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Development and Business

Building inspections (mandatory notifications)

Planning on building? Understand when you're required to notify us of development stages before you get started.


Mandatory building notifications refer to the stages before, during, and after development where you are required to notify us at Council at least 1 day prior to each notification stage.

From these stages we provide limited mandatory building inspections in line with the Building Inspection Policy and the legislated requirements under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016.

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When do I need to notify Council?

Notification stages are based on the type of development you plan to undertake, such as swimming pools, houses, verandahs, pergolas, and commercial buildings. Please review your Decision Notification Form for guidance notification stages so you can plan ahead for when you need to get in contact with us.

Building notifications must be provided at nominated stages to ensure that the relevant authority is aware of construction commencement and is able to inspect at the appropriate time.

Please note that Council is not required to inspect every notification under the regulations.

Please notify us of at least 1 day prior to each notification stage to avoid paying penalty fees of up to $10,000.

Notify Council

How to notify Council of each stage

After development approval is granted, the issued Decision Notification Form (DNF) lists the mandatory building notifications and timeframes that are required to be submitted.

Applicants and/or builders submitting the mandatory building notifications to council—during the construction of the building or building works—can do so by selecting the Submit Mandatory building notification option via the Your Applications dashboard on the Plan SA Portal.

The same option enables applicants and builders to view building notifications that have already been submitted.

For more information or to notify us of a required notification stage for development please email inspections@barossa.sa.gov.au, send a fax to (08) 8563 8461, or get in touch with our Development Services team on (08) 8563 8444.

Pre-purchase building inspections

Council does not provide pre-purchase building inspections. Pre-purchase inspections are available through various external business providers whose details may be found through an online search.

FAQs

Council building notification and inspection services as a part of the Building Inspection Policy are free of charge.

A final building inspection provided by Council in response to notification of completion being received generally consists of an inspection of the building inside and out.

The final inspection focuses on life safety such as smoke alarm testing and checking balustrades on a residential dwelling, or viewing the method of firewall construction, position of extinguishers and exit signage in a commercial building, and more.

What is covered in a building inspection depends on the type of building inspection being carried out.

Council conducted inspections are not about quality, or workmanship, but rather aim to ensure the minimum requirements specified in the National Construction Code are met.

Footings inspections aim to ensure that the engineer's design is replicated on-site and that reinforcement meets the design.

Framing inspections mainly deal with load paths and ensuring adequate tie-downs under the Timber Framing Code.

Yes, notification of stages of building work for the purpose of building inspections is mandatory under legislation and the required notifications will be highlighted on the Decision Notification Form from Council.

Council conducts inspections in accordance with the Council Building Inspection Policy and PlanSA Practice Direction 9 – Council Inspections 2020. The practice direction specifies the following minimums:

  • Class 1 Building (typically houses) – Minimum 66% of developments inspected during construction or on completion.
  • Farm building and farm sheds (non-domestic) – Minimum 50% of developments inspected during construction or on completion.
  • Class 2-9 Buildings (typically commercial buildings, i.e. hotels, motels, shops etc) – Minimum 90% of developments inspected during construction or on completion.
  • Council intends to exceed the minimum levels specified in Practice Direction 9.
  • Swimming pools are dealt with under PlanSA Practice Direction 8 – Swimming Pool Inspection Policy 2019 which requires all pools to be inspected, 80% within 2 weeks of Council being notified and the remaining 20% within 2 months of Council being notified.

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