# Forum More Stuff Debate & Technical Discussion  Adding a deck in a bushfire zone - my experience (so far)

## FMC

After lots of reading of this forum, I thought I would actually post something regarding my recent/ongoing renovation project and the frustrations I have had with getting a BAL rating. Hope it helps someone else! 
I live in the Newcastle council area and per my s149(2) certificate am in a bushfire zone. When we bought (12 months ago) I had no idea how this might impact us, but I am slowly finding out. Our bushfire hazard consists of a reserve over our back fence, in total less than a square km and bounded by a drain and houses to the west, roads north and south and my (and many other) standard residential houses to the east. When we started planning for our deck, the first thing I did was ring the council to find out what was required in a bushfire area. Their only advice was to get a draftsperson or other professional involved who would apparently be able to advise me. So we hired a draftsperson to do our initial design. The extent of his advice was to go to the NSW Rural Fire Service website and use the 'Bushfire Attack Assesor' to determine our Bushfire Attack Level rating. Based on those inputs, which were done based on him estimating the distance to the bush and the slope of the land, he determined a mid-range level of BAL-29 and completed the plans to that level. 
I then took my plans to a private certifier, who promptly told me that the online assessment wasnt sufficient and I needed to get a registered bushfire assessor to provide me with an assessment. I got quotes from a couple of assessors (one for $275 and the other for $800!!) and also spoke to the RFS, who can provide certificates. From memory, the RFS were charging around $280 and would take 4-6 weeks, so I went with a private certifier who charged a little less and was able to do the inspection and complete the certificate in around 5 days. Based on his assessment, I was bumped up to a BAL-40 rating. This took the project out of being a complying development so required a full DA through council. My lovely timber deck had now become a steel one and would be the only thing standing in the whole street should a bushfire rip through our reserve... 
I finally lodged the DA and after 7 weeks was informed by council that they had the site re-assessed by the RFS, who had declared our property to be the highest BAL rating - BAL-FZ. This is despite the fact that is there was a bushfire, we could walk out the front door and cross the road to a house that doesn't have any bushfire rating at all!! Apparently the council policy is to refer anything with a rating BAL-29 and above to the RFS, irrespective of any other bushfire assessment that has been done. In other words, I completely wasted my $275. 
I am now trying to clarify whether the new sliding doors and replacement window that I am putting in to access our new deck have to be BAL-FZ rated. No one (council, the RFS or the certifier) seems to be all that clear, even though it seems ludicrous that one new door and window in a 40 year old house need to be FZ rated when the others aren't. So I will just have to wait and see. 
So my recommendation is, if you are in a bushfire are and are planning renos, get the RFS to do the certification and get them to do it early so you know where you stand at the beginning. At least, check with your council and ask them specifically what their policy is in relation to BAL ratings and bushfire assessments. If only I had known the right questions to ask I could have saved myself a lot of time and a bit of money.
pleted the plans to that level. 
I then took my plans to a private certifier, who promptly told me that the online assessment wasnt sufficient and I needed to get a registered bushfire assessor to provide me with an assessment. I got quotes from a couple of assessors (one for $275 and the other for $800!!) and also spoke to the RFS, who can provide certificates. From memory, the RFS were charging around $280 and would take 4-6 weeks, so I went with a private certifier who charged a little less and was able to do the inspection and complete the certificate in around 5 days. Based on his assessment, I was bumped up to a BAL-40 rating. This took the project out of being a complying development so required a full DA through council. My lovely timber deck had now become a steel one and would be the only thing standing in the whole street should a bushfire rip through our reserve... 
I finally lodged the DA and after 7 weeks was informed by council that they had the site re-assessed by the RFS, who had declared our property to be the highest BAL rating - BAL-FZ. This is despite the fact that is there was a bushfire, we could walk out the front door and cross the road to a house that doesn't have any bushfire rating at all!! Apparently the council policy is to refer anything with a rating BAL-29 and above to the RFS, irrespective of any other bushfire assessment that has been done. In other words, I completley wasted my $275. 
I am now trying to clarify whether the new sliding doors and replacement window that I am putting in to access our new deck have to be BAL-FZ rated. No one (council, the RFS or the certifier) seems to be all that clear, even though it seems ludicrous that one new door and window in a 40 year old house need to be FZ rated when the others aren't. So I will just have to wait and see.  
So my recommendation is, if you are in a bushfire are and are planning renos have a look at the RFS online assessor to get an idea of the different ratings. Then if you think you are anything above about a BAL12.5, get the RFS to do the certification and get them to do it early so you know where you stand at the beginning. Or at least check with your council and ask them specifically what their policy is in relation to BAL ratings and bushfire assessments. If only I had known the right questions to ask I could have saved myself a lot of time and a bit of money.

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## Ken-67

Like so many regulations, this one has been developed and varied ad hoc over the years, and between different government departments, that it is wide open to interpretation. Some inspectors will assess it on its merits; others will go to extremes to ensure no possibility of something coming back on them later.
Years ago, I was installing an emergency exit door in a warehouse. The council inspector insisted that emergency exit doors had to be 2hour fire-rated. The fact that the walls on each side were only profile steel on timber girts seemed to be irrelevant

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## koshari

i share your frustrations. we had some proposals to build a deck out the back of our house. it was determined to be bal29 due to trees on a neighbors block. I put pavers in instead. 
and get this. we live in the middle of town directly across the road ftom the fire station!

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## barney118

I had a D/A in 2007 no issues, new D/A 2010 and find I am in a bushfire zone now, just filled in the self assessment questionaire from council and handed in, no questions.
According to council my property "fence only" to the west is in the bushfire imaginary magic council circle but my house is not on there helicopter view, NSW on the way to over regulation, insurance companies in the background lurking somewhere in all this  :Grumble:  :Upset:

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## ellewilliams

I feel your frustration. I had my property inspected for BAL and they previously told me there are no issues. I had the property reassessed by *bushfire consultants* and they declared that my property has a high BAL rating

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