FAQs

Have you engaged an architect or draftsperson who provided you with a design you fell in love with only to find out once you received back the tenders that it was beyond your budget? Don’t be disappointed, our design + build service bridges the gap. Fox + Ko’s unique partnership, as husband + wife, builder + designer, delivers a crucial link between these two normally independent disciplines.  Working together from the outset enables us to workshop ideas v’s cost implications during the initial planning stages to ensure your vision is achievable within your budget.  This unified process saves you valuable time, costly revisions and at the end of the day allows you to spend your hard-earned dollars on the elements you see and use every day not on amended plans and reports.

There are some minor works that may be undertaken without obtaining development consent so long as they comply with the set development standards. This kind of development is classed as “Exempt Development” and in this case no approval is required, and we can get started straight away.

For other works, there are two main types of approval, Complying Development Certificate (CDC) or Local Council Development/Development Application (DA).

Complying development is a fast-track approval process for low impact residential development that complies with the development standards outlined in the NSW State Environmental Planning Policy. A CDC can be issued by your local council or a registered certifier and will require less documentation than a full application and can usually be obtained within 10 – 14 days of being lodged.

If your building work does not meet the development standards for either Exempt or Complying Development a Development Application (DA) will need to be lodged with your local Council. This application will require additional plans and reports from external consultants and takes around 12 weeks on average to be determined once lodged. Once DA consent has been granted commencement on site cannot begin until a construction certificate (CC) has been issued.

A Construction Certificate (CC) can be provided by either a private registered certifier or the local council and they will undertake critical stage inspections during construction.  Construction Issue plans incorporating any development specifications consistent with the DA consent will be required to be lodged and depending on the DA conditions further reports or documentation may also be required.

You do not need a Construction Certificate for a CDC.

Upon completion of your project the principle certifier will require documentation to be submitted with an Occupation Certificate (OC) application. Once all documentation is supplied the principle certifier will decide if an occupation certificate can be issued based on critical stage inspections, compliance certificates and confirmation that the works are consistent with development consent. An OC essentially confirms that the building is safe to occupy and use.

Whatever principle certifier you choose (Council or private) they will need to undertake critical stage inspections throughout the project.  It is imperative that these are completed to ensure sign off before moving to the next stage of the build.

All planning approvals (DA, CDC, CC, OC) are now required to be lodged on the NSW Planning Portal, Fox + Ko take care of this entire process on your behalf so you don’t need to worry about the legalities.  For more information on the approval process visit NSW Fair Trading.

As part of the approval process for residential works a Building and Sustainability Index (BASIX) Certificate will be required.  A BASIX assessment assesses the energy and water use and thermal comfort of your residential development.  On 29 August 2022, the NSW government announced increased BASIX standards, as part of the new Sustainable Buildings State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) which will come into effect on 1 October 2023. These increased requirements are complex and require an experienced building designer such as Fox + Ko to ensure compliance. For further information visit NSW Planning Portal.

All residential building work over $5,000 requires a written contract. A small jobs contract is suitable for works between $5,000 and $20,000.  If the work is over $20,000 a more extensive contract is required.  Fox + Ko Pty Ltd are members of the Master Builders Association of NSW and use MBA NSW Contracts for all projects. For more information on Contracts visit NSW Fair Trading or complete the NSW Fair Trading checklist.

All builders and specialist trades in NSW are required to have a building licence to do any residential building work (labour and materials) valued at more than $5000 (including GST).

Fox + Ko Pty Ltd have an unrestricted builder’s licence and all specialist trade sub-contractors working for the company are also fully licenced in their respective fields.

Before engaging a builder or tradesperson it is important to ensure that they have the appropriate qualifications for the work you want done.  To check if a builder has a valid licence (or if it has any restrictions or complaints) go to Service NSW Verify Licence.

Home Building Compensation (HBC) Insurance

If the total value of your residential building work is over $20,000 (including GST) then Home Building Compensation (HBC) cover (formerly known as home warranty insurance) is compulsory.  This covers you as a homeowner if your builder is unable to complete building work or fix defects because they have become insolvent, died, disappeared or had their licence suspended.  For further information visit State Insurance Regulatory Authority or icare.

Other Insurances

In addition to HBC, all builders must have insurance policies that cover:

• Public Liability
• Contract Works Insurance (All Risk Insurance)
• Workers Compensation
• Professional Indemnity Insurance

Fox + Ko Pty Ltd holds current policies for all of these insurances. A copy of the certificates of currency are available on request. Fox + Ko’s subcontractors are also covered under their own insurance policies which we ensure are current prior to them being engaged on every project.

It is also important that you contact your own home insurance provider in writing before construction begins to ensure your current home and contents insurance policy will cover damage or theft to your home during the period of construction.  Your lender (if borrowing money to fund the project) may want a current certificate of insurance to make sure you are protected.  Once the project is complete you may also wish to increase the value of your home/building insurance policy based on the post construction valuation.

For further information visit NSW Fair Trading.

Fox + Ko are committed to the health and safety of our employees, sub-contractors and external consultants onsite.  We have a digital health and safety management system that streamlines the daily onsite induction process, collates sub-contractor high-risk work Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS), Site Specific Safety Plans, onsite risk assessments, toolbox meetings and incident reports. This system ensures anyone that is on our sites understands any risks, identifies any hazards and completes their works in a safe manner.