Getting advice from unqualified sources is one of the most common and costly mistakes Brisbane homeowners make. The tips below are designed to help you understand the process, ask the right questions, and avoid expensive mistakes before a single nail is hammered.
Where to Start
What You Need to Know Before You Renovate
Structural Work & Engineering
If your renovation involves any structural work, you'll generally need an engineer to design it and a certifier to sign off on it. This includes:
- Creating openings in walls and installing beams (load-bearing walls)
- Building a new deck or patio
- Extending your home
- Large retaining walls
- Raising your home and building underneath
What You Need Before Getting a Quote
Before a builder can accurately quote on your renovation, you'll need building design plans and engineering plans. Without them, we can offer an estimate — but not a fixed price.
To start your renovation you'll need: plans, engineering, and building certification.
Council Approvals & Certification
Once you have plans and engineering, a private certifier will submit them to council and obtain your Building Approval. If you're developing, you'll also need a Town Planner involved in the process.
Tip: If you already know what you want, you can save money by designing a rough plan yourself — room sizes, bathroom locations, door and window types, kitchen layout. A building designer or architect can work much faster when they have something to go from.
QBCC Licensing
If the work you're doing is valued over $3,300, the tradesperson carrying it out must hold the appropriate QBCC licence. Always ask for their licence number and check it at qbcc.qld.gov.au.
"The cheapest quote is definitely not always the best. Would you pay $90 for a cheap accountant to do your company tax? Same applies to building. Cheap builders cut corners, don't build to last, and are often unavailable when things need rectifying."
— Lyndon Conner, Director