# Forum Home Renovation Roofing  Do I Need a Roof Plumber???

## askaholic

Hi, 
If Installing a Colorbond Roof/Gutters/ Fascia etc on a new Owner Builder House do I need to get a Roof Plumber to Install and Sign off on, or can I Install myself. I am in Melbourne. Any feedback appreciated. 
Cheers :Redface:

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## Bedford

It will need to be signed off by a plumber, as it's part of the plumbing Certificate of Compliance, and is required before you can get your occupancy permit.

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## dib

:What he said:   Try to find a plumber who can do the whole lot (gas water roof).  I found the overall prices where better then when combined.  Then you can also ask if you can do the roof yourself and have them sign off on it if you want to. I know of  OB's who have done this but have not done it myself.

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## askaholic

Thanks guys, much appreciated

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## ringtail

As the builder, you should be able to do it all. You dont need a licence to for anything stormwater related ( gutter and downpipes) and as you are the builder, you can sheet the roof aswell. Thats the way it works in QLD. The only things you cant do as an OB are plumbing, electrical, fire works, or tiling in wet areas. Maybe different regs in VIC ?

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## Bedford

Hi Ringtail, different in Vic unfortunately.  :Frown:

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## ringtail

Bugger. I guess they are just ensuring that you spend your money eh.

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## barney118

sounds like it all comes down to interpretation, defintion of roof plumbing? guttering only, sheet yourself? do the job yourself have a plumber hook up gutters to downpipe?

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## dib

In victoria it's not open to interpretation.  A plumber installs the sheeting and it's classed as roof plumbing, and it adds heaps to the cost.  It really is a crock, a carpenter can do all the flashing for doors and windows .. but put on  roof no way!   
You can do the roof yourself but make sure that you have the agreement from the plumber as they have to sign off on it.  The strange thing is that not all plumbers are licenced to do "roof plumbing" either.

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## askaholic

I have read that you have to get certification from the roof plumber for the guttering & fascia and connecting the storm water, downpipes etc, but not to lay the actual sheeting. I suppose if I was to lay the sheeting and water was to cave in the ceiling, its not the roof plumbers fault. I dont know all seems a little vague

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## askaholic

If i was to put it up and play dumb, do you think the Inspector would hold back on the certificate. Prob just make me get a plumber out to check it all off. Surely wouldn't make you rip it down and do it all again, obv providing it was done properly. 
any thoughts??

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## barney118

> The strange thing is that not all plumbers are licenced to do "roof plumbing" either.

  The plumbing industry commission states "To become registered or licensed in a restricted class of plumbing  generally requires a minimum of four or two years relevant practical  experience in the particular class of plumbing work." there are 11 classes listed, so does it take 22 yrs to become a fully qualified plumber? 
It sounds like it needs signing off by a plumber how much would this cost if you were to DIY? What about enrolling in a tafe course specifically for sheeting?

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## dib

The inspectors need the paper work.  They wont make you rip it all off, but you will have to find plumber to sign off on it to  get your occupancy certificate

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## leeton

Interesting subject, I recently built a fair size extension on out place (owner Builder), and the whole house was dodgy old cement tiles, so I decided to replace the whole roof with zincalume, and extension obviously, I did it all myself, I also put up new guttering etc, I got cert of occ without any questions asked, I got a certificate for laundry plumbing and downpipes on extension, but didn't ask about roof, and building inspector the same, so no problems for me, my brother is a plumber, so I suppose if I needed him to sign off, he could probably do it at a cost.

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## dib

I would love to be told that I am wrong, but roofing clearly falls into the victorian plumbing industries definition of stormwater ... only if it is metal!!!!.    Plumbing Industry Commission, Victoria, Australia - What is plumbing work?

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## askaholic

hey leeton, I'm just down the road in Chirnside Park, If only we could get the same inspector!!! 
Another silly question - What is the difference between Zincalume & Colorbond Roofing? 
Cheers

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## Bedford

Zincalume is just plain sheet (silver looking), Colorbond is coloured.

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## askaholic

Thanks everyone for their input, has given me plenty of food for thought. :Smilie:

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## intertd6

> Hi Ringtail, different in Vic unfortunately.

   Thats a fancy certificate but is it legally required under the BCA or council requirements ?
Also a lot of building works can be certified by anybody as long as it states that it has been done in accordance with the relevant standards, eg waterproofing, glazing, concrete slab design, timber frame design, termite protection.
regards inter

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## Bedford

> Thats a fancy certificate but is it legally required under the BCA or council requirements ?

  Not sure about BCA as they don't issue occupancy permits, councils do, and you can't get one without it.  

