Consultants questions

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you make informed, confident choices:

Check registration and qualifications

Make sure each consultant is licensed or accredited in their field (e.g. architects, surveyors, engineers, certifiers).

Confirm they carry professional indemnity insurance and use official registers like:

• NSW Fair Trading for building professionals
• Engineers Australia, AIBS, or ARB for national accreditation

Look for relevant local experience

• Ask if they’ve worked on similar projects in your area, especially with your council or under similar zoning and overlays.
• Local experience means they’ll understand approval pathways, site constraints, and council expectations.

Ask for references and reviews

• Request recent client references and follow up with a quick call or email.
• Look for feedback on:
  • Responsiveness
  • Accuracy
  • Problem-solving
  • Budget and timeline management
• Check online reviews or platforms like My Build Hub, which offer verified ratings and consultant directories.

Compare fees and scope

Ask for detailed proposals from at least 2 to 3 consultants.

• Compare:
• Fee structure (fixed, hourly, percentage)
• What’s included (site visits, reports, revisions)
• Payment terms and milestones
• Don’t just choose the cheapest, look for value and clarity.
• Assess communication and fit
• Good consultants are clear, proactive, and collaborative.
• Do they explain things in plain language?
• Are they responsive to questions and open to your ideas?

You’ll be working with them for months, so trust and rapport matter.

Bottom line: Choosing consultants is about more than credentials, it’s about finding professionals who understand your goals, communicate well, and deliver value. Take the time to compare options and build a team that sets your project up for success.

Consultant fees vary with the size and complexity of the home, the site, your location and the scope of service you engage, so MyBuildHub does not publish typical fee figures, which would quickly go out of date. Ask each consultant for a written fee proposal that states exactly what is and is not included, how extra work and revisions are charged, how many site visits or inspections are included, and when payment is due. Get at least two or three proposals for the main consultants and compare scope as well as price.

In MyBuildHub: record each fee proposal as a consultant cost line in your budget, and keep the signed agreement in your project documents. Use the Consultant Scopes FAQs to write each scope.

Check yourself: the consultants you are considering, and your certifier for which consultants your project needs.

General information only. It is not financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm fees and requirements with the consultant and your certifier.

What these guides are for: They give you a starting checklist of what to ask each consultant to include in their fee proposal when building or renovating a house, duplex or similar dwelling. A clear scope helps you compare quotes like-for-like and avoid surprise variations later.

How they are set out: Each consultant guide covers a short summary, why it matters, the minimum scope by stage (design through to completion and as-built), options, meetings and site visits, and watch-outs.

Important disclaimer: These guides are general information only and show typical minimum items. Every project is different. Your site, design, council, state or territory, approval pathway and lender may require more, less or different services. They are not legal, engineering, planning or financial advice and are not a complete list. Always confirm requirements with your council, building certifier/surveyor and the consultants themselves before you engage anyone. MyBuildHub accepts no liability for omissions or for decisions made using this information.

Depending on your site and design, you may also need: a traffic or driveway engineer (steep or busy roads), a contamination consultant (former industrial or farm land), an access consultant (accessible design), a pool engineer, a waterproofing or façade specialist, or a mechanical/electrical designer (complex homes). Ask your designer and certifier early.

Yes. The consultant scope guides apply Australia-wide, but these items vary by state or territory. Rules change often. Always check the official source before you engage anyone.

