Eastern Experience Shows New Building Act Saves Time and Money

Residential building design and drafting

New building laws in Western Australia are already facilitating faster approval times, which will improve even further once initial teething problems are resolved, according to a Victorian building surveyor.

Ken Waddell, who has operated as a private building surveyor for more than 17 years under legislation similar to that recently introduced in the west, said the introduction of privatisation laws revolutionised the construction industry in eastern Australia.

“The legislation enables faster turn-arounds for building permits, which saves everyone time and money,” he said. “Projects have flowed much more efficiently since equivalent legislation changes were implemented in Victoria over 20 years ago. The next step for WA will be the full privatisation of the permit system, which will deliver even greater benefits to the construction industry.”

However, media reports claim the new legislation has created confusion in WA. “But there will always be a settling-in period any time there is a major change to legislation,” Mr Waddell said. “Initial issues in Victoria were dealt with a long time ago and the system now works very well.”

The key is a thorough understanding of the new legislation, Mr Waddell said. “All stakeholders need to know what is required to enable the speedy passage of building permits.”

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