> Also a lot of building works can be certified by *anybody* as long as it states that it has been done in accordance with the relevant standards

  I don't think *anybody* could certify it, they would have to be qualified in order to certify it and then produce the certificate which is still required for the final inspection and granting of the occupancy permit.

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## intertd6

> 1. Not sure about BCA as they don't issue occupancy permits, councils do, and you can't get one without it.
> 2. I don't think *anybody* could certify it, they would have to be qualified in order to certify it and then produce the certificate which is still required for the final inspection and granting of the occupancy permit.

  1. I would like to see copy a local council construction certificate (CC) stating that only a licenced plumber could issue a certificate of complience for roof sheeting or one was even required.
2. I supplied instances where structural design certification is open to anybody (no qualifications needed) which is far more complex & life threatening than roof iron, seems highly unlikely to me & is not so in NSW & no certificates of complience are needed for roof iron. I will wait for the copy of a CC to convince me. You have produced a certificate but not the council requirement for it.
regards inter

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## jago

> .
> I don't think *anybody* could certify it, they would have to be qualified in order to certify it and then produce the certificate which is still required for the final inspection and granting of the occupancy permit.

  Have to agree with Inter on this... as I  can certify almost all my own work as long as I provide a stat dec stating the relevant BCA for council to issue my completion or occupancy certificate, it must be a NSW thing.

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## Bedford

Whilst it may be acceptable to be certified by a non plumber or stat dec in some states, the home owner is still entitled to the plumbing warranty provided by the Plumbing Commission.  
Who provides this warranty in the above cases?

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## ringtail

As far as I'm aware the form 15 and 16 can only be signed by a competant person. That person is usually deemed suitable by the *certifier* - qualified or not, but *usually* qualified - ie form 15 ( design) signed by the engineer and form 16 ( construction) signed by whoever did the work or part thereof. Then again maybe that is just in QLD, but I thought form 15/16 was national

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## r3nov8or

This may be splitting hairs, but it may also be very important. (I'm in VIC). A cert of Occupanacy (CO) is issued for a dwelling that has never neen lived in. A cert of Completion (CC) is issued for extentions/renos for dwellings that previously had a CO. Being my first time (before our move to Geelong), I was actually quite surprised to hear that we were allowed to live in the extension during the permit period although not officially 'completed'. While I had certified roof plumbing (we reroofed/guttered/piped the whole house at the time) a plumbing certificate was never requested by the council inspector.  The electrical certificate was requested though (so it's doubtful they just forgot...).

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## intertd6

A lot boils down to anbodys right to build their own home with their own hands & labour in Australia, some aspects of these rights have been taken away for the safety of individuals & the community, ie sanitary plumbing, electrical work, suspended concrete slab design, steel design & soil testing to name a few. When I was in Tassie a few years back 75% of the homes built were owner built & builders didn't have to be licenced but had to supply home owners warranty.
regards inter

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## intertd6

> Whilst it may be acceptable to be certified by a non plumber or stat dec in some states, the home owner is still entitled to the plumbing warranty provided by the Plumbing Commission.  
> Who provides this warranty in the above cases?

  this is what NSW requires & it one of the most over regulated states there is.
If a builder is doing the work over $12000 contract value they supply the owner with home owners warranty, by law.
If a trade is doing the work over $12000 contract value they supply the owner with home owners warranty, by law
Home owners doing their own work do not have to have to have home owners warranty unless they have to or intend to sell the home within 6 years of completion.
Builders & Trades by the way of licencing have to guarantee there own work for a period of 6 years, home owners warranty only comes into play if the builder or trade goes out of business or cant be found to rectify the fault & is handled by an insurance company (or in NSW the Govt because insurance companys have bailed out of the system)   
But back to the original question  *"Do I Need a Roof Plumber???<!-- google_ad_section_end -->* 
<HR style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffffff; COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=1><!-- google_ad_section_start -->Hi, 
If Installing a Colorbond Roof/Gutters/ Fascia etc on a new Owner Builder House do I need to get a Roof Plumber to Install and Sign off on, or can I Install myself. I am in Melbourne. Any feedback appreciated. 
Cheers" 
Which the answer is,  If the council contruction certificate doesn't stipulate that one has to be provided then one is not needed.  
regards inter

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## dib

My construction certificate ( new house OB) make no mention of plumbing or electrical.  It does make reference to several victorian building acts ( 2006 & 1993).  The article below is interesting as it suggests that Victoria is out of step with every other state in Australia and the regulations add several thousands of dollars to the cost of metal roofing over other states.   http://www.vcec.vic.gov.au/CA256EAF0...0Vic%20Ltd.pdf

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## Daniel Morgan

Unfortunately some people fail to comprehend the complexities of the issues involved, or are just trolls.

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