I made a big mistake regarding my DA/CC

hydrogen01 · Feb 12, 2024 10:23 am

Hi,

I'm owner building. With my home design, I wanted a very specific type of home and early in the design phase I was most focused on getting the house plans perfect for my needs.

I have 10 acres, with varying elevations.

Early into my design, I had my draftsman to simply pull elevation data from google maps.

We spent so much time working to get the house plans correct for my needs (6 months) that I just submitted the plans for DA and CC when they were completed. These plans are now all approved.

Not trying to justify my mistake, but the reason was that I knew I need much site cut due to the 10% slope, and the geotech report saying topsoil needed to be removed and excavation of around 1 meter in some places to create a level pad for home/yard etc. I guess one way to phrase it was that we were going to create a level pad based on ground conditions and so why have an arbitrary predetermined height.

Naturally, the house itself is well within the boundaries of my actual property and so at least I have that on my side. It's just the final AHL levels etc.

I plan to build the approved house according to plans, but the actual AHL heights are going to be different because they were really just plucked from google maps and not accurate.

I know what I've done is unsatisfactory but I'm not sure the process to rectify my gross error or what that would entail. Would I need to get a survey and then resubmit for DA/CC. Or is it a DA modification. I'm scared to ask council. Perhaps I can just build after the site cut and deal with any fallout of it not being exactly the same heights. I'm guessing that the dwelling will not technically be higher that the approved plans; probably lower.

It is my own house, and I plan to live in it forever. Not flip it or something.

Long story short, I know I stuffed up. Looking for solutions of how to remedy my mistake. Naturally, in hindsight, I would have had a surveyor determine my actual levels and work everything from this. I'm an idiot I know and have learnt a valuable lesson.

One thing that has me concerned is that the NSW guide to standards and tolerances says that a home built more than 40mm different to AHL is considered outside of standards.

Kind regards team.

building-expert · Feb 12, 2024 1:17 pm

hydrogen01

Hi,

I'm owner building. With my home design, I wanted a very specific type of home and early in the design phase I was most focused on getting the house plans perfect for my needs.

I have 10 acres, with varying elevations.

Early into my design, I had my draftsman to simply pull elevation data from google maps.

We spent so much time working to get the house plans correct for my needs (6 months) that I just submitted the plans for DA and CC when they were completed. These plans are now all approved.

Not trying to justify my mistake, but the reason was that I knew I need much site cut due to the 10% slope, and the geotech report saying topsoil needed to be removed and excavation of around 1 meter in some places to create a level pad for home/yard etc. I guess one way to phrase it was that we were going to create a level pad based on ground conditions and so why have an arbitrary predetermined height.

Naturally, the house itself is well within the boundaries of my actual property and so at least I have that on my side. It's just the final AHL levels etc.

I plan to build the approved house according to plans, but the actual AHL heights are going to be different because they were really just plucked from google maps and not accurate.

I know what I've done is unsatisfactory but I'm not sure the process to rectify my gross error or what that would entail. Would I need to get a survey and then resubmit for DA/CC. Or is it a DA modification. I'm scared to ask council. Perhaps I can just build after the site cut and deal with any fallout of it not being exactly the same heights. I'm guessing that the dwelling will not technically be higher that the approved plans; probably lower.

It is my own house, and I plan to live in it forever. Not flip it or something.

Long story short, I know I stuffed up. Looking for solutions of how to remedy my mistake. Naturally, in hindsight, I would have had a surveyor determine my actual levels and work everything from this. I'm an idiot I know and have learnt a valuable lesson.

One thing that has me concerned is that the NSW guide to standards and tolerances says that a home built more than 40mm different to AHL is considered outside of standards.

Kind regards team.

The standards and tolerances are applicable if you have a building contract and your builder gets it wrong
However here you only have yourself to blame, you can’t sue yourself, live with it.

gommeqld · Feb 12, 2024 8:32 pm

The only sensible thing to do is to meet with whoever gave your approvals and figure out how best to rectify the situation.
Do not wait. Face the problem and fix it.

Pulse · Feb 12, 2024 8:40 pm

AHD is not critical, just the relative levels, just assume the levels are relative, pick a sensible starting point that optimises cut and fill. It’s not like your 10 acres can go up and down at all.

Ashington Homes · Feb 13, 2024 2:25 am

hydrogen01

Hi,

I'm owner building. With my home design, I wanted a very specific type of home and early in the design phase I was most focused on getting the house plans perfect for my needs.

I have 10 acres, with varying elevations.

Early into my design, I had my draftsman to simply pull elevation data from google maps.

We spent so much time working to get the house plans correct for my needs (6 months) that I just submitted the plans for DA and CC when they were completed. These plans are now all approved.

