A private certifier is registered to assess and certify building work against the legislation and the Building Code of Australia. Depending on the project, that means issuing a Complying Development Certificate or a Construction Certificate, acting as Principal Certifier during construction, carrying out the critical stage inspections, and issuing the Occupation Certificate at the end.
A certifier is not the builder's representative and is not an advocate for the owner either. The role is to apply the standards. That independence is the point of it.
The owner. Not the builder, and not the designer, although either may recommend somebody.
The appointment of the Principal Certifier is also separate from who issued the approval. You are free to have one certifier issue the CDC or Construction Certificate and another act as Principal Certifier — and a certifier who did not issue your approval can still take on the project.
Will you look at the site and title before I commit to drawings, and what does that cost? The answer tells you whether you are dealing with somebody who wants to find problems early or invoice for them late.
What exactly is in the fee, and what is not? Inspections, re-inspections, the Occupation Certificate and Planning Portal fees should each have a clear answer.
How will I know what is outstanding? “We will email you” is a different answer from “it is a live list you can look at whenever you like”.
Who attends the inspections, and how quickly do reports come back? On a build, a report that arrives the same day is worth more than one that arrives accurately next week.
What happens if my project does not comply? You want to hear a straight answer about redesign and development applications, not reassurance.
That a particular assessment will succeed before it has been carried out. Anybody who guarantees an outcome in advance is telling you something about themselves rather than about your project.
What you can reasonably expect is an honest read of the pathway, a complete list of what is required, and a timeframe you can plan around.
Send us the property address and whatever plans exist and we will tell you where you stand — the pathway, what is still needed, and what it will cost. Or call (02) 8772 4022 and we will talk it through.
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