Building permits for insurance jobs.
After fire, storm, flood or impact damage, insurance builders often need a building permit before repairs start. Like-for-like repairs that leave the structure alone can be exempt. Structural repairs and rebuilds need a permit.
Repairs that are exempt
Repairing or renewing part of a building is exempt from a building permit when all of these apply.
- It does not adversely affect the structural soundness of the building: no change to floor area or height, no underpinning or replacement of footings, and nothing removed or altered that supports another part of the building.
- It uses materials commonly used for the same purpose as the ones being replaced.
- It does not adversely affect the safety of the public or the occupiers.
- It does not adversely affect an essential safety measure.
Replacing damaged plasterboard, weatherboards or sections of roof sheeting like for like usually fits. Replacing a whole building element does not count as a repair, and is assessed as an alteration.
Work that needs a permit
- Replacing or rebuilding roof framing, wall framing or floors.
- Restumping, underpinning or new footings.
- Rebuilding a fire-damaged section, or the whole house.
- Demolishing damaged parts of the building. See demolition permits.
Today's standards apply
New work has to meet the regulations in force when the permit is issued, which can be stricter than when the building was built. On a site in a bushfire prone area, that includes bushfire construction.
If the work, together with any other alterations completed or permitted in the previous 3 years, relates to more than half the original volume of the building, regulation 233 requires the whole building to be brought into line with the current Regulations, unless the building surveyor consents to partial compliance.
Working with the insurer
Send the scope of works or the assessor's report with the application. We can deal directly with the insurance builder and the loss assessor.
Request a quote
Request a quote online, or email what you have to info@cortekgroup.com.au, and we will quote a fixed fee for your building permit. For the permit itself we will need:
- The scope of works or the assessor's report
- Photos of the damage
- An engineer's report on any structural damage
- Drawings for any part being rebuilt or altered
- The certificate of title and plan of subdivision, with any covenants or section 173 agreements