Renovation approvals advice wanted

[Gatoblanco]

I have an attached garage with internal access in my PPOR. I am going to have it converted into 2 bedrooms and rent those rooms out.
I will convert my laundry into a second bathroom.
Changes a 3bed one bath house into a 5 bed 2 bath house.
Later (i have no car) I will get a carport out the front. Lots of brick houses in this neighbourhood have converted their garage.
I will get a large shed for the back yard to replace the storage function of the garage.

The total best quote excluding the shed is $8500 which is very cheap. $5000 for the two beds and $3500 for the laundry to bathroom (I have to supply bathroom wall tiles (prob about $500). I think the price is pretty good for the overall outcome plus I will get an extra $220 or more per week in rent.

I am really finding approvals very confusing. I know that if I get this done and never sell it will not be a problem. But if I do sell it will cause problems because the buyer will want certification.

I called the Council and they said I may need building certification which is done through a private company. Does that apply to the garage conversion because it does not alter the structure of the building?

Also the guy who I might get to do the work is very knowledgeable. I had 4 builders come around and he was the most experienced, motivated and innnovative. He has come over from London and so he is used to this type of work as over there they do lots of conversions to maximise space. He has shown me photos of work he has done/is currently doing here with bathrooms. However I dont know if he is a registered plumber. I doubt it.

If the work is not done by a registered plumber i.e. connecting a new toilet to where the existing toilet outflows and putting in a new washing machine waste (connecting to the where the exisiting tub outflows) will that be illegal? There is no alteration of any plumbing outside of the house just additional connections to that at the point where the existing ones
connect.

The Brisbane City Council confused me as it seems this garage conversion and plumbing work is the responsibility of the State Govt.

Also what about insurance. How do I get this work cleared by the insurance. I am not so concerned if it is covered as

Has anyone done this sort of thing recently in Brisbane that could help me understand who I need to talk to about aprovals/certification etc. I dont want to cause myself problems down the track. Is it possible to get the work certified later? i.e. in 5 yrs if I sell?

 

[wylie]

If it was me, I would be getting it drawn up by a draftsman and then approved via a private certifier.

Why take short cuts, when you are more than likely going to have problems if and/or when you sell. Also, why risk someone doing your plumbing who is not a licensed plumber and who can sign off on the job, and who would be required to come back and fix anything that goes wrong?

I just would do it once and do it properly. It will cost you some money but you will never have to explain anything to anybody down the track.

 

[battler]

I called the Council and they said I may need building certification which is done through a private company. Does that apply to the garage conversion because it does not alter the structure of the building?

It will alter the use of the building,... you may come into issues with damp courses etc as often they don't put an impervious membrane under garage floors.

 

[fernfurn]

We just converted under the stairs to a toilet in the garage, could have done the job ourselves, but no certification. Plumbers didnt seem interested in such a small job, eventually got someone who charged $800 to cut open sewerage stack, install toilet, run line from HWS around wall, install basin and tap and then on to the toilet, but at least it is legal.
I know you have to have 2400head height to the bottom of the upstairs floor joists for council here to approve it. Why don't you drawup the plans and take them along to council for approval, problem solved

 

[craigb]

do it correct the first time, certify everything, if this guy is very knowlegeble, let him show you his , building licences, and ask him what certifier he would consider, seems al right in the begining, the money your trying to save now, will be trippled in losses, when you sell or somthing goes wrong,
do it right the first time,