inspector.


Sheryn

 

[mcdeyess]

I am not sure how it is in WA but when I talked with the QBSA in Brisbane the impression I got was that if they licensed it and it would cost you more than $11K to pay someone to do it then you had to. That includes supply, fit and "project management" - no definition forthcoming but basically organizing tradies to work together.

Painters and decorators are licensed so interior/exterior are both included, as is electrical and plumbing (which you can't do yourself anyhow - sensible enough) and structural works.

Gardening is out as is sanding floorboards (after I pointed out they don't license that profession)

Installing a kitchen is interesting as I don't know if cabinet makers are licensed but carpenters certainly are.

Personally I think the policy is insane and so do the builders I have spoken with. The whole thing is over-regulated to the max. For me a sensible option is for the following to require a licensed builder,
plumbing
electrical
structural works
painting at a height above X metres

This might be oversimplified as I am not a builder but I reckon it is a better start. We don't want anything like they have in America where anyone can do whatever they want but this is insane

Cheers
McDeyess

 

[mcdeyess]

Also if you go through the owner builders course in QLD then you ARE the builder and hence need your own insurance, put on the title deed as the builder and are responsible for the warranty of any works done even if you hire other builders to do the work all the responsibility lies with you.

Kinda sux ay

 

[Francesco]

In ACT anything having to do with electrics appear to be not DIY. It seems an electrician is required to replace a cracked power point or reattaching an earthing connection to a metal water pipe. The guy in Bunnings said that they do not sell anything to DIYer that requires an electrician. The reason he is sticking to is that because of an insurance act, a piece of work carried out by a DIYer will nullify the insurance cover for the building. I am not sure whether this is true. It seems an over generalisation.

I find this rule seriously unworkable. Bunnings sell power points and electrical wires but not the bracket to attach earthing to the water pipe! On the other hand the specialist electrical shop will happily sell the bracket to the public for a price! Other electrical fittings or appliances sometimes either specify or 'recommend' that they must be attached by an electrician or 'other qualified people'. I wonder what that means. Does 'other qualified people' include engineers? I would think that engineers should know their physics.

F

 

[Norwester]

Hi F,

Physics has nothing to do with it.

Always be mindful that nearly all the wiring rules AS/NZ have been written in someones blood.

Whereas, regulations are an entirely different matter and usually relate to supply authority requirements.

In my experience over the years I would find that engineers are possibly the worst offenders.

ciao

Nor