Retrospective Certification

Retrospective Certification: Navigating the Path to Compliance with KE Certifiers

At KE Certifiers, we understand the importance of ensuring that your property meets all necessary building regulations, even if construction has already been completed. Retrospective certification is a crucial step for homeowners who have undertaken alterations or renovations without obtaining the appropriate approvals. In this article, we outline the process for obtaining retrospective certification and the general requirements involved.

The Process Overview:

The process for obtaining retrospective certification follows a similar path to new construction, albeit with the construction already completed. The key stages include:

1. Construction: The alterations or renovations have already been completed.
2. Drafting: This stage typically involves a site visit to take measurements of the existing structure.This stage may take up to 2-4 weeks depending on the scope of the works.
3. Structural Assessment: As the structure is already existing, a structural assessment is required to certify compliance with Australian standards. Any necessary alterations or modifications are communicated to clients during the initial site visit.
4. Building Approvals: Once the structural assessment is complete, the approval process begins. From our experience, this process usually takes about 2-3 weeks. However, additional applications such as build-over-sewer referrals or relaxation applications may extend the timeline by an additional 3-4 weeks, depending on the local council.

General Requirements:

The general requirements for obtaining retrospective certification vary depending on the type of alterations or renovations undertaken:

For Existing Residential Alterations (including liveable spaces), the requirements typically include:

• Architectural Plans
• Engineering Plans and Form 15 Certificate
• Soil Testing Report
• Plumbing & Drainage Approvals
• Energy Efficiency Assessment Report
• Builder’s Details or Owner Builder Permit
• QBCC Home Warranty Insurance (except where work is done under Owner-Builder Permit)
• QLeave (for project costs more than $165,000.00)
• Build Over Sewer Approvals (where applicable)
• Amenity & Aesthetics Referral with Local Council (where applicable)

For Other Structures (Class 10) such as Decks, Sheds, Patios, etc., the requirements typically include:

• Architectural Plans
• Engineering Plans and Form 15 Certificate
• Soil Testing Report
• Builder’s Details or Owner Builder Permit
• QBCC Home Warranty Insurance (except where work is done under Owner-Builder Permit)
• QLeave (for project costs more than $165,000.00)
• Build Over Sewer Approvals (where applicable)
• Amenity & Aesthetics Referral with Local Council (where applicable)

Conclusion:

Retrospective certification is a crucial process for homeowners who have completed alterations or renovations without obtaining the necessary approvals. At KE Certifiers, we specialize in guiding homeowners through this process, ensuring compliance with building regulations and providing expert advice and support every step of the way. If you require further clarification or assistance with retrospective certification, please don’t hesitate to contact us.