CF Architects building-plans

Building?

You might think that because the job is “small” or “simple”, “just a renovation” or because “the builder knows what he’s doing”, you do not need building plans but this is everything but true.

To help homeowners avoid the pitfalls of construction, here designer Curtis Fleur of CF Architects explains why you need building plans – whether you are building from scratch or just renovating.

“The first and most important step is the knowledge that no home build, be that new or an upgrade, will be approved by any local council authority unless a registered professional has submitted the home building plans,” says Fleur.

“The architect will be able to advise whether your ideas can be interpreted through design, and if indeed they are even legal.”

“The next step will be submitting your application to Town Planning. Town Planning ascertains if the proposal is in line with the permitted zoning or use of the site, after which the plans go to the Building Inspectors where all aspects of the building elements are scrutinised, such as foundations and building specification, energy efficiency, and fire safety.”

“Once building plans have been approved, the relative council issues a building inspector’s form outlining all inspection stages. Once the building has been validated through the inspection process, the council stamps the plans, and they are registered as final.”

“If you’ve undertaken major renovations or construction without plans, a building inspector is entitled to enter your property and stop construction. Thereafter you may be allowed to complete the process of obtaining plan approvals before construction can restart, or you may be issued with a court order to demolish the structure at your own expense, in which case you would be liable for any associated legal costs.”

“After the renovation, you should have your home revalued, to document the positive return of your investment into your own home. To do so, the building will have to be inspected at specified stages by a licenced building inspector. The same process should have been followed on any subsequent alterations or extensions. Often an inspector will be called in during the initial stages of construction but not towards the end – with the result that no Occupation Certificate was ever issued. Quite often, extensions and alterations are done without any plans being submitted to the council for approval, or without the building inspector being brought in. To prevent these problems, it is advised that the architect oversee the building contractors’ work and quality, and that the contractor does not cut corners, or else it will result in the engineer not certifying the structure as habitable and safe.”

When it comes to building, it pays to plan.