Home buyer / owner

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Owner-builders' responsibilities

Responsibilities Before taking on a building project as an owner-builder you should be aware that owner-builders take on many of the responsibilities of a registered builder. These responsibilities include: complying with all building standards including the Building Code of Australia and safety...
Responsibilities
19 Feb 2014

What is an owner-builder?

If you are thinking about owner-building your own home or small commercial building, you will need to have been granted owner-builder approval from the Building Services Board before you can be granted a building permit from your local government authority. Owner-builder approvals can only be...
Responsibilities
19 Feb 2014

Land valuers

What is land valuation? The land valuation process involves inspecting the property, ascertaining legal ownership and the interest held and gathering relevant information such as the prices that similar properties sell for. Other factors come into the valuation, such as the saleability of the...
Land valuers, real estate and settlement agents
17 Feb 2014

Treatment

If planning to build in an area affected by the European House Borer (EHB), it is recommended that treated pine is used for structural purposes. A number of pine treatment options are available. For pine in service, in-situ treatment can be undertaken. For other affected pine products such as...
European house borer
13 Feb 2014

European house borer

European House Borer (EHB) Hylotrupes bajulus (Linnaeus) , is a destructive pest of seasoned coniferous timber including pine, fir and spruce. If allowed to become established it could cause major structural damage to buildings. Timbers commonly used for structural purposes in Australia, including...
European house borer
13 Feb 2014

Further advice

For specific advice about termite protection for a proposed new home you may contact the building surveyor at your local council, your builder or architect, or a licensed pest control professional. Advice about all types of pesticide treatments can be obtained from the Pesticide Safety Section of...
Termites and pests
13 Feb 2014

Detection and prevention

Whichever system is selected for the prevention or early detection of termites, it is important that inspections are carried out regularly. You should inspect your property every six months for any obvious signs of infestation. Consumer Protection also recommends that you arrange for an inspection...
Termites and pests
13 Feb 2014

Control options

Alternative termite control methods now fall into four broad categories - physical barriers, chemical barriers, resistant materials and design for early detection. Physical barriers Various forms of metal mesh barriers. Specially graded granite chips. Exposed concrete floor slab constructed as a...
Termites and pests
13 Feb 2014

Termites and pest control

When you get a builder to construct your new home, you will be presented with a range of measures that can be taken against possible damage by termites (white ants). Modified standards In the past, most new homes were protected by spraying the sand pad with organochlorine chemicals. However,...
Termites and pests
13 Feb 2014

Choosing a property manager

Remember, you don’t have to use an agent for everything. Some decide to pay a ‘letting fee’ and only use their agent to find a tenant and deal with the bond, while others use their agent to manage their property and/or collect the rent. No matter what you decide, ensure their experience matches...
Property management
13 Feb 2014

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Announcements

Insurance oversight costs owner-builder – Jonathon Robert Reardon

WA’s building regulator is urging owner-builders to ensure they fully understand their obligations after a Perth man was fined $2,400 for selling his house without the necessary home indemnity insurance. At Joondalup Magistrates Court on 1 November 2019, Jonathon Robert Reardon pleaded guilty to an offence under WA’s home building contract laws following a prosecution by Building and Energy. The...
Building and Energy
Media release
13 Nov 2019

Dangerous gas connection ‘fortunate’ to not cause serious injury

A registered gas fitter has been ordered to pay more than $10,000 for his potentially deadly connection of a natural gas cooker to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supply, which caused a fireball to erupt when the appliance was used. Following a prosecution by Building and Energy (formerly Energy Safety ), the gas fitter pleaded guilty at Perth Magistrates Court to two breaches of WA’s gas...
Building and Energy
Media release
11 Nov 2019

Building surveyors fined $35,000 over unsafe fire approvals – Resolve Group Pty Ltd; Scott Michael Roberts; Kieran James Hunt

A Perth building surveying company and its two directors have been fined a total of $35,000 for negligence after signing off on three buildings that failed to meet fire safety requirements. Applecross-based registered building surveying contractor Resolve Group Pty Ltd (BSC31) and registered building surveying practitioners Scott Michael Roberts (BSP244) and Kieran James Hunt (BSP2224) were the...
Building and Energy
Media release
05 Nov 2019

Councils improve pool inspection progress

Local governments are continuing to take action to address the number of overdue inspections of private pool safety barriers but there is still room for improvement, the Building Commissioner has reported. WA local governments are required to inspect the safety barriers of private pools in their districts at least every four years to ensure they are compliant and continue to be effective in...
Building and Energy
Media release
21 Oct 2019

Release of Beldon electrical accident report

Western Australia’s electrical safety regulator has concluded its investigation into the electrical accident that seriously injured a 12-year-old girl at a property in Beldon in March 2018. In a report released today, Building and Energy (formerly Energy Safety ) outlined the findings of its investigation into the cause of the accident. The investigation included on-site inspections and testing...
Building and Energy
Media release
27 Sep 2019

Have your say on home building approvals

Building and Energy is inviting Western Australians to share their views on ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of home building approval processes. A public consultation launched today is seeking input from property owners, the building industry, local government and other stakeholders with an interest in home construction. Under WA’s current home building approval processes, a...
Building and Energy
Media release
12 Sep 2019

Builder fined for misleading project value – Matteo Daqui

A Rivervale builder has been fined $1,000 for misleading conduct after understating a project’s value by two-thirds on insurance documents and a building permit application. Matteo Daqui (BC/BP 9459) was contracted to provide roofing, renovation and painting services at a Leeming home in June 2018. The final account for all the work was $106,718. However, an investigation by Building and Energy...
Building and Energy
Media release
11 Sep 2019

Negligence finding for coastal builder – Theodoros Sartzidis

A Perth registered builder has had to pay almost $83,000 in penalties and has also received a caution for unauthorised work and building defects at a Swanbourne property. At its August 2019 meeting, the Building Services Board found that Theodoros Sartzidis (BP/BC12815) had been negligent under WA’s building registration laws after he carried out work that differed from approved plans and without...
Building and Energy
Media release
11 Sep 2019

Building surveyor certifies non-complying construction – Constructive Building Consultants Pty Ltd and Caillam Walter Bruyn

The Building Services Board has fined Wangara building surveying contractor Constructive Building Consultants Pty Ltd (BSC2033) $2,500 and building surveyor Caillam Walter Bruyn (BSP2164) $1,000 after they signed off on a Toodyay community facility that did not meet construction requirements. In 2016, the Shire of Toodyay received a certificate of construction compliance for the newly built...
Building and Energy
Media release
29 Aug 2019

High-profile builder fined over faulty slab – Dale Alcock Homes Pty Ltd and Dale Andrew Alcock

Major WA builder Dale Alcock Homes Pty Ltd (BC7309) and its nominated supervisor Dale Andrew Alcock (BP7184) have been fined a total of $10,000 in relation to a defective concrete slab that ultimately led to a decision to demolish and reconstruct a Woodvale house. The Building Services Board fined the company and Mr Alcock $5,000 each under WA’s building registration laws for failing to properly...
Building and Energy
Media release
28 Aug 2019

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