Building certification involves engaging an accredited professional to independently review and approve construction projects, ensuring they meet relevant legislation and building codes.

Certifiers primarily handle applications for Construction Certificates and Complying Development Certificates. They can also be appointed as the Principal Certifier, who carry out Mandatory Critical Stage Inspections and issue the Occupation Certificate once the project is completed.

The Principal Certifier performs mandatory inspections during construction to ensure compliance with the approved plans and legal requirements.

After construction is finished, the property owner or applicant must request an Occupation Certificate from the Principal Certifier. The certifier will conduct a final inspection, request documentation and, if everything meets the necessary standards, a certificate is issued.

A Principal Certifier (PC) is a qualified and accredited persons who is able to issue Approvals, carry out Inspections and issue Occupation Certificate for various developments.

The main roles of the PC are to:

1. Ensure compliance with the development consent and the construction certificate or the complying development certificate;

2. Ensure compliance with all development conditions;

3. Ensure compliance with the National Construction Code;

4. Carry out all the required mandatory inspections associated with the building works;

5. Issue the occupation certificate when all works are completed.

You will be required to appoint a Principal Certifier (PC) prior to commencing any building work across NSW.

In NSW there is a mandatory Neighbour and Council Notification Period which can span for as long as 14 days, no approval is permitted to be granted within this Notification Period. Once all the documents are provided from the Checklist, an approval can be granted within 2 to 7 days. This is subject to all documents being checked and satisfactory.

Your Principal Certifier will be able to help you more by providing a personalized timeframe suitable to your proposed building works.

Long Service Levy is a NSW Government fee, payable for building and construction projects costing $250,000 and above (inclusive of GST) and is payable online at https://longservice.my.site.com/bci/s/login/?type=LevyPayer . The levy is paid into a fund administered by the Long Service Corporation, and from this fund, the Corporation makes long service payments to building and construction workers. For more information please go to https://www.longservice.nsw.gov.au/bci/levy.

A Development Application (DA) is a formal application for development that requires assessment and development consent under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. It is usually submitted to your local governing council and consists of standard application forms, supporting technical reports and plans.

Development Applications are assessed and granted by council. Prior to lodging a Development Application (DA) with Council, you need to review planning policies that apply to your land, in order to prepare your plans and supporting documentation. To see what local environmental planning constraints, applicable planning policies and permissible uses apply to your land or property, you can use the New South Wales Government Planning Portal or alternatively you can engage an independent Town Planner for advice.

If consent is granted for your development, a schedule of conditions will be issued with the notice of determination. The development consent is structured to assist in the project management of the development, these conditions are outlined at various stages of the development.

Note: The conditions should be read in conjunction with the stamped approved plans. The Development Consent forms the conditions to obtain a Construction Certificate, you are able to appoint a Private Certifier or council as Principal Certifier.

Construction of a Development Consent can not begin without a Construction Certificate being issued.

If you obtain a Construction Certificate or a Complying Development Certificate from OnBuild Certifiers then your appointed PC will notify council of the approval on your behalf. The client or owner of the property will need to ensure that all council fees, contributions, levy's and bonds have all been paid prior to commencing construction, remittance of payments must be provided to your appointed PC.

If you require further information, please contact us on (02) 8107 3853 or email us at info@onbuildcertifiers.com.au

Yes. The Environmental Panning & Assessment Regulation (EP&A Reg) sets out the number of mandatory inspections for all types of buildings.

Mandatory Inspection are noted in the approval issued by OnBuild Certifiers, if you can't find this section please endeavor to contact us so we can go through the approval with you and explain what the requirements are.

An application for an Owner Builder Permit may only be issued by NSW Fair Trading once the Complying Development Certificate has been issued. You are required to provide the Principal Certifier with a copy of the Permit at least 2 days prior to commencing works.

For further information relating to Owner Builder Permits, visit https://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/building-and-renovating