• Energy rating: 7-star NatHERS plus Whole-of-Home applies in QLD and VIC (since 1 May 2024), the ACT and SA (since 1 Oct 2024); NSW uses BASIX aligned to 7 stars. NT and Tasmania have differed from the national standard; WA adoption should be confirmed. Check: NatHERS and your certifier.
• Engineer registration: QLD: must be a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). VIC: registration mandatory in civil, structural and other prescribed areas. WA: building engineers registered since 1 July 2024. NSW and NT have their own schemes. Check: Engineers Australia state registration, Consumer Affairs VIC.
• Building designer licence: QLD: QBCC "Building design (low rise)" licence needed to prepare plans for houses. VIC and TAS also register or accredit designers. Other states: check whether registration applies. Check: QBCC or your state regulator.
• Certifier name and forms: called certifier (QLD, NSW) or building surveyor (VIC, WA, SA, TAS, ACT). QLD uses design and inspection certificates from engineers and others (Forms 15 and 16). Confirm which your certifier needs.
• Building regulator: VIC: the Victorian Building Authority's functions moved to the Building and Plumbing Commission from 1 July 2025.
• Bushfire consultants: NSW: BAL certificates from councils or NSW RFS-recognised consultants (NSW RFS). WA: accredited BAL assessors and bushfire planning practitioners (WA guidelines).
• Owner-builder permits: each state sets its own owner-builder permit, course and value threshold. Check with your state building regulator (e.g. QBCC, NSW Fair Trading, VIC Building and Plumbing Commission).
• Planning pathway: names and triggers differ (e.g. complying development in NSW, code assessment in QLD, planning permit in VIC). Check with your council.

You can engage an adviser for a clearly defined service, subject to any licensing or registration requirements for that work. Check competence, insurance, scope, reporting and authority to instruct others or approve payments. A project manager, quantity surveyor, consultant or inspector does not automatically replace the builder or certifier. Owner-builders should check whether the proposed arrangement is lawful and which duties remain with them. Hiring an adviser does not automatically transfer statutory responsibility.

Official sources:

• NSW Working as an owner-builder
• SAFA Owner builders
• ACT Construction licences
• SWA Construction WHS duties model guidance

General information only. Requirements vary by state or territory and change over time, so check the current rules for your location.

In most cases a survey is needed early, because the designer and engineer need accurate boundaries, levels and existing features to design the house, drainage and footings. A surveyor can also mark the boundaries and set out the house after approval so it sits within the setbacks. Ask your designer and certifier what type of survey they need and when, because requirements differ by project and council.

In MyBuildHub: save the survey plan and set out records in your project documents, and add the survey as an early Task and Timeline date, because the design depends on it.

Check yourself: your designer, your certifier and your council.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

Cost varies with the size and complexity of the house, the soil conditions, the number of drawings, and how many site visits or inspections are included. Do not rely on a figure from an article. Ask for a written fee proposal that states the drawings and certificates included, whether footing and frame inspections are included, how revisions are charged, and when payment is due. The engineer will normally need your soil report and the architectural plans before starting, so engage the geotechnical engineer first.

In MyBuildHub: add the engineer as a budget line, store their drawings in your project documents, and set Timeline dates for their deliverables so the certifier is not waiting on them.

Check yourself: your certifier for what engineering they need, and your state building regulator.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

Which consultants you need depends on your site, your design, and what your council, certifier and state require. Commonly used are a building designer or architect, a land surveyor, a geotechnical engineer for the soil report, a structural engineer, an energy assessor, and a certifier. Depending on the site you may also need a civil or stormwater designer, hydraulic designer, bushfire assessor, flood or wastewater consultant, arborist, town planner, or a quantity surveyor. Ask your certifier for their document checklist before the designer finishes drawings, because it shows which reports are needed.

In MyBuildHub: add each consultant to Contacts, save their fee proposal and reports to your project documents, and add each consultant's deliverable as a Task with a Timeline date. Use the Consultant Scopes FAQs to write each scope.

Check yourself: your certifier, your council, and your state building regulator.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

A quantity surveyor measures quantities from your drawings and prepares a cost estimate or bill of quantities. They can compare it against your budget, help you review quotes, value variations, and assess progress payment claims. Engage them once the design is developed enough to measure, and ask for a written scope that states the stage of estimate, the level of detail, and whether claim assessments are included. An estimate is not a quote or a fixed price, so keep it separate from the figures builders and trades give you.

In MyBuildHub: enter the estimate as your starting budget, then replace estimate lines with accepted quotes as they arrive so you can see the forecast change.

