Well… it depends on who you ask!

There have been a few interesting situations brought to our attention recently by some prospective Owner Builders who thought they were on the right path, only to find out at the last minute that they were not: Consequences: Lost time and Lost $$

The general scenario…

A prospective Owner Builder in Queensland contacted the BSA to ask if they needed an Owner Builder Permit to carry out some work on their home. After answering some questions the prospective Owner Builder was told that they don’t need a permit. In this particular instance the Owner Builder was using a builder under contract to construct the house to lock up stage and then the owner was going to complete the remainder of the project.

So they got their plans into council and waited for the approvals to come back. Whilst all this was happening they got their contracts organised with the builder and pretty much all of their ducks were lined up waiting to go.

Then the call came from council: “We have approved your building application and we are ready to release the documents, but where is your Owner Builder Permit?”

The customer explained that they don’t need one as they have a builder under contract. Not so, according to the council.

So now the owner had complete the owner builder course, get their certificate of completion, submit their application to the BSA Qld and then with Owner Builder Permit in hand, go back to the council. This added another four weeks to the wait… frustrating and costly!

The moral to this story is:

No matter what your situation is, consider yourself an Owner Builder unless you are advised otherwise in writing by both the council and the BSA Qld. Having this attitude will save you alot of time and hassles later down the track, and if you find that you do not need the permit after all you can always apply to have it rescinded.

This goes for every state by the way, not just Queensland.

• In Qld there is a mandatory requirement to complete an Owner Builder Training Course. The formal course name is 39219 QLD Course in Preparation for Owner Builder Permit. Right now this is the most comprehensive, compulsory training available to Owner Builders. 
• In NSW there is a mandatory requirement to complete a very simple, non recognised course as part of the Owner Builder Permit Application. This is basically a 2 page questionnaire. In 2010 this will change to a formal, recognised course.
• In all other states there is no mandatory training required. You simply apply for your Owner Builder Permit through the state body that regulates building and owner building.

Owner Builder Training is the marketing arm of Back to Basics, which in turn is an approved provider of the Qld Owner Builder Course. As other states introduce the mandatory course as part of the permit application then Back to Basics will provide the appropriate courses under the state bodies’ guidelines.

Even if you are in a state with no mandatory training requirements, it is still wise to undertake a comprehensive Owner Builder Training Course. The reason is simple: the skills you learn will assist you to smoothly complete your owner builder project. You simply cannot compare the investment in improving your skills with the risk of failing to manage your project due to a lack of knowledge. Good training is the Owner Builder Insurance everyone should have!

If you are not sure whether or not you need to do an Owner Builder Course then ask yourself these questions:

1. Do I know how to interpret detailed plans and specifications? 
2. Do I understand my Workplace, Health and Safety Obligations as the Principle Contactor and Site Supervisor?
3. Do I understand how to issue a scope of work and then negotiate a price based on specification and conditions of contract? 
4. Do I understand the informal and formal procedures for dispute resolution within the building industry?
5. Can I immediately recognise bad building work and do I have an understanding of the Building Code of Australia (BCA)? 
6. Do I have an accurate and detailed estimate of all of my Owner Builder costs?

If you answered ‘no’ to any of these questions then you should consider an Owner Builder Course, regardless of whether or not the state says you have to.

Remember, this is your project, the buck stops with you. A few hundred dollars and some time and energy now could save you thousands of dollars down the track. Owner Builder Training is about making sure you have the skills and confidence to manage your project successfully.