If you have appointed Council as your Principal Certifying Authority (PCA) you will need to arrange for the relevant inspections to be carried out at the appropriate stages of construction. Council will have already notified you in writing of the mandatory critical stage inspections and any other inspections required for the development.
What is a PCA?
Who can be a PCA?
How to appoint a PCA?
How do I book an inspection?
What must be inspected?
How do I know the result of the inspection?
What is a PCA?
The person having the benefit of a development consent or complying development certificate must appoint a PCA if the development involves any building work.
It is the role of a PCA to:
- Administer the conditions of consent and progress of the development from commencement to completion and conducts a proper inspection of each required stage of construction.
- Advise the applicant, after any relevant inspection, of any outstanding work.
- Issue the applicant with an Occupation Certificate for any building or change of building use when the relevant application has been lodged.
- Receive and investigate any complaints from the public concerning the development.
Council or a private certifier can act as your PCA and issue the occupation certificate and/or subdivision certificate at the end of the work. In relation to building work, the PCA must assess whether the building complies with approval and is suitable for occupation or use in accordance with its classification under the Building Code of Australia before issuing an occupation certificate. In other words, the building generally complies with required building standards and is safe to occupy. The PCA can also issue subdivision certificate where Council’s Local Environmental Plan (LEP) allows. If you appoint a private certifier as your PCA you must notify the local Council of the appointment at least two days before building or subdivision work commences.
The specific roles and responsibilities of the PCA are set down in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and Regulation 2000.
Accredited private certifiers and Councils can undertake the functions of a PCA for a development.
The person having the benefit of the development consent or complying development certificate must appoint the PCA. This is usually the owner of the land or someone authorised to act on their behalf.
The builder cannot appoint the PCA unless they are the person with the benefit of the development consent – this is important because the PCA checks aspects of the builder’s work. If you are appointing an accredited private certifier as the PCA you must appoint an individual rather than any company for whom the individual works.
Remember that applying for a construction certificate is not the same as appointing a PCA. The certifying authority who issues the construction certificate does not have to be the PCA. The PCA must be specifically appointed in writng to undertake inspections and issue the occupation certificate.
When you have appointed a PCA, you must notify the Council of the appointment at least two days before building or subdivision work commences by submitting the Notice of Commencement of building or subdivision work and appointment of PCA form.
To book an inspection, please contact Council’s Development Services on (02) 4429 3211 with the following information:
- Development Application number
- Type of Inspection
- Date of inspection
- Name and contact phone number
- Address of property to be inspected
You are advised:
- The booking should be made at least 24 hours before the inspection is required
- Work must be ready at the time of the inspection, otherwise Council may charge a re-inspection fee
- Any dogs on the premises must be restrained
There are a number of mandatory critical stage inspections that must be carried out by your PCA. If these inspections are not carried out the PCA may not be able to issue an occupation certificate. It is a mandatory requirement of the legislation that an occupation certificate be obtained before a building is occupied.
The mandatory critical stage inspections required by the legislation are listed below and are dependent upon the type of building you are constructing.
It is the responsibility of your PCA to advise you of the inspections that are required for your development.
Residential work – Class 1 & 10 buildings
Examples include dwellings, alterations and additions, garages, carports, swimming pools, etc. The mandatory inspections are:
- footing
- slab and other steel reinforcement
- frame (including floor)
- wet area waterproofing
- stormwater
- final/completion
Multiply dwellings – Class 2, 3 & 4 buildings
Examples include multi unit developments, and residential components of commercial or industrial buildings. The mandatory inspections are:
- first footing inspection
- wet area waterproofing
- stormwater
- final/completion
Commercial and Industrial Buildings Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 buildings
Examples include offices, shops, factories and commercial buildings. The mandatory inspections are:
- first footing inspection
- stormwater
- final/completion
Other Inspections
Under the
plumbing and drainage approval issued by Council (if applicable) additional inspections such as internal and external drainage, sewer connection, stormwater and final inspection may also be required.
Additional inspections to those nominated above may be required by the PCA.
Final Inspection
When all building works have been completed you will need to book a final inspection. Once the final inspection has been completed and passed, an Occupation Certificate will be issued.
The Occupation Certificate authorises the occupation of the building.
A coloured sticker (Red – Do not proceed further, Orange – minor defects were found or Green – you may proceed with construction) will be left on site or you will be advised by telephone of the outcome of the inspection.