Check yourself: ask any quantity surveyor you hire which professional body they belong to.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

There is no standard price difference, and any typical figure would quickly go out of date. Fees depend on the size and complexity of the home, the site, and how much of the service you engage them for, for example concept design only, approval drawings, construction drawings, or contract administration. Ask each for a written fee proposal that states exactly what is and is not included, how extra work is charged, and what happens if the design changes. Compare scope as well as price. The regulation of the title architect and of building designers differs by state, so check the registration of anyone you engage with the relevant state board or regulator.

In MyBuildHub: record each fee proposal as a consultant cost line in your budget, and keep the signed agreement in your project documents.

Check yourself: your state architects registration board and your state building regulator.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

The certifier checks that the work complies with the building approval and the building code, inspects at the required stages, and issues the final certificate. In Queensland, the building approval addresses the inspection schedule, the builder must notify the certifier when work is ready for inspection, the certifier signs an inspection certificate for each stage, and the certifier must personally inspect the final stage. A certifier checks compliance at set stages. They are not a substitute for supervising the work day to day, so check what your state says about responsibility for supervision and quality.

In MyBuildHub: put each inspection stage on the Timeline, keep the certifier's inspection records and notices in your project documents, and track any failed items as Tasks until the re-inspection passes.

Check yourself: Queensland stages of a building inspection, role of building certifiers, and your state building regulator.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

Summary: Each stage needs more detail than the last. Ask every consultant which stages their fee covers. A fee that stops at approval leaves gaps at tender, during construction and at handover.

Why it matters: Approval drawings are not detailed enough to price or build from. Missing tender, construction and completion documents are a common cause of variations, delays to final sign-off, and missing records for insurance, resale or future renovations.

1. Concept: test the brief, budget and siting. Site plan, sketch floor plans, massing or elevations, area schedule.
2. Planning or development approval (if required): council assesses siting, height, privacy and streetscape. Site plan with setbacks and site cover, floor plans, elevations and sections with heights to ground and AHD, shadow and overlooking diagrams, materials schedule, landscape and stormwater concepts, consultant reports.
3. Building approval or permit: the certifier checks NCC compliance. Dimensioned plans, sections, elevations and key compliance details, engineering drawings and certificates, energy certificate, BAL, stormwater and hydraulic plans, soil report, specification.
4. Tender documents: builders or trades price the job accurately and on the same basis. Approval set plus a full specification, window, door, finishes and fixtures schedules, electrical and lighting layout, and a clear list of inclusions, exclusions and provisional sums.
5. Construction documents: the level of detail the builder needs to physically build the home. Fully dimensioned plans with setting out, sections and construction details (junctions, wet areas, stairs, roof, eaves, windows and doors), joinery drawings, coordinated engineering and hydraulic drawings, and the final specification, issued as "For Construction" with revision numbers.
6. Construction phase: answer questions and manage changes. Responses to builder questions (RFIs), shop drawing reviews (trusses, frames, windows), revised drawings reissued with new revision numbers, inspection certificates.
7. Completion and as-built: final sign-off and handover records. As-built or works-as-executed drawings, identification or as-constructed survey, consultant certificates, warranties and manuals.

Options: Approval-only fee, full documentation fee (tender and construction documents), or full service including the construction phase and as-built. Ask your certifier at the start for the full list of certificates needed for final sign-off, and collect them as you go.

• Are you registered or licensed in this state, and can I see your registration and insurance?
• Which stages are included, and what exactly do I receive at each stage?
• How are fees calculated, what triggers extra fees, and when is each payment due?
• Who coordinates the engineers and other consultants, and are their fees included?
• Do you attend site, and do you administer the building contract?
• How many design revisions are included?
• Who owns the drawings, and what am I allowed to do with them? Have a lawyer check this.
• What is the timeframe, and what could delay it?
• How do I end the agreement, and what is payable if I do?
• Can I speak to previous clients with similar projects?

Get the answers in a written agreement. Have a lawyer review it before you sign, because it is a legal contract.

In MyBuildHub: keep the signed agreement and fee schedule in your project documents, and add each stage deliverable as a Task.

