Browse Forums General Discussion Re: Contact with private Certifier 21Nov 03, 2020 4:25 pm Hi Simeon, Thanks for your responses. Your links are what I have been researching too. I don't recall being offered to appoint anyone other than the PCA. The form was sent from the builder, prefilled, for us to sign. I have printed all the paperwork for the build and have been adding it to my files as we go along. I cant find any correspondence saying that they have accepted the appointed or what the process will be during the build. The PCA issue has only arisen, as we have found a number of things missed on our 2 story build. This are building issues. The builder is award of them and has said they will fix them all. I would like to see the PCA reports to see if they have picked up on the issues and have instructed the builders or not. I have emailed the certifiers a number of times over the last couple of days. They keep telling me to contact the builder. This is the last response I’ve confirmed with XXXXXXXX Builders and as they are the builders and we always deal with them direct, everything is sent to XXXXXXXX builders. Any questions in relation to this. please contact XXXXXXXX builders. It's very disappointing responses and not inline with what is available on government sites. Here's another link that I thought was good. All builders should have to give to owners to read it! https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Assess-and-Regulate/Development-Assessment/Your-guide-to-the-DA-process/Development-assessment-and-construction-approval-processes/Stage-5-Get-your-Construction-Certificate-and-organise-construction Thanks again! Re: Contact with private Certifier 22Nov 03, 2020 4:30 pm done Hi Simeon, Thanks for your responses. Your links are what I have been researching too. I don't recall being offered to appoint anyone other than the PCA. The form was sent from the builder, prefilled, for us to sign. I have printed all the paperwork for the build and have been adding it to my files as we go along. I cant find any correspondence saying that they have accepted the appointed or what the process will be during the build. The PCA issue has only arisen, as we have found a number of things missed on our 2 story build. This are building issues. The builder is award of them and has said they will fix them all. I would like to see the PCA reports to see if they have picked up on the issues and have instructed the builders or not. I have emailed the certifiers a number of times over the last couple of days. They keep telling me to contact the builder. This is the last response I’ve confirmed with XXXXXXXX Builders and as they are the builders and we always deal with them direct, everything is sent to XXXXXXXX builders. Any questions in relation to this. please contact XXXXXXXX builders. It's very disappointing responses and not inline with what is available on government sites. Here's another link that I thought was good. All builders should have to give to owners to read it! https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Assess-and-Regulate/Development-Assessment/Your-guide-to-the-DA-process/Development-assessment-and-construction-approval-processes/Stage-5-Get-your-Construction-Certificate-and-organise-construction Thanks again! Sorry to hear the issues you are having in my opinion what they are telling you is illegal I would be calling them and telling them that your next call will be to fair trading if they dont respond. fair trading has a complaints process and they are taking the certification issue very seriously at the moment The problem with this industry is that there are too many people who shouldnt be in it. This is why i started my building company. Anyway that is my rant Simeon McGovern Affordable Custom Homes, We design and build to your budget Ashington Homes www.ashingtonhomes.com.au Re: Contact with private Certifier 23Nov 03, 2020 4:35 pm Thanks Simeon. I knew there were changes in the wind but didn't know they had been passed into law. "The problem with this industry is that there are too many people who shouldnt be in it. This is why i started my building company." I couldn't agree more. Over the years I have heard of and seen too many cowboys in the building game. Stewie Re: Contact with private Certifier 24Nov 04, 2020 10:56 pm I contacted the builders and this was part of the response to request to be included in futrue correspondence with PCA and requesting any reports received: In response to the attached email we advise that we do not understand your enquiry as you are not building this home as an owner builder or applicant but rather under a Building contract with xxxxxxx builders whom will be responsible in regard to the applications made for certifications on the various progress on certain stages of the building. Is this right that if you build with a project builder or have a building contract? Is the PCA only for owner builders? Re: Contact with private Certifier 25Nov 05, 2020 12:58 am BTW, PCA generally wouldn't pick up any serious issues other than some very obvious ones. Unfortunately, some PCAs do not always even make an effort to get out of the car. They are not building or quality inspectors, they mainly checking for general compliance with council requirements, e.g. that your building is within the envelope, do not exceed height, perform waterproofing etc. Re: Contact with private Certifier 26Nov 07, 2020 12:50 pm Just for clarification In Victoria Building surveyor is responsible for building control under Building Act and Building Regulations. Building surveyor will receive applications for building permits from owners or builders acting as owner's agents. Building permit is not issued to the builder, it is issued to the owner. It belongs to the owner. Builder cannot get building permit without owner consenting to the builder to act as their agent. This means that the builder is merely agent for the owner and should give to the owner a full set of building permit documentation including any subsequent amendments, if any. In regards to building permit, builder is subservient to the owner. Regardless of the above, building control under building permit (mandatory inspections) is only for the safety ,health and amenity of the occupants and is not any form of building quality control, contract control or conformance control. This is why you need your own independent building consultant to look after your own interest. