Legislative Role of a Victorian Building Surveyor
Victorian Building Surveyors perform an important statutory role under the Building Act 1993 and Building Regulations. Their role is to help ensure that building work is assessed, inspected, and certified in accordance with the relevant legislative requirements, including safety, accessibility, amenity, and energy efficiency provisions.
As part of this role, a Building Surveyor may:
-
Assess and approve applications for building permits, where appropriate;
-
Inspect buildings and building work at required stages;
-
Assess and approve applications for occupancy permits, where applicable; and
-
Issue Certificates of Final Inspection, where appropriate.
Building Surveyors also have enforcement powers under the building legislation to address non-compliant building work. These powers may include:
-
Issuing directions to fix non-compliant building work;
-
Issuing Building Notices;
-
Issuing Building Orders; and
-
Amending or cancelling Building Orders where permitted under the legislation.
Our role is to assist owners, builders, and applicants in understanding their obligations and achieving compliance with the applicable building requirements.
Building Permits Explained
A building permit is a formal approval issued by a Building Surveyor before building work commences. It confirms that the proposed building work has been assessed against the relevant requirements of the Building Act 1993, Building Regulations 2018, National Construction Code (NCC), and applicable Australian Standards.
A building permit allows construction to proceed lawfully and helps ensure that the proposed work meets the required standards for safety, structural adequacy, accessibility, amenity, and energy efficiency.
For further information about building permits, please contact our office.
Inspection of Buildings & Building Works
Under Part 12 of the Building Regulations 2018, certain mandatory inspections must be carried out during the construction process. The appointed building surveyor may also require additional inspections where necessary to confirm compliance.
At Victorian Building Surveyors (VBS), we arrange and carry out inspections of buildings and building work to assess whether the work complies with the approved building permit, the Building Act 1993, and the Building Regulations 2018.
Our inspection services include:
Mandatory stage inspections during construction
Assessment of building work against approved documentation
Identification of non-compliant building work
Preparation of written inspection records
Advice on required rectification works where necessary
Our aim is to help ensure building work is completed safely, correctly, and in accordance with the approved permit and relevant legislation.
For further information about building inspections, please contact our office.
Enforcement of Safety and Building Standards
Where building work does not comply with the approved building permit, the Building Act 1993, or the Building Regulations 2018, the appointed building surveyor has authority to take appropriate enforcement action.
At Victorian Building Surveyors (VBS), we assist with the assessment and enforcement of safety and building standards following inspections of building work.
Where non-compliant building work is identified, the appointed building surveyor may:
-
Issue and enforce Directions to Fix non-compliant building work
-
Cause a Building Notice to be served where required
-
Determine whether to cancel a Building Notice
-
Determine whether to issue a Building Order
-
Inspect building work required by a Building Order
-
Determine whether to amend or cancel a Building Order
Our role is to help ensure building work is completed safely, lawfully, and in accordance with the approved permit and relevant building standards.
For further information about safety and building standards enforcement, please contact our office.
Certificates of Final Inspection and Occupancy Permits
An Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Final Inspection is required upon completion of building work carried out under a building permit.
Before issuing an Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Final Inspection, our building surveyors ensure that all relevant compliance matters have been addressed and that the building is suitable for occupation or use.
At Victorian Building Surveyors (VBS), we assist owners, builders, and developers with final inspections and the certification process to help achieve safe, compliant, and properly completed building outcomes.
For further information about Certificates of Final Inspection or Occupancy Permits, please contact our office.
Determination on Protection Work
Protection work is carried out to safeguard adjoining properties that may be affected by proposed building work. This work may be required on the subject site, the adjoining property, or both, depending on the nature and extent of the building work.
As part of the building permit assessment or during construction, Victorian Building Surveyors (VBS) assesses whether protection work is required to protect neighbouring properties.
Where applicable, our building surveyor will:
Consider the relevant matters under Regulation 112 of the Building Regulations 2018
Determine whether protection work is required
Make a determination under Section 87 of the Building Act 1993
Notify the relevant parties as required under the protection work process
Our role is to ensure that adjoining properties are appropriately considered and protected during building work, because apparently buildings should not casually endanger the neighbour’s place. A wild concept.
For further information regarding the protection work process, please contact our office.
Exemption From, or Consent to Partial Compliance With, Building Regulation Requirements
In certain circumstances, the Building Regulations 2018 allow for an exemption from, or consent to partial compliance with, specific regulatory requirements.
At Victorian Building Surveyors (VBS), our building surveyors are authorised to consider and determine applications for exemptions or partial compliance relating to buildings, places of public entertainment, and certain building work, where permitted under the Regulations.
We assess each matter carefully, having regard to the relevant regulatory requirements, the nature of the building work, and the safety and amenity outcomes intended by the legislation. Because apparently even exemptions still need rules, otherwise civilisation starts leaning like a badly built retaining wall.
For further information regarding exemptions or consent to partial compliance, please contact our office.
Determination That Combined Allotments Are One Allotment
Under the Building Act 1993, a building surveyor may determine that two or more combined allotments are to be treated as a single allotment for the purposes of the building regulations.
In making this determination, the building surveyor must consider the relevant matters set out under Regulation 64(2) of the Building Regulations 2018 before issuing the determination.
At Victorian Building Surveyors (VBS), we can assess relevant applications and provide guidance regarding combined allotment determinations where required.
For further information regarding this process, please contact our office.