Check yourself: your state building regulator, your state architects board for architects, and a lawyer.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

Summary: Assesses your plans against the NCC, issues the building approval/permit, and inspects the work at set stages. The title differs by state (certifier in QLD and NSW, building surveyor in VIC, WA, SA, TAS and the ACT).

Why it matters: You cannot legally start building without approval, or occupy without final sign-off. Missed inspections can stop work or delay occupancy and finance.

Minimum scope by stage

• Engagement: confirm the approval pathway, the consultant reports and documents needed to lodge, the full list of mandatory inspections, and the list of certificates needed for final sign-off
• Building approval: assessment of drawings and reports; approval or permit with conditions; lodging documents with council
• Construction: mandatory stage inspections (e.g. footings, slab, frame, final); assessment of design changes and amended approvals
• Completion: final inspection; review of collected certificates (e.g. engineer, plumber, electrician, waterproofing, termite, glazing, smoke alarms, energy or BASIX); occupancy or completion certificate

Options

• Pre-lodgement advice on the design
• Extra or re-inspections, priced per visit
• Assessment of performance solutions
• Owner-builder guidance on booking inspections
• Pool barrier inspection

Meetings and site visits: One visit per mandatory inspection. Ask the cost of failed inspections and re-inspections.

Watch-out: The certifier checks compliance but does not design or fix non-compliance. Missing certificates are a common cause of delayed occupancy. Collect them as each stage finishes. Owner-builders usually need a permit or approval from the state regulator first. See state notes.

Summary: Turns your brief into the drawings used for approvals, pricing and construction. They usually lead and coordinate the other consultants.

Why it matters: Unclear design scope is the biggest driver of redesign costs and builder variations. Drawings that are not construction-ready lead to guesswork on site.

Minimum scope by stage

• Concept: brief review; site analysis (orientation, slope, setbacks, overlays, services, views); concept plans and elevations; area schedule; check against budget
• Planning (if required): site plan with setbacks, site cover and open space; floor plans; elevations and sections with heights to ground and AHD; shadow and overlooking diagrams where needed; external materials schedule; drawings updated for council requests and conditions
• Building approval: fully dimensioned plans, sections and elevations; wall and floor types; wet area, stair, balustrade and glazing details; window and door schedule; NCC compliance notes
• Tender documents: full specification; window, door, finishes and fixtures schedules; electrical, lighting and data layout; inclusions, exclusions and provisional sums so builders price on the same basis
• Construction documents: fully dimensioned plans with setting out; sections and construction details (junctions, wet areas, stairs, roof, eaves, windows and doors); joinery drawings; coordinated engineering and hydraulic drawings; issued as "For Construction" with revision numbers
• Coordination (all stages): lead the consultant team, issue current drawings, integrate engineering, energy, BAL and hydraulic requirements, cross-check documents before each issue, and keep a design responsibility list (who designs what, e.g. trusses by supplier)
• Construction: responses to builder questions (RFIs); review of truss, frame, window and joinery shop drawings against design intent; revised drawings for approved changes
• Completion: drawings updated for approved changes; as-built architectural set where changes were significant

Options

• 3D renders or walkthroughs
• Interior design and selections
• Tender documents and help comparing builder quotes
• Contract administration: site visits, progress claim checks, variation assessment, defects inspection
• Full as-built drawing set (CAD and PDF) for your records
• Duplex: fire and sound separation details, strata or title plan coordination

Meetings and site visits: Briefing meeting, one site visit, review meeting at each stage, and a coordination meeting with the engineer and other consultants before construction drawings are issued. During construction, state the number of site visits included (e.g. slab, frame, lock-up, practical completion).

Watch-out: Many low-cost drafting packages stop at the approval set. That set is often not detailed enough to price or build from, and excludes coordination. If so, you become the coordinator. Building designer registration or licensing differs by state (see state notes); architects must be registered in every state and territory.

Summary: Assesses bushfire risk and sets the Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) under AS 3959, which decides construction requirements.

Why it matters: A higher BAL can add significant cost to windows, cladding, decks and roofing. BAL-40 and Flame Zone may trigger extra approvals.

