Informational Videos

Informational Videos

How To Videos

Obtaining a Quote

At PCG, we make Building Certification easy for you.
To get a quote from us, simply send us your working drawings (prepared by an Architect or licensed Draftsperson).

Receiving a Quote

Upon receiving your drawings, we aim to respond with a price and preliminary advice within two working days.

Our quote will be based on our best understanding of the information you have given us and extensive knowledge and experience.

Occasionally, issues may be discovered once a complete professional assessment is performed, including detailed property and town planning checks.

Usually, these issues would have already been picked up and addressed by your Architect or Draftspersons during the design process.

Accepting the Quote & Engaging PCG

Please take your time to review our quote and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our friendly team.

If you are happy with the quote, you will need to:

After PCG is engaged, we will commence detailed property and town planning searches to confirm there are no other approvals that are required from local councils or other bodies, and that all pre-conditions are met.

We will begin to assess your application to advise whether it complied with the NCC and other regulations.

We may ask you for more details at this stage.

Drawings & Building Plans

Throughout the approval process, it is important that all drawings and plans are completed to a satisfactory standard, and are prepared by an architect or licensed draftsperson.

Building plans should include:

Site plans, elevations and sections containing sufficient information for us to assess compliance of the building.
A frame plan showing all structural member sizes, tie downs and bracing and calculations.*
A soil report and a Structural Engineer's footing and slab design are required for substantial building works, including new dwellings and extensions.**

* If using engineered frames and trusses, you will need to provide us with the engineering details and design certificates.
** We must recognise your engineer as competent and/or they must be registered with the relevant State’s Board of Professional Engineers.

Paperwork

If you are undertaking work over $3,300, the builder must pay for insurance from the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). We will require a copy of the Confirmation of Insurance letter prior to approving the application.

If you are undertaking work yourself, and the value is over $11,000, you will need to apply to the QBCC for an Owner Builder permit. We will request a copy from you.

For works with a value of $150,000 or over, you will need to provide us a copy of the QLeave form or a copy of the QLeave exemption. This is organised and paid for by the licensed builder.

Other approvals

Each building project is unique, and will often require a specific set of approvals and processes that determine what can be built, its location and the relevant planning scheme, as well as the regulations and National Construction Code standards that apply to the project.

Some of these approvals can include Plumbing and/or Driveway applications.

We understand that some of these approvals may be unexpected. It is against the law for us to issue a building permit until some specific approvals, such as Town Planning approvals, have been issued.

Some common reasons a Town Planning approval may be needed include traditional building character areas, small lots, removal of bushland or building close to a waterway.

Information Request

While assessing your plans, we may request more information from you. To ensure compliance with the NCC and other regulations, we may ask for:

Design Certificates

Design certificates are required from a competent person, and gives design, specification or inspection help. It assures PCG that if the element is installed or carried out under the certificate, it will comply with the relevant building laws. We will advise you of the certificates that are needed.

Building permit & Decision Notices

Upon collating all required documents and having assessed the application as compliant, we can issue you a decision notice.

Carefully read the decision notice, as it specifies all the relevant certificates that need to be provided to us at the different stages of the build, conditions and the required inspections to be completed.

The Decision Notice will contain conditions you must comply with. Please read them carefully and ask us any questions before proceeding with works.

Commencing Works

When you commence your building works, your Building Permit will list all the relevant and required inspections.

These must be completed at each stage listed, and prior to works proceeding ahead.

The Building Permit will also list all the required certificates that must be provided to us. Without these, we cannot issue a final certificate of completion.