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  • This topic has 11 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 4 months ago by .
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  • #58053
    annoyed007
    Flatchatter

      Has anyone familiarised themselves with the new requirements to renovate a class 2 building (residential apartment). We have an unliveable apartment and paid a significant amount of money for plans, engineers drawing etc and for approval from our owners corporation to renovate.

      On 1 July when the new regulation kicked in, no certifier would agree to work on the job due to new requirements and the practitioners we used were not registered to work on class 2 building (a new requirement which no one mentioned). Not one person involved in this debacle (builder, architect and engineer) has any understanding of the new requirements.

      The planning portal doesn’t work half the time and we had to get special permission to be considered ‘developers’ just to lodge plans, a new requirement. We are stuck in temp accommodation and don’t seem to be able to progress this straightforward renovation , having already spent thousands on practitioners whose drawings we cannot use.

      The planning department staff have admitted this is almost impossible to navigate for the average owner just wanting to renovate internally under CDC.  We have an unliveable apartment sitting vacant and no one can help us navigate these new regulations.

      Absolutely in support of rigorous processes for renovations given the history of defects but surely your average renovator shouldn’t have to go through the same process as a developer building a new block of apartments? We are homeless and there’s no end in sight to this.

      • This topic was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by .
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    • #58054
      annoyed007
      Flatchatter
      Chat-starter

        Should read that we have owners corporation approval- we did not pay a significant amount for that!

        #58059
        Jimmy-T
        Keymaster

          Can you give us an idea of which local government or council area you are in?

          The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
          #58066
          annoyed007
          Flatchatter
          Chat-starter

            Lower North Shore area

            #58077
            Jimmy-T
            Keymaster

              You have my sympathy but someone knows how to do this – renovations are going on all over the place.  Maybe you need a project manager.

              The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
              #58118
              kaindub
              Flatchatter

                If you need to go to a DA, then it can’t be a simple renovation for a strata. And given the level of reports and plans you mention, it must be some renovation.

                Im sure your architect would be capable of project managing your renovation and getting you through the red tape.

                For people unfamiliar with the building process the whole exercise looks very disjointed.

                #58269
                annoyed007
                Flatchatter
                Chat-starter

                  This is brand new legislation- it has significantly changed the requirements for trades and owners working on class two buildings. it’s not a DA. In time the impact will be felt by people wishing to do minor renovations to apartments and I expect more people will post. For owners corporations, it might be useful for them to know that only tradesman, architects and engineers registered to work on class two buildings can be used.

                  #64273
                  Simonster
                  Flatchatter

                    The opening poster’s point is that thanks to the Class 2 Reforms, a simple apartment renovation can require a whole new level of documentation and expense, even if the renovation doesn’t require a DA.

                    For example, we only want to remove one short non-loadbearing wall in our apartment kitchen but to do that we need to complete a CDC application, which is a mine field. The CDC application requires an engineer’s report and plans drawn by an Architect certified for Class 2 – which we’ve done.  But now we’ve been told additional documentation is needed, but no one seems to know what exactly.

                    If you want to hire a certifier to help with the process, good luck, because we’ve found most Class 2 certifiers won’t touch CDC applications for apartments.   We did receive a quote for $8,000 from one certifier who clearly didn’t want the job.  Interestingly I’ve called the offices of a few certifiers and found each one gave me differing details on what documents are required.  I have left a message with a building certifier in my local council to see if they can tell me exactly what is needed.

                    Just wanted to clarify the original poster’s comment about tradesman being specially certified for Class 2 buildings – this is not a thing. The builder and head contractor must have a Class 2, however trades nly need to be certified within their respective disciplines.

                    The main problem for apartment owners, is that there is no central location that outlines exactly what documentation is needed for a CDC application. While trying to get to the bottom of all of this, I called the NSW Dept Planning and found the staff were vague on the details and when pressed for more information told me to go to the portal – which is also unclear as to what is needed.  I think the problem is they haven’t been properly trained on the new reforms.

                    • This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by .
                    #64360
                    Jimmy-T
                    Keymaster

                      Planning, Services, Fair Trading, NCAT (AG’s) and many other government departments are chasing their tails at the moment, under-staffed, underfunded and overworked.  This is the other side of the much-vaunted removal of red tape and “small government”.  Rules and systems evolve over generations.  Not all of them are obstructive and unhelpful.

                      The opinions offered in these Forum posts and replies are not intended to be taken as legal advice. Readers with serious issues should consult experienced strata lawyers.
                      • This reply was modified 1 year, 8 months ago by .
                      #64467
                      Stacky
                      Flatchatter

                        been through all this recently.  most strata managers weren’t up to speed on this 6 months after the legislation began.  i was led to understand that if a common property wall etc was involved any change had to be done under a class 2 license and I was also led to believe this included waterproofing  however our strata managers wrote and said that any waterproofing had to be done by a tradesperson who was a master builder and not all master builders hold the class 2 licence.  the general rule seemed to be that only if it was an internal reno say a new bathroom or kitchen a class 2 license wasn’t required but what if say a hole needs to be knocked into an outside kitchen wall for an exractor fan.  THE WHOLE THING IS A MINEFIELD AND NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED.  When I originally contacted FT in Jan this year they knew nothing about it.

                        #71565
                        TightKnit
                        Flatchatter

                          Wondering how this project ended up? I’m a building designer and have put three apartment renovation projects through CDC. It’s been a steep learning curve, even for a professional. There now seems to be more certifiers who are familiar with the D&BPA but fees across the board for Class 2 work are high. Of the three approved I would say consent costs have been between 15-20% of build cost which is a monster sum – on a recent $450,000 renovation, adding an attic dormer to a building in a conservation area we’ve spent circa $70k just to get to construction.

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