When needed: The site is mapped bushfire prone, or council/certifier asks.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: site inspection; vegetation and slope assessment; BAL assessment and certificate to AS 3959; construction requirements summary for the designer
• Planning (if required): bushfire report or management plan; asset protection zone, access and water supply requirements
• Building approval: review that drawings and specification show the BAL construction requirements
• Completion: compliance letter where council or the certifier requires it; confirmation the asset protection zone is in place

Options

• Design advice to lower the BAL (siting, setbacks, vegetation management)
• Performance-based assessment for BAL-40 or Flame Zone sites
• Vegetation management plan

Meetings and site visits: One site visit; a completion visit if a compliance letter is needed.

Watch-out: Accreditation rules differ by state (e.g. NSW RFS-recognised consultants, WA accredited assessors). BAL certificates can expire, and siting changes can change the BAL.

Summary: Confirms flood or coastal hazard levels and sets minimum floor levels and design measures.

Why it matters: Floor levels set by flood controls can change the whole design, cost of fill and stairs, and insurance.

When needed: Flood, overland flow, storm tide or coastal erosion overlays apply.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: review of council flood information and overlays; flood level and minimum habitable floor level
• Planning or building approval: flood report; flood-compatible materials and services below flood level; structural loads advice to the engineer where required
• Construction: floor level confirmed by the surveyor before slab pour
• Completion: flood compliance letter where council or the certifier requires it

Options

• Flood modelling where council data is not available
• Overland flow path design
• Coastal hazard or erosion assessment

Meetings and site visits: Usually desktop; a site visit for complex sites.

Watch-out: Get a council flood search early. It is often cheap and can save a consultant fee.

Summary: Tests the soil and classifies the site so the engineer can design the slab and footings.

Why it matters: Reactive or poor soils are a common cause of cracking and major structural defects. A site classification is normally required before slab and footing design.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: boreholes at the building footprint (number based on house size); site classification to AS 2870; report with bore logs, soil profile, founding depth, fill, rock, groundwater, trees and excavation conditions
• Planning (if required): slope stability or landslip assessment where an overlay applies
• Building approval: design parameters for the engineer (bearing capacity, retaining wall and pier design inputs); acid sulfate soil management plan if triggered
• Construction: founding inspection to confirm pier or footing depth; compaction testing and supervision where structural fill is placed
• Completion: inspection and compaction certificates issued to the certifier

Options

• Wind classification (sometimes bundled)
• Effluent disposal or percolation testing (unsewered sites)
• Rock or groundwater investigation for basements or deep cuts
• Dilapidation report on neighbouring structures before excavation

Meetings and site visits: One visit for testing; extra visits for founding inspections and compaction testing, priced per visit.

Watch-out: The house position and finished levels must be known before testing. If the footprint moves or cut and fill changes, re-testing or a revised classification may be needed.

Summary: Assesses heritage impact where the site or area is heritage listed or in a character overlay.

Why it matters: Heritage controls can restrict demolition, materials, height and street appearance.

When needed: Heritage listing or heritage/character overlay.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: heritage significance assessment and design advice to meet controls
• Planning: heritage impact statement
• Construction: advice on conditions (e.g. materials, retained fabric) where required
• Completion: compliance confirmation where council requires it

Options

• Pre-lodgement meeting with the council heritage officer
• Archival photo recording before demolition

Meetings and site visits: One site visit; council meeting optional.

Summary: Designs how water gets to, around and away from the house: stormwater, sewer, water supply and rainwater tanks.

Why it matters: Poor drainage is one of the most common causes of defects and neighbour disputes. Councils and water authorities often need stormwater plans for approval.

