Australian Standards
 

Conformance to Australian and New Zealand Standards apply in the same form as in Mainland Australia.
 

 

Building Codes
 

Applications on Christmas Island are assessed under the Building Code of Australia, Adopted Australian Standards and the Residential Design Codes of Western Australia.

Building Code of Australia (BCA)

Building License Applications are assessed under the West Australian of the Provisions.  As the Code does not identify Christmas Island in certain aspects eg. climate zone, earthquake zone and wind categories, assessments are evaluated under equivalent criteria within the code.

 

Details should be confirmed with the Building and Health Officer on telephone number (08) 9164 8300 ext 240.

Building Approval Requirements
 

Approval for building licence will be granted or refused based on an assessment of the application made and its conformity to Building Code of Australia Regulations and the Residential Design Codes of Western Australia and any relevant Planning Approval. 
 

 

Builders and Owner Builders

Builders

Builders are not required to be registered under the Builder’s Registration Act 1939 (WA)(CI) to perform residential building works. To “perform residential building works” means to arrange for the carrying out of the works necessary to complete the construction of or alteration, repair or improvement to a dwelling where the value of the works is greater than $12,000.

Owner Builders

Owners are not required to obtain an approval from the Builder’s Registration Board (BRB) to perform residential building works. Owners who perform residential building works are not bound by Part 3A of the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (WA)(CI).  This part relates to the requirement for owners to obtain Home Indemnity Insurance (HII) where the property is sold within 7 years of the issue of a building license for the works.
 

In the circumstance where owners decide to sell property within seven years of the issue of a building license for residential building works, any potential purchaser may require, prior to purchasing, that the owner, take out a