The Oil Stone - Building Certification Queensland

Separating walls in adjoining Class 1 buildings

12 Nov 2014BUILDING CERTIFICATION0 comments

We need to talk about separating walls and what the building certifier means when they refer to separating walls. Separating walls are essential to protect against noise and fire, but choosing the right installation or modifying an older system, can seem quite a daunting task. Here is The Oil Stone’s quick discussion.

building boundary setback for residential development

Building boundary setbacks. Don’t cross the line.

06 Nov 2014BUILDING CERTIFICATION, TOWN PLANNING0 comments

Whether you are a building certifer or not, it is common knowledge that there are certain Boundary Setback Requirements which you must abide by when conducting any type of construction. However determining the exact requirements for your block of land can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Here is where to start.

Assessment under the previous planning scheme

Superseded Planning Scheme Assessment

03 Nov 2014TOWN PLANNING0 comments

A shiny new planning scheme has come into effect and everyone is excited about how the changes will improve the process for development within their council area. But wait, your development/construction project’s level of assessment has changed, which could ultimately affect the approval requirements. So, what does this mean for your project and how can the superseeded planning scheme help?

New Townsville City Plan 2014 – Residential Development

30 Oct 2014TOWN PLANNING0 comments

The wait is over – it is finally here! The new Townsville City Plan 2014 which promises less red tape for dwelling houses and dual occupancy/duplex developments! But, what does the scheme really mean for residential development? And are things actually easier with less Council involvement?

Covenant Types and Impact

27 Oct 2014BUILDING CERTIFICATION, TOWN PLANNING0 comments

Are you dreaming of building your own home? Well let’s imagine for a minute that you have just signed a contract to buy a block of land and about to set that dream in motion. However, amongst all the paperwork you notice that the property has a covenant over the land. So, what does this mean for the design and construction of your new home?

The ABC of the BCA

21 Oct 2014BUILDING CERTIFICATION0 comments

This phrase “ABC of the BCA” is a simple but memorable one that I made up years ago. As a building certifier it has become an incredibly useful tool and has helped me to do my job well, every day. It does not matter if you are just starting a design, if you are halfway through a design, if you are looking at a building under construction, or if you are inspecting a fully completed building. If you apply this simple “ABC of the BCA” rule, you will begin to easily establish what you need to know and where to find it.