Minimum scope by stage

• Planning (if required): stormwater concept; confirmation of the legal point of discharge; on-site detention (OSD) concept if required
• Building approval: stormwater plan (roof water, downpipes, pits, surface drainage, levels); sewer and water connection layout and levels; rainwater tanks; water authority applications (e.g. building over or near sewer)
• Construction: responses to plumber and builder questions; inspection of stormwater or OSD before backfill where required
• Completion: works-as-executed drawings and certification for stormwater or OSD where council or the water authority requires it

Options

• Rainwater reuse and tank sizing
• Easement or inter-allotment drainage
• Pump-out systems for low sites
• Water-sensitive design or water quality devices

Meetings and site visits: Usually desktop; a site visit for sites that fall away from the street; inspections priced per visit.

Watch-out: Some sites have no direct street discharge. Confirm the legal point of discharge with council early. On some small houses the civil engineer covers this scope. The plumber's compliance certificate is separate from the designer's certification.

Summary: Measures your site so the design fits the land and the house is built in the right place.

Why it matters: Errors in levels or boundaries can cause drainage problems, encroachments and costly demolition. Most councils and certifiers need a survey.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: contour and detail survey with levels to AHD (trees with trunk and canopy, structures, services, pits, poles, kerbs, driveways, neighbouring buildings with floor/ridge levels and windows); boundary identification; title, easement and covenant search; CAD file to the designer
• Planning (if required): extra detail on neighbouring buildings or ridge heights where height, privacy or shadow controls apply
• Construction: set-out of the building and boundaries; slab or formwork position and floor level check before pour (often required by certifier or lender, and where flood levels apply); ridge height check where height is close to the limit
• Completion: identification or as-constructed survey confirming building position, levels and no encroachments; works-as-executed survey of stormwater, sewer or driveway levels where council or the water authority requires it

Options

• Subdivision or strata plans (duplex)
• Easement creation or extinguishment
• Retaining wall and fence line set-out
• Drone or 3D scan for complex sites

Meetings and site visits: Field visits for the initial survey, each set-out, each check survey and the final survey. Confirm which are included and the price for extra visits.

Watch-out: Only a registered or licensed cadastral surveyor can identify boundaries. A contour survey alone does not confirm boundaries.

Summary: Designs the outdoor areas, plantings and hard landscaping.

Why it matters: Some councils require a landscape plan for approval. Landscaping affects drainage, privacy and bushfire risk.

When needed: Council requires a landscape plan, or you want outdoor works documented.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: landscape concept coordinated with levels, drainage, retaining and services
• Planning: landscape plan with deep soil and site coverage calculations where council requires
• Construction documents: planting plan and schedule; hard landscaping, fences and levels
• Completion: landscape compliance certificate where council conditions require it

Options

• Irrigation design
• Pool area and fencing layout
• Site visits during installation

Meetings and site visits: One site visit and one review meeting; completion visit if certification is needed.

Summary: Estimates and tracks construction cost.

Why it matters: Lenders often require a QS report for construction loans and progress draws, especially for owner-builders.

When needed: Lender requirement, tight budget, or comparing builder quotes.

Minimum scope by stage

• Concept: cost estimate to check the design against budget
• Before tender: detailed estimate or bill of quantities from the construction documents; lender cost report if required
• Construction: progress or draw-down reports for the lender; variation cost review
• Completion: final cost report

Options

• Review of builder or trade quotes
• Cost-to-complete reports
• Tax depreciation schedule (investment properties)

Meetings and site visits: Desktop for estimates; one site visit per progress report.

Summary: Designs the parts that hold the house up and manage water around it: footings, slab, framing, retaining and stormwater.

Why it matters: Structural design is a safety and approval requirement. Missing elements (e.g. retaining walls or steel beams) cause delays and variations on site.

Minimum scope by stage

• Concept: early advice on spans, steel, structural system, retaining and slope, to avoid redesign later
• Planning (if required): civil concept: stormwater, driveway grades, cut and fill
• Building approval: slab and footing design from the soil report; framing, beam, column, bracing and tie-down design; wind classification; retaining walls shown on drawings; stormwater design (if no hydraulic designer); design certificate in the form your state and certifier require
• Coordination: design checked against the designer's drawings (beam depths, set-downs, ceiling heights, penetrations, levels) before each issue
• Construction: responses to builder questions; review of truss and frame layouts and steel shop drawings; stage inspections the certifier requires (e.g. piers, slab steel before pour, frame or steel connections)
• Completion: inspection certificates to the certifier; civil works-as-executed drawings where required (e.g. retaining, detention tanks)

Options

• Driveway, crossover and earthworks design
• Suspended slabs, decks, pools, basements
• Duplex: fire-separating and party wall structural details
• Extra inspections, priced as a schedule of rates

Meetings and site visits: Coordination meeting with the designer before construction drawings; one visit per required inspection, priced per visit.

