Pergola and carport - building permits required?

A Victorian IP has a pergola that is at the end of its life. The wood is too poor to use in a build. The proposal is to have a new pergola, with a roof, which the current one does not have. It is proposed to build a porch over the back door contiguous with the pergola. The builder advises that as this is a repair then a building permit is not required. My understanding is that as this is a new build, attached to the dwelling, with a roof, costing about $13,000, a permit is required. The builder has been trading for ages, licensed builder, VBA accredited, for whatever that is worth. I'm unconcerned about the workmanship, just the process. An improvement is good from a tax view as this adds to the base cost. It is expected that the building and other works will add more than the cost of the works.

Is a building permit required, and should there be a written contract? If a contract is necessary, can someone please advise which sort? There's rather a lot of them online.

There is also a plan to build a carport. A permit is required for this. If a permit is required for the pergola, would it be less expensive to have the pergola and carport done at the same time?

TIA.

 

1. Ask council If a like for like replacement of the pergola requires consent or it may come under exempt development.
2. All building work should be evidenced in writing. Fair trading/HIA/MBAV all produce a contract for Victoria. Fair Trading determines whether insurance is required.
3. See 1 - may be exempt. Only a quote will tell If it will be cheaper.

 

Scott, thanks. It's taken a few enquiries. A permit is required due to the cost, roof and new build. It costs less to have one pernit for the pergola and carport, and that's the direction I'm heading. I found a contract, 130 pages for a house, now much shorter for a pergola and carport. I found that the penalty for non-compliance is 500 penalty units, which is $79,000, plus demolition and rebuild. I'd rather pay $1000 or so for the plans and permit.

 

This is taking a lot longer than I would like.

I contacted seven drafting companies close to the job and received one reply. The quote is $6500 for the plans and permits, with more for a soil report, structural engineering planning and building permit fees. This seems a lot for a fairly simple job.

A few questions.
1 How much should it cost for plans?
2 Will the person preparing the plans visit the site, or will a reasonably accurate plan that I prepare suffice?
3 Will it just be a plan, or have elevations?
4 Is a soil report and structural engineering report necessary?
5 How much does a building surveyor cost?

TIA.

 

This is taking longer than I would like. I'm struggling to identify carport and pergola builders, and when I do, replies are not forthcoming. The trade websites are often not useful. A search by location and type of construction gets people that are distant and do different jobs.

Can anyone recommend a carport-pergola builder in the Frankston-Hastings region, Victoria?

 

Try the old fashioned way, look in the local paper, you may find a tradie looking for smaller jobs.

 

The local paper was a good idea, but alas, nothing was found. I'm investigating other ways of finding contractors.

 

Hi pages?

 

I've left information on a few websites such as Hi pages, no reply yet.

 

When did you put the hi pages request on?

 

I've never used Hi pages but assume it's similar to airtasker (??) I wouldn't bother for the job your after. The people on there are just ikea put togetherers and cash deals for labour from the shoulders down

Get the local paper and find awnings and carport guys. Call local stratco. They are a dime a dozen.don't bother with fancy online sites! These guys aren't all super tech savvy!

What m2 is the carport? It may be exempt. 20m2 in some areas - single car space. Council want the application so they get easy cash!

 

Bob, the OP has already been advised by Council regarding permits. Many qualified tradies use Hi Pages in Melbourne and it works very well from both sides to engage qualified tradies.

Hi Pages is a very efficient and simple way of making contact in a co-ordinated way, to get quotes. Air tasker is much less reliable in my opinion because of the bidding system used and does seem to be full of odd job people. I would never use Airtasker for a task that needs a qualified person.

I’m not saying that the local paper won’t work, but Hi Pages can really increase the response rate from qualified people. Agree Stratco will work - assuming you want a steel carport. The OP might want a wooden one.

 

The local paper has no listings of pergola or carport specialists. I posted on Hi pages yesterday, one reply sine my last post, and I said to keep looking. I'm after the lowest price that does the job. Steel was used for a pergola in another property nearby, but the tradie cannot be contacted. I never pay cash; I want a third party record of payment, typically a bank.

 

Any builder could organise this. Many carpenters too.

 

I’ve spoken to a local builder friend. He thinks this is a bit pricey if it doesn’t include engineering. You will possibly need a soil test too. Otherwise it’s in the ballpark. You don’t save as much as you think just because it’s a small reno.
2.The person doing the plans should visit the site.
3.They will need to prepare what Council requires. Usually plans and elevations. Probably a survey too - to determine setback etc.
4. Anything structural needs engineering - so yes.
5. Get quotes.

 

The area and specifics will determine if it's exempt. Council just takes the easy option to say It needs a permit to cover their ass plus get $. OP has not specified or liked into exemptions. But i guess they need to find good help

 

Pergola: Generally speaking, and please consult with your council for a definitive answer, any open pergola under 20 sq m in size and does not have a roof will not require a building permit. If it has a roof then yes it will need a permit.

Carport: Yes. I'm yet to see a carport that doesn't.

For your own protection, always use a registered builder. If the works are over $10,000 then you will need a contract and if works are over $16,000 then the builder needs to offer domestic building insurance. This is for your protection and if your builder suggest you don't need it or proposes a 'work around to save you some money' walk away and get another builder.

Generally speaking, unless the works are exceedingly minor, I recommend a minor works contract for works under $10,000 as well as it should spell out each parties obligations in black and white and save any argument down the track.

 

To answer your questions in order:

1. Sounds a exxy but depends exactly what is included in the fee proposal
2. I would be very wary of anybody who doesn't visit the site at least once
3. Usually plans & elevations
4. Yes & Yes
5. Depends on the value of the project although in the scheme of the project usually it's a very minor cost.

 

I may yet set a record for the longest planning of an IP reno. Too many delays. I've asked for quotations for a contiguous covered pergola and carport, and a separate front porch. One company has given me three quotations and says that they are separate, each with their own management fee, construction fee and rubbish removal. Permits and insurance are in the pergola quotation. The amounts are pergola $13,400, carport $5500 and porch $3000. The jobs will be done at the same time.

Might they be splitting the three parts to get under $16,000, when a major domestic building contract is needed?