Knowing Your Rights...

Unlike a lot of people.. I like to be as well informed about issues as I can.
So in relation to building and more importantly (to me), issues related to covenants, I have created a list of useful links.
You can view this list (mostly based on QLD builds) on my blog here:
https://retreatinstyle.wordpress.com/know-your-rights/

Hope this list of resources helps others to at least gain the correct information.

Roomeat... thank you for this list of documents. It will be very useful for those wanting to buy land BUT very unhelpful for people wanting to improve their knowledge about the rules, regulations and standards for building a house. You have already mentioned the Building Act and Building Regulations however if consumers were to only go by these documents then they would know about less than 1% of the knowledge that the could have.

A most basic place that people should start is with the Guide to Standards and Tolerances. This document, which is state dependent, is a summary of the things that any consumer should be able to pick up for themselves.

QLD: http://www.csq.org.au/csq/media/Common/ ... eguide.pdf
VIC: http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... s-2015.pdf

After these documents comes the "juicy" stuff (i.e. the real regulations). These are where the real rules are documented but involved reading many thousands of pages...

1. National Construction Code - https://services.abcb.gov.au/NCCOnline/ ... tions/2015
2. Australian Standards - http://www.standards.org.au/Pages/default.aspx\
3. Manufacturer guidelines - specific to each product in your house
4. State specific requirements - refer to your state's building commission (or similar body)

Hi tlblhaward,
Thanks for your addition of more useful links.
I don't recall ever mentioning that my list was a exhaustive list or that it was the only material worth reading. It is merely a start and as I DID mention, is more aimed at specifics that I am interested in (covenants).
My condolences for the loss of your house. I guess with or without my list of documents your house was demolished so in the end your were still a sitting duck.

Some alternative food for thought..
The building code and Australian Standards are awesome reading. I have complete collections of both. (Ex draftsman). They will help immensely with construction methods. They won't however, do jack 5hit for you on the side of law. Legislation will.

Roomeat... I did not intend any offence to you but I see that some was caused. Sincerest apologies!

Between the two of us we can provide people with enough reading for years

My house was demolished by our builder, which thankfully means that apart of the hassle of seeing everything go pear-shaped I don't have to incur anything other than waiting for an additional 12 months.