Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The council
The council determines who can build what on what land. If you need a town-planning
permit prior to constructing a house on your property you will have to do this through
the local city council. I might mention at this point that if you have not yet purchased
land, before you sign anything, check with the local authority first to ensure that you will
be permitted to build on the land. You can often gain other details from the council as
well. For instance, was there a dam on the property that has been filled, are you likely to
strike rock, or is the area prone to flooding? All of these scenarios would cause an increase
in foundation costs - sometimes dramatic increases. This type of information is often
only available to people with the right approach, as it will take some effort on the part of
the official to get this for you.
Private building surveyors
In Victoria, it is possible to employ the services of a private building surveyor to issue your
building permit. The private surveyor will issue the permit to construct the dwelling and do
all necessary on site inspections rather than the local authority. On behalf of my owner-
builders, I employ the services of a building surveyor who is able to issue permits for
anywhere in Victoria or NSW. I have been associated with this particularly surveyor for four
or five years so he is up to date with the new technology in straw bale construction. If you
are able to employ the services of a surveyor such as this, it will certainly reduce the anxiety
in gaining a building permit. With all the new developments in straw bale construction it
would be difficult for local councils to stay abreast of every change. Their inability to keep
up is often reflected in their insistence on the inclusion of time consuming and costly
practices that are, in my opinion, often detrimental to the longevity of the building -
practices such as stitching wire netting to the straw bales, or insisting on cement render.
It should be remembered that while the private inspector is working for you, just like
a city official, he is legally obliged to ensure that the house is built in accordance with the
building code. You may think that this is unreasonable as you may not be concerned that
the house does not comply - but what about the future owner? One thing you can be sure
of; if you are born, you are going to die. Not only do private inspectors have legal and
moral obligations, but significant financial liability if his inspection fails to detect a
problem that has legal ramifications later on. Imagine if your house collapsed and people
were maimed or killed. Who takes the rap? Who pays the compensation? Anyone in the
chain of events with the financial capacity to cough up. That's what the escalating public
liability insurance costs are all about.
The basic criteria for authorities
Construction details and material specifications
You need to provide the building surveyor unquestionable proof that the house you want
to build can and will be built in compliance with the law. Primarily, this is proof that it
will not fall down, a requirement that I believe all owner-builders would seek to fulfil.
Most owner-builders will need the services of a building consultant, and more often than
not, an engineer. A good consultant will be able to ascertain the appropriate construction