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Contact with private Certifier 27Nov 08, 2020 12:41 pm building-expert Just for clarification In Victoria Building surveyor is responsible for building control under Building Act and Building Regulations. Building surveyor will receive applications for building permits from owners or builders acting as owner's agents. Building permit is not issued to the builder, it is issued to the owner. It belongs to the owner. Builder cannot get building permit without owner consenting to the builder to act as their agent. This means that the builder is merely agent for the owner and should give to the owner a full set of building permit documentation including any subsequent amendments, if any. In regards to building permit, builder is subservient to the owner. Regardless of the above, building control under building permit (mandatory inspections) is only for the safety ,health and amenity of the occupants and is not any form of building quality control, contract control or conformance control. This is why you need your own independent building consultant to look after your own interest. Thanks for this great post clarifying the Victorian system. Its fantastic that we have some really awesome experts on here to help teach us all. have a great weekend Simeon McGovern Affordable Custom Homes, We design and build to your budget Ashington Homes www.ashingtonhomes.com.au Re: Contact with private Certifier 28Dec 22, 2020 9:41 pm Finally have all the reports done to date by the certifier. Although I do find them confusing.... the certifier can tick satisfactory satisfactory subject to completion of the following items unsatisfactory requires re inspection all have been ticked satisfactory subject to completion of the following items. my question is, who ensures that the builder completes the items listed? Re: Contact with private Certifier 29Dec 23, 2020 7:39 am I have done many building stage inspections for people building with builders. I recommend pre contract review then four inspections during construction, pre slab, frame , pre plaster and pre final. It's not a perfect system and issues can occur between inspections but it is a sweet spot between price and value and it should pick up issues for resolution before they become major problems. I will look at slab preparations at pre pour along with many other things like site drainage and levels. Then I will look at the slab at frame inspection. Any defects found at frame inspection can be checked at pre plaster if they have been rectified. Pre plaster inspection is not mandatory inspection and if you don't have your private inspector many things can be missed so if you get crooked walls and plaster over them , too bad, or you may get apartment with incomplete fire separation walls. People need to know that consumer protection is a scam and if you are waiting for the government to protect you you will die waiting Instead pay the money and get your own building consultant to look after you during construction. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Contact with private Certifier 30Jan 16, 2021 8:07 pm building-expert I have done many building stage inspections for people building with builders. I recommend pre contract review then four inspections during construction, pre slab, frame , pre plaster and pre final. It's not a perfect system and issues can occur between inspections but it is a sweet spot between price and value and it should pick up issues for resolution before they become major problems. I will look at slab preparations at pre pour along with many other things like site drainage and levels. Then I will look at the slab at frame inspection. Any defects found at frame inspection can be checked at pre plaster if they have been rectified. Pre plaster inspection is not mandatory inspection and if you don't have your private inspector many things can be missed so if you get crooked walls and plaster over them , too bad, or you may get apartment with incomplete fire separation walls. People need to know that consumer protection is a scam and if you are waiting for the government to protect you you will die waiting Instead pay the money and get your own building consultant to look after you during construction. Yeah, we need to get a building consultant. Have been trying to find one by word of mouth, but no one seems to have anyone they would recommend. We are at the stage on our build in Kilcoy, Queensland where we need to get our fencing installed but we cant get any contact details for our neighbours to give them… 0 6226 Hi, does anyone have a clue how the Brisbane Development website work in terms of how uptodate the dates on it are (developmenti.brisbane.qld.gov.au). 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