Not trying to justify my mistake, but the reason was that I knew I need much site cut due to the 10% slope, and the geotech report saying topsoil needed to be removed and excavation of around 1 meter in some places to create a level pad for home/yard etc. I guess one way to phrase it was that we were going to create a level pad based on ground conditions and so why have an arbitrary predetermined height.

Naturally, the house itself is well within the boundaries of my actual property and so at least I have that on my side. It's just the final AHL levels etc.

I plan to build the approved house according to plans, but the actual AHL heights are going to be different because they were really just plucked from google maps and not accurate.

I know what I've done is unsatisfactory but I'm not sure the process to rectify my gross error or what that would entail. Would I need to get a survey and then resubmit for DA/CC. Or is it a DA modification. I'm scared to ask council. Perhaps I can just build after the site cut and deal with any fallout of it not being exactly the same heights. I'm guessing that the dwelling will not technically be higher that the approved plans; probably lower.

It is my own house, and I plan to live in it forever. Not flip it or something.

Long story short, I know I stuffed up. Looking for solutions of how to remedy my mistake. Naturally, in hindsight, I would have had a surveyor determine my actual levels and work everything from this. I'm an idiot I know and have learnt a valuable lesson.

One thing that has me concerned is that the NSW guide to standards and tolerances says that a home built more than 40mm different to AHL is considered outside of standards.

Kind regards team.

This post is 100% a troll!

In NSW it is completely impossible to get an approval for a new dwelling without a survey whether it is a CDC or council DA unless you were someplace like Nimbin and everyone at council was high.

It just didn't happen and couldn't happen.

hydrogen01 · Feb 13, 2024 7:49 am

Thanks for your reply. I'd agree with you in that some, probably most (nearly all), councils do require you to do a survey. Perhaps my council thought I had done a survey as I did provide full contouring on site plans etc (albeit from google maps data). With that said, would you just proceed to start site cut?

Ashington Homes · Feb 13, 2024 10:03 am

hydrogen01

Thanks for your reply. I'd agree with you in that some, probably most (nearly all), councils do require you to do a survey. Perhaps my council thought I had done a survey as I did provide full contouring on site plans etc (albeit from google maps data). With that said, would you just proceed to start site cut?

how did your certifier not pick up on it when he issued CC?

hydrogen01 · Feb 13, 2024 1:02 pm

Ashington Homes

hydrogen01

Thanks for your reply. I'd agree with you in that some, probably most (nearly all), councils do require you to do a survey. Perhaps my council thought I had done a survey as I did provide full contouring on site plans etc (albeit from google maps data). With that said, would you just proceed to start site cut?

how did your certifier not pick up on it when he issued CC?

So my DA is approved. Everything is with council now for CC (I went with council as PCA), and it sounds like (based on your comment) that they probably will pick it up during that process. I somehow thought the CC side of things was a low touch final approval process. I guess I'll get me answer soon and will most likely be that they require me to get a survey with it coming to light that I haven't had one done.

Ashington Homes · Feb 13, 2024 2:28 pm

hydrogen01

Ashington Homes

hydrogen01

Thanks for your reply. I'd agree with you in that some, probably most (nearly all), councils do require you to do a survey. Perhaps my council thought I had done a survey as I did provide full contouring on site plans etc (albeit from google maps data). With that said, would you just proceed to start site cut?

how did your certifier not pick up on it when he issued CC?

So my DA is approved. Everything is with council now for CC (I went with council as PCA), and it sounds like (based on your comment) that they probably will pick it up during that process. I somehow thought the CC side of things was a low touch final approval process. I guess I'll get me answer soon and will most likely be that they require me to get a survey with it coming to light that I haven't had one done.

Get your survey so you are ready and if needs be, adjust the levels during CC

hydrogen01 · Feb 13, 2024 2:35 pm

[quote defaultattr=""]
Get your survey so you are ready and if needs be, adjust the levels during CC[/quote]
Thank you - much appreciated.

Would you suggest a detail and contour survey. Or should I ask the surveyor to also do some kind of pegout survey as well. I'm not really sure when considerable site cut/fill is required.

Ashington Homes · Feb 13, 2024 4:34 pm

hydrogen01

Quote:

Get your survey so you are ready and if needs be, adjust the levels during CC

Thank you - much appreciated.

Would you suggest a detail and contour survey. Or should I ask the surveyor to also do some kind of pegout survey as well. I'm not really sure when considerable site cut/fill is required.

Just get a detail and contour survey. the builder will do their own peg out

hydrogen01 · Feb 19, 2024 12:25 pm

Ashington Homes

hydrogen01

Quote:

Get your survey so you are ready and if needs be, adjust the levels during CC

Thank you - much appreciated.

Would you suggest a detail and contour survey. Or should I ask the surveyor to also do some kind of pegout survey as well. I'm not really sure when considerable site cut/fill is required.

Just get a detail and contour survey. the builder will do their own peg out

Thank you