Licensed design and construction professionals can help with your building or renovation project.
When you appoint someone who must be licensed or registered, always ask them to show you their licence or registration. You can also ask if professionals have any professional accreditations and insurance. Licensed construction professionals must provide you with evidence of any insurance they hold.
Keep in mind that sometimes you may appoint a builder or building company that provides more than one of these services.
Professionals
An architect provides services in connection with the design and planning of buildings. Architects, unlike building designers, are required to hold a registration with the ACT Architects Board to practice as an Architect.
A builder provides a building service. They will be required for any building work that requires building approval. Builders generally manage and coordinate the building of your home or renovation, including employing sub-contractors for parts of the work. Builders can only do specific projects based on their class of licence. If you’re hiring a company or partnership to be your licensed builder, get to know who the licensed nominee is that will supervise your building work. It is best to outline your agreement in a detailed written contract. The nominee must be a licenced builder in the appropriate class required for the relevant building work being undertaken.
The landowner appoints a building certifier who ensures the building plans and the work completed comply with building legislation. They must be a licensed building surveyor. A building certifier can’t have a conflict of interest in the building work, for example they must not have a legal, financial or personal interest in the land or the completion of the building work.
An electrician is required to install and fix wiring work, electrical equipment, and switchboards. They may provide disconnection and reconnection of fixed electrical equipment, including:
- Refrigeration
- air conditioning, and
- type B gas appliances
An electrician installing electrical machinery requires a restricted electrical licence.
Electricians are often employed as a sub-contractor by the builder. You may also employ an electrician directly for repairs and new installations.
Electricians must give you a copy of a certificate of electrical safety once they have tested their electrical work for compliance. Any electrical equipment you have or provide that an electrician needs to install must comply with minimum safety standards.
These professionals are required for plumbing, draining or gasfitting work, respectively. Builders often employ them as sub-contractors. You may also employ one directly for repairs and new installations.
Provides a gas appliance service, which is to service or supervise the service of a type A or type B gas appliance. They are usually employed directly for servicing, repairs and maintenance.
A building assessor provides energy efficiency assessments and ratings for the construction of new homes and advertising the sale of a home.
A plumbing plan certifier checks the plumbing and drainage plans comply with the standards required before the work is completed. From this, they’ll provide a plumbing plan certification.
Other professionals
Other professionals who may be involved in your building or renovation project include:
- engineers
- building designers
- asbestos assessors or removers
- carpenters and joiners
- tilers
- plasterers
- brick layers
- painters
- roofing contractors
Not all these professionals are required to be licenced in the ACT.
You may also engage the services of conveyancers or solicitors to help you with the purchase of a property or negotiating a contract.
Complaints and disputes
If there is a dispute between you and your builder or other professional, there are options for you to resolve your dispute or make a complaint.