Watch-out: Engineer registration is mandatory in some states (e.g. RPEQ in Queensland, registration in Victoria). See state notes. Changes on site (e.g. a moved wall or larger opening) need the engineer's approval before building.

Summary: Checks whether you need planning/development approval and prepares and manages the application if you do.

Why it matters: Overlays (heritage, flood, bushfire, character, vegetation) and setback or height rules can change the design or add months. A planner identifies these upfront.

Minimum scope by stage

• Before design: zoning, overlays, codes and approval pathway check; list of reports council will need
• Planning: planning report; application lodgement; responses to council requests
• After approval: review of conditions and a list of what must be met before building approval, during construction and before occupation, passed to the designer and consultants
• Construction: applications to change the approval if the design changes
• Completion: help showing compliance with planning conditions where council requires it

Options

• Pre-lodgement meeting with council
• Neighbour consultation or notification advice
• Appeals or variation requests
• Subdivision or dual occupancy (duplex) approvals

Meetings and site visits: One site visit; council pre-lodgement meeting if useful.

Watch-out: Pathway names differ by state (e.g. complying development in NSW, code assessment in QLD, planning permit in VIC). Many single dwellings do not need a planner. Check with council first. Missed conditions can delay building approval or occupancy.

Summary: Assesses noise and designs walls, windows and roofs to meet noise limits.

Why it matters: Attached dwellings must meet NCC sound insulation rules between homes. Sites near main roads, rail or airports may have noise conditions.

When needed: Duplex or attached dwellings, or sites in a noise overlay.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: noise assessment; construction recommendations (glazing, wall and roof build-ups)
• Planning or building approval: acoustic report; sound insulation details for separating walls and floors (attached dwellings)
• Construction: review of product substitutions affecting acoustic performance
• Completion: compliance letter or testing where council conditions require it

Options

• Noise logging on site
• Mechanical plant (air-con, pool pumps) noise advice
• Post-construction testing

Meetings and site visits: Desktop, or one visit for noise logging; testing visits priced separately.

Summary: Assesses trees on and near the site and how to protect or remove them.

Why it matters: Protected trees can limit where you build. Removing them without approval can bring heavy fines.

When needed: Significant or protected trees within or near the build area, including on neighbouring land.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: tree survey and health/value assessment; tree protection zones to AS 4970
• Planning: arborist report; tree removal permit application where needed
• Construction: inspection of tree protection fencing before work starts; supervision of work inside protection zones
• Completion: compliance report or certificate where council conditions require it

Options

• Root investigation where footings are close to trees
• Tree protection plan for the builder
• Replacement planting advice

Meetings and site visits: One design visit, one pre-start visit, and supervision visits as conditions require.

Summary: Rates the home's thermal performance and energy use so it meets the NCC energy requirements (or BASIX in NSW).

Why it matters: New homes in most states must meet a 7-star NatHERS thermal rating plus a Whole-of-Home energy target. Failing late can mean changes to glazing, insulation or orientation.

Minimum scope by stage

• Concept: early advice on orientation, glazing, shading and insulation before the design is fixed
• Building approval: NatHERS thermal assessment with stamped plans and certificate (or BASIX certificate in NSW); Whole-of-Home assessment where adopted; list of specifications that must be built; one round of advice if the rating falls short
• Construction: re-rating if products or design change (e.g. windows, insulation, roof colour, hot water, solar)
• Completion: confirmation the built home matches the certificate, in the form your certifier needs (in NSW, BASIX commitments are checked before the occupation certificate)

Options

• Extra re-ratings after design changes
• Higher-performance targets (e.g. 8+ stars)
• Condensation management advice
• Air-tightness (blower door) testing

Meetings and site visits: Desktop only. Engage at concept stage, not after drawings are finished.

