WHO ASSESSES BUILDING APPROVAL DOCS?

Building Rules Approval Assessment for Domestic Residential Development or for Commercial development is carried out by a Certifier. The Certifier will Assess the Architects Working drawings and the Engineers and any other consultants documents.   Certifiers may work in-house for the Council or they may be what is called a “Private Certifier” and contract their services out.  Certification of your building proposal means that it is checked to ensure it complies to relevant rules. The Council needs to know that the building satisfies minimum Structural, Safety, Health, Access and Energy criteria. This certification process results in the issuing of Building Rules Approval. Council must view this approval before they can issue a Development Approval. Below is a typical set of drawings I prepared for Building rules Approval for a Simple Commercial Project

Click here for a typical Drawing set in DWF format

This is a new fitout for a Restaurant complete with new Shopfront and Access Ramp and Stairs.  The Disability Discrimination act means that Access is an important issue for Commercial Developments. Access and Car-parking play a big part in initial planning stages of a project and its viability.  Note that a separate set of drawings was produced for Planning Approval (which is the first step in the Development Approval process) and the set of drawings below is purely for Certification and Construction. The Architectural Drawings submitted as part of Building Rules Approval are called “Working Drawings”.