# Forum More Stuff Owner Builders Forum  Building permit questions.

## Godzilla73

G'day guys,  
Just after opinions on the following re a building permit for a 85m2 extension in Victoria. Surveyor is asking if the existing 80's house meets the 2006 BCC, reason being extension is more than 50% of existing house. I've been given a checklist with 10 sections of the BCC to check off, each with 3-4 items to be assessed as complying or not.  
Some are easy, smoke detectors, glazing, room heights etc... 
Others though seem to verge on the ridiculous, strip footing construction??? Reinforcing method??? 
Is this mob taking the pi$$, each item I don't comply with will require a section 608 partial compliance assessment at $220. 
Anyone else had to jump through these hoops? 
Thanks in advance.

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## OBBob

Oh, that's tough. I'm guessing nudging down below the 50% mark isn't feasible?

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## Godzilla73

No probably not, it's all been engineered and costed to current design. Not that it's anything odd, just a 7x7 lounge 4x4 bedroom and adding 3x2 to another 2 bedrooms.

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## CraigandKate

Not helpful but hmm @@@@ for me, my current renovation in the drawings stage is over 50%..

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## David.Elliott

Ouch! 
Marc'll be along soon...and I'll be waiting.  
This could be fun!

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## OBBob

This looks a good place to start.   https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&s...KcB9RVHz0fMJAw

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## Godzilla73

Thanks OBBob, bit of light reading there. Be interesting to see if it reflects what I've been told verbally and my own googling...

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## OBBob

Yeah, not sure if it's helpful but a quick skim seemed to suggest there was a fair bit of scope for leniency. I can understand an assessment fee for a submission ... but you should be able to make a single submission covering all the issues and just be charged once.

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## Godzilla73

> Not helpful but hmm @@@@ for me, my current renovation in the drawings stage is over 50%..

  Well at least you have a little warning, i received this as a by the by type of email... I've composed an email asking for clarification, i mean they can't be serious asking about the state of the earthworks back in '82 and the preparation prior to pouring the footings, what reinforcing was used and is the concrete correct? 
Is what it is i guess... :Gaah:

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## OBBob

I thought these types of requirements were intended to secure reasonable environmental standards, rather than structural.  
Anyway, have you obtained the existing  plans from the council? You should be able to get everything they have on file for about $70. It's good info to have regardless and it may answer some of these questions.  
I'd also suggest a phone call or face to face chat with your surveyor, sometimes people are harder on paper than they are in person. You have a long way to go and want to nurture this relationship if possible (all though I'm sure some people don't agree with that approach).

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## Godzilla73

Unfortunately the council offices burnt down back in the '90's and most info like that was lost. I have managed to obtain an A2 size plan but the details on it are negligible. The email was polite and I'll wait for a response before proceeding.

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## Godzilla73

Well a result that seems reasonable has been reached, i went through the list and noted whether or not i thought each item complied with the BCC. I only found one issue that needs/can be brought up to current standards, which was the glazing in the front windows needs safety glass installed. The rest were a mix of not a problem, ventilation, facilities, light. To i have no idea, and explained accordingly, these were mostly to do with earthworks, concrete and reinforcing.  
So in the end a one off assessment fee of $220 was charged and permit issued. 
Back on track.

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## travelislife

> Well a result that seems reasonable has been reached, i went through the list and noted whether or not i thought each item complied with the BCC. I only found one issue that needs/can be brought up to current standards, which was the glazing in the front windows needs safety glass installed. The rest were a mix of not a problem, ventilation, facilities, light. To i have no idea, and explained accordingly, these were mostly to do with earthworks, concrete and reinforcing.  
> So in the end a one off assessment fee of $220 was charged and permit issued. 
> Back on track.

  Well done. It is not the way it should be. You are paying a surveyor to pick these things up not for you to detail it all too them. Had similar issues of trawling through the NCC and picking out all the relevant clauses for a surveyor, they just hadn't spent the time to look properly at it.

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