Watch-out: Requirements differ by state (NT and Tasmania differ from the rest). See state notes. Product substitutions during construction can invalidate the certificate.

Summary: Designs the treatment system and effluent disposal area where there is no sewer.

Why it matters: The disposal area can take a large share of a rural lot and affect where the house goes.

When needed: No sewer connection available.

Minimum scope by stage

• Design: site and soil assessment for effluent disposal; system selection and sizing
• Approval: disposal area design and plan; council application documents
• Construction: inspection of the installed system and disposal area before backfill where required
• Completion: commissioning, as-installed plan and certification for council approval to operate

Options

• Combined with geotechnical testing
• Greywater reuse design
• Ongoing service contract set-up

Meetings and site visits: One design visit (often with soil testing); inspection and commissioning visits.

Summary: Most disputes with consultants come from what was left out, not what was included. Ask every consultant to confirm these items in writing.

Why it matters: Meetings, site visits and revisions are the most common source of extra fees. Writing them into the scope fixes the price and sets expectations.

Minimum items to request

• Project details: site address, lot/plan, dwelling type (single-storey, two-storey, duplex, granny flat, renovation)
• Information you will supply (survey, soil report, plans, council reports) and what they must obtain themselves
• Clear list of deliverables, format (PDF and CAD/DWG where relevant) and number of copies
• Number of design revisions included, and the rate for extra revisions
• Number and type of meetings included (on site, office, online)
• Number of site visits or inspections included, and the rate for extras (including travel)
• Responding to council, certifier or lender requests for information (RFIs): included or extra
• Program: start date, key milestone dates and turnaround times
• Fee structure: lump sum, stage payments or hourly; GST shown separately
• Exclusions listed clearly (e.g. authority fees, reprints, redesign after approval)
• Disbursements: printing, travel, searches, lodgement fees
• Insurance: professional indemnity and public liability, with certificates of currency
• Registration or licence number for their state (where required)
• Who owns and can reuse the documents (copyright/licence to use)
• Signed agreement or engagement letter before work starts

Options to consider

• Fixed fee per stage vs. hourly rate with a cap
• Extra site visits during construction, priced as a schedule of rates
• Attendance at pre-start or handover meetings
• Fast-track fee for shorter turnaround
• Variation pricing method agreed upfront

Meetings and site visits: As a guide, allow at least one briefing meeting at the start, one review meeting per design stage, and site visits at key construction stages for consultants who inspect (engineer, certifier, hydraulic).

Early, before the design is finalised and before approval documents are lodged. NatHERS states that ratings depend on the home's design, materials, climate and location, so changes to orientation, windows, insulation or materials after the rating can mean it must be reassessed. Ask the designer to involve the assessor at concept stage, and ask the assessor to confirm the requirement for your state, because each state adopts the National Construction Code on its own timetable.

In MyBuildHub: add the energy assessment as a Task before approval lodgement, and re-check it whenever you record a design variation.

Check yourself: NatHERS, ABCB state and territory adoption, and your certifier.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.

There is no single Scope of Works document for a house. As the owner you define what you want built, and your designer and engineers turn that into drawings and specifications. Each trade or builder you engage should then have a written scope that states what is included, what is excluded, the materials, and who supplies what. A quantity surveyor can help prepare scopes and a bill of quantities. A clear scope is the best protection against variations and disputes, and a lawyer should review any significant contract that relies on it.

In MyBuildHub: use the MyBuildHub templates as a starting point for trade scopes, attach the final scope to each contract, and link it to the matching budget line.

Check yourself: your designer, your quantity surveyor, and a lawyer for significant contracts.

General information only. It is not legal, financial or professional advice and may not apply to your project. Confirm requirements with your regulator, your certifier or a lawyer before acting.