Brisbane City Council

[Shane Watson]

Does anyone have any info or had any dealings with the BCC in relation to building a deck? I am 'thinking' of putting a timber deck out back but it will be basically ground level with some type of roof over it. Currently its just paved with shadecloth over the top (yuk! :eek: )
Anyway, I can't find ANY info on building decks on the BCC website. Well they do talk a lot about the fees involved and if what I was looking at was right it would be more expensive to pay the fees than build the damn thing if an application needs to be lodged......Anyway, surely someone here has had some dealing with the BCC in this regard.

Cheers!

[jackiew]

suggest that instead of searching just your council's site you have a look at what other councils in the area require ... there seems to be huge discrepancies on what council's put on their sites ... my local council doesn't tell you ANYTHING about the fees in their info - they want you to ring up and ask and therefore get you on their radar screen ( paranoid me ).

Other possibility is that you ring up their building section as "Bill Smith" who is planning on buying in the area and wants to know what you can and can't do to the house you're looking at. You might not want to describe it as a deck with a roof - especially as you aren't planning on having stumps etc. you might want to describe it as a pergola with a solid roof for shade, the fact that you then choose to put decking under it should be irrelevent to them. Or you might want to ask about permits for a pergola and then, as an afterthought ask ... if I want to put roofing on it later for shade would I have to come back to you.

I personally would be reluctant to give them your proper name or phone number until you've digested their information and decided what you are going to do. As mentioned in a previous post my council gave my home phone number to one of their workmen even though I'd given my work number to them when I rang so their data management system obviously works ok

[Wood Borer]

A few comments Shane. You said “dealings” with the Council – that implies it is a two way interaction.

Ringing up and pretending you are someone other than yourself is fine as long as you remember to turn off sending your telephone number. Many current telephone systems automatically link the callers number to their database so that when you call, their PC screen can automatically show Shane Watson when you are claiming to be Bill Bloggs ringing from outside the area! This technology is used so that details of previous enquiries are displayed plus your address and the current status of your account and any other information they might have.

Be careful because many local councils make available or sell the details of ratepayers undertaking building to the developers and building suppliers and probably thieves. You might be able to request that your details are not made available. Perhaps such a request might be seen “not playing the game”.

What a ratbag I am carrying on about Councils in such a way! I am merely judging them by their actions and past lack of performance.

[Shane Watson]

THanks guys, but i really don't care what the council know or don't know, if I do this deck I will do it right by the book as its a body corp issue as well. SO its the right information I am after and the website is usless so I might as well ring them (though maybe from a public phone booth while next in Darwin! )

[capedcrusader]

Depending on how "sensitive" the suburb is they might insist you get town planning approval and an "impact study" will cost you $2000 regardless of the cost of works but considering the totally incongruous extensions which have been given approval in my street you shouldnt have any problems if you just pay them their ransom.

[reeves]

Yes, my advice is to ignore council and get it done professionally, then if thye do ever bung it on at elast it will pass inspection and be ok.


The only real problem u have is if a 'deck' entails more posts in the grounds or other kinds of major modifications.

good luck

[bitingmidge]

Shane,

A deck, no matter how small will need to have a suitable drawing, soils tests and engineers certification before you can obtain a building permit.

If you are in a defined character preservation area, or on a "small lot" (less than 450m2 or with a frontage less than 12m, you MAY require a full townplanning application.

Brissy can be a fun place to do stuff on small lots!!

I'll PM a few contacts,

Cheers,

P