Building
It is important that before you consider doing any work to your house, build a retaining wall, build a garden shed; you check with Southern Midlands Council if a Building/Plumbing Permit is required.
Even though the work may not require a permit, it must still comply with the Legislation and the Building Code of Australia.
Do I need a Building Permit?
Effective 1 January 2017, a new Building Act was introduced - the Building Act 2016 and Building Regulations 2016 now contain the legislative requirements for building and plumbing control in Tasmania.
The new legislation has resulted in some changes to building work, meaning some building work may no longer require a permit. To determine which building work requires a permit and which does not, you can visit the Department of Justice website for clarification, using the following link:
www.justice.tas.gov.au/building or contact Consumer Building and Occupational Safety on 1300 654 499 or CBOSinfo@justic.tas.gov.au. For any further information, please contact the Development and Environmental Services Department at Council on 03 6254 5050.
Examples of applying the Directors Determination – Categories of Building and Demolition Work to sheds
1) You want to erect a two car garage. You’ve chosen a metal kit design that is to be placed on a concrete slab and intend to manage the excavations, concreting and erection of the prefabricated structure yourself.
- You are restricted to a 36m2 (6x6)if you want to be the owner builder (responsible person for its erection and completion).
- Notify Council after completion on the approved Form 80.
- You don’t need to get a building permit from Council but you need to obtain the engineered plans from the “shed” company” and you must construct the building in accordance with those plans. Make sure you’ve checked whether you need planning approval.
2) You want to design and construct a garage or outbuilding that is not a “kit” design.
- You are restricted to a size of 18m2 (3x6) if you want to build it yourself
- But a competent person (tradesperson, builder) can build a similar structure for you up to a size of 36m2
- Notify Council after completion on the approved Form 80.
- You don’t need to get a building permit to build, but make sure you’ve checked whether you need planning approval.
3) You want to build a garage greater than 36m2 ie 54m2 (6x9) metal kit designed garage.
- You will need to engage a Building Surveyor who will issue a Certificate of Likely Compliance Certificate for the work and will notify Council regarding the notifiable building works.
- Note: Council provide Building Surveying Services for this service type of classification building works ie Garage, Shed and the like.
- You either need to engage a licenced builder to undertake the building work or obtain an Owner Builder Permit.
- You don’t need to get a building permit from Council but make sure you’ve checked whether you need planning approval.
Note: The owner is responsible for ensuring that any proposed work conforms with the scope of the Directors Determination, in particular that permitted size limits are not exceeded and that boundary setbacks are complied with. Ref Limitations, Maximum dimensions etc (if any) and Explanatory Notes and in accordance with the manufacturers specifications.
