Building permits: Find out what permits you need

Once you've decided to go ahead with your home renovations there are several steps you need to take during the planning process before you sign up for anything or pay anyone for building work.

Renovating your home: Permits

Having decided on the type of renovation that you intend to carry out, you will need to assess what will be involved and how much it will cost you. Before you start you will need to find out what permits are required and the most common ones are

• Building permits
• Planning permits
• Occupancy permits
• Certificate of final inspection

Any type of building or renovation requires that you obtain the right permits and fill out all the relevant paperwork before you start. Some jobs are small enough to make permits unnecessary but in most cases building and planning permits are mandatory and in some cases you may also need a certificate of final inspection once the work has been completed.
Building permits and related paperwork are attended to in a specific order as they are required by the relevant local bodies. Make sure that you organise all the permits that you'll need for your specific job. These permits are there to protect you.

Permits: Working without one

If you fail to acquire the right permits for the renovations you wish to carry out you can be penalised and hit with a hefty fine. There are exemptions from permits for minor work like garden shed, home maintenance work and some other smaller construction jobs but get advice from your local council first. They can give you information on what does and what does not need a building permit.
It's not worth taking the risk of doing renovation work without the right permits and if something does go wrong, you won't have any comeback as the work is illegal. Look into what you need and take it from there.