No Plans now what??
You discover that there are no plans of the existing buildings, buildings in progress or alterations on a property you’ve just purchased…they’ve gone into the dreaded ‘file 13’, NOW WHAT?!
WE WANT TO BUY A PROPERTY BUT THEY DON’T HAVE APPROVED PLANS, WHAT NOW?
I deal with this question all the time from people who want to purchase a property and then find that there are no plans for additions or alterations.
By law the seller has to provide approved plans for what exists. It’s important to make sure that the plans have a council stamp on, similar to the image adjacent, and then to go through them on site to make sure that what is approved is what is built. Often plans are provided but they are either not approved or do not represent what exists.

WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL???


SO WHAT THEN?

ARE INTERNAL CHANGES EXEMPT FROM SUBMISSION?

a) The erection of any:
- Poultry house not exceeding 10m²
- Aviary not exceeding 20m²
- Solid fuel store not exceeding 10m² in area and 2m in height
- Tool shed not exceeding 10m² in area
- Childs play house not exceeding 5m² in area
- Greenhouse not exceeding 15m² in area
- Open sided carport where are dos not exceed 40m²
- Any free standing wall not exceeding 1.8m² in height that does not retain soil
- Any pergola
- Private swimming pool
- Changing rooms not exceeding 10m² in area at private swimming pool

c) Conversion of a door into a window or window into a door without increasing width of the opening
d) The making of an opening in a wall which does not affect the structural integrity of the building
e) The partitioning or enlarging of any room by the erection or demolition of an internal wall if it does not affect the structural integrity of the wall.
f) The erection of any solar water heater not exceeding 6m² on a roof or 12m when not erected on a roof
However, all of the above are at the discretion of the building control officer, who may require that plans be submitted.
SO WHAT IF I HAVE, OR AM BUSY WITH ‘ILLEGAL BUILDINGS’?
