Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Jan 28, 2021 12:20 pm Hi all, I hope someone can help! We are in a bit of a battle with our builder over our driveway. We have a parking bay to the side of the home (council approved) that according to drawings has a drop edge beam as required. They have not had the driveway engineered. They are saying it's not necessary. Our argument is that it is necessary AS the land level has been raised to put it there and it's sitting on fill. Plus it runs to the boundary. They wanted us to install sleepers next to the fence so that would hold the fill. We are not satisfied with this. Neither is my neighbour cause he has a beautiful free rock sandstone retaining wall 600 from the boundary. The land raise is probably 400mm from the natural land level at the boundary. Water channels through that section too so without proper retaining/drop edge/ thickening beam It's going to wash out. nothing like a car sitting on a concrete slab that is washing out! I have tried finding building regulations and Gold coast city council regs to prove our point. Its not my fault they didn't cost for the drop edge beam that was in the plans.... Can anyone help point me to regs or engineering guidelines to back us up! Re: Driveway Engineering HELP 2Jan 29, 2021 1:23 pm Correct with regard to the builder advising that they don't need to engineer it. The AS allows for the drive to be based on engineering principals. The drive is not classed as a structural element and the loads are very different to that of a house, AS2870 allows for fill to be track rolled by an excavator subject to the soil type by the depth and it is deemed as compacted. For a house 300mm is allowed, 400mm for a drive would be fine. The drive being +600 from the boundary @ 400mm deep is outside the zone of influence and would not be impacting the existing wall. If you're really concerned why not pay for an engineer to visit the site and provide advise. This way you're sure and if it's required you can advise the builder thereby putting him on notice, if the driveway fails you can rely on the advise provide. We are Expert Consultant's, and we are here to help. Re: Driveway Engineering HELP 3Jan 31, 2021 6:26 pm BuildingandLegal The drive is not classed as a structural element From the GC Council section on retaining walls https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/earthworks-retaining-walls-3831.html, building approval will be required on retaining walls unless they can meet all (from a total of ten) of the following:
It looks like the City Plan will require that if retaining walls are constructed in lieu on edge beams they will need approval. According to this https://cityplan.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/eplan/#Rules/0/220/1/0/0 as they have raised site levels, either safe batters or retaining structures are needed and from the same page: 3.5.2 The preferred standards applicable to retaining structures are as follows: 3.5.2.1
[/ol] [ol] I've never looked at the GC City Plan but it seems very different (and confusing as) but I think the case may be that the edge beams are approved because they function in a different way to a traditional retaining wall as beams are integral to the slab. [/ol] Where a retaining wall is proposed, regardless of height, it will need to support the fill, slab and and any additional loads and I can't imagine a wooden wall will do the job. Besides wont the Certifier just roll up and ask why an approved reinforced concrete system has been replaced by a unapproved wooden one. ? The City Plan is odd-they have a lot of flexibility open to them it seems as well as not needing to follow strictly to state development codes. Is the below typical? Pretty sure I've never seen a control plan with these provisions: Building Work Regulated under the City Plan:
Editor’s note – The building assessment provisions are stated in section 30 of the Building Act 1975 and are assessment benchmarks for the carrying out of building assessment work or building work that is accepted development subject to any requirements (see also section 31 of the Building Act 1975).
Editor’s note – The Building Act 1975 permits City Plan to:
Refer to Schedule 9 of the Regulation to determine assessable development, the type of assessment and any referrals applying to the building work. sakgcaus, I'm really not sure if that helps but I would check if any other controls are relevant by going through this: https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-development-online-486.html if you don't already have it contained in the paperwork from Council. apologies for the odd symbols-seems some bb code or formatting I cant get rid off Assuming you've modelled the TB8, TB10, TB12, TB2 & J1 joists/LVLs there, it appears as per drawing to me. There maybe should be an additional J1 between TB10 and T12 if… 3 31816 Thanks for all replies. I just noticed now the pictures I added to post right on top of page were wrong. I attached pictures showing "current" and my "suggested" floor… 9 14635 To my understanding early saw cuts are to control shrinkage cracks, so doing them now would be pointless. Control joints may reduce ugly cracking during periods of soil… 3 9858 |