Plan – Develop – Construct
The Design Process
Whilst all projects will differ in their requirements, the design process can be broken into three basic components.
Design Components
Sketch Plans
This is where all the information is collected: design brief, budget, site conditions, NCC requirements, Local Authorities requirements and what, if any, consultants will be required. All this information is taken into account to produce the preliminary drawings which generally tend to evolve through a number of phases.
Development Application
This phase is where all the planning information is included in the documentation which will assessed against the local authorities Development Control Plan, Local Environmental Plan and National Construction Code.
All applications for Development Approval are now required to be lodged through the NSW Planning Portal and the minimum requirement here is the Architectural Drawings, a Basix Certificate, a Statement of Environmental Effects and a Build Cost Summary.
Construction Certificate
This is where all the information required to construct the building is included in the documentation and it is assessed against the National Construction Code. At this stage you have the opportunity to use the Local Council or a private company to provide the Construction Certificate. Again, all applications for the Construction Certificate are required to be lodged through the NSW Planning Portal. The party assessing the Construction Certificate will also provide inspections and certifications of the build work.