Posts Tagged ‘BCA’

Attention all Architects Alterations don’t need a building permit …?!?

Saturday, April 10th, 2010

What … you’re saying? What? That goes against everything I know about the building codes and the regulations! Yes, you’re right, this is subject to some limitations. But how about the potential benefit!

Image courtesy of Metro Partitions

It’s definitely not as eye catching in a headline to say “Alterations don’t need a building permit provided you satisfy the criteria for exemptions in Item 4 of Schedule 8 to the Building Regulations 2006“. Even having qualified this it is still worthwhile knowing the effect of the successful application of these criteria.

It exempts from a building permit works like:

  • non-structural internal alterations in houses e.g kitchen and bathroom renovations; and
  • internal non-structural “cosmetic” alterations in non-domestic buildings (commercial, industrial, retail etc) that don’t change the use or the layout other than “moveable” furniture.

That’s still a pretty good get – let’s have a look at these criteria in more detail: (more…)

Why the building codes and standards don’t change much

Friday, April 9th, 2010

One of the more notable things about the building codes in Australia (the BCA) is that the Deemed-to-Satisfy provisions, as the way that most of us assess compliance with the mandatory performance provisions, don’t change much. Have a look at the 1996 code and the 2009 code. Maybe it’s a resourcing issue for the publishers?

Image courtesy of Heritage Victoria

As a building surveyor it’s frustrating that the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) don’t keep the BCA more current. There are lots of provisions that are bordering on being anachronistic and we now know there are some DTS provisions which we cannot demonstrate comply using engineering analysis and judgement.

The underlying reason for this continuity is legal certainty. Imagine if the bar kept changing every few years … up and up and up! So next time if you are wondering whether that 3 year old building you are about to alter needs upgrading … possibly not.

If you are not sure ring BDC Building Design Compliance now on 1300 791 602 for assistance.