Building permit for a verandah.
A verandah attached to a house needs a building permit in Victoria at any size. The Building Regulations 2018 have no exemption for one.
What the permit covers
A verandah is a roofed structure fixed to the house, so the permit covers the verandah and its effect on the house. We check:
- Posts, beams and footings, sized for the roof and the wind loads on your site.
- How the verandah connects to the house, and whether the existing wall or roof can carry it.
- Roof drainage, and where the stormwater goes.
- Siting, if the verandah is close to a boundary.
Near a boundary
Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2018 sets siting rules that apply to verandahs, such as how close they can be to side and rear boundaries. A design that does not meet them needs the council's report and consent before we can issue the permit.
Pergola or verandah?
The difference is the roof. A pergola is open, or covered only with shade cloth or a similar open weave, and a small one can be exempt. Once it has a solid roof it is a verandah. See building permits for pergolas.
Other approvals
- A planning permit may be needed even when a building permit is not, for example under a heritage overlay.
- Building over an easement may need the consent of the authority that owns it.
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 certificate of title and plan of subdivision, with any covenants or section 173 agreements
- Drawings issued for construction
- The engineer's drawings, computations and design certificate
- The planning permit and endorsed plans, if the project needs one
- If a builder is doing the work, the contract extract and, where it applies, the domestic building insurance certificate
- If you are an owner-builder, your certificate of consent from the BPC, where one is required
- A bushfire assessment, if the site is in a bushfire prone area
The full list is in our checklist for verandahs, carports, decks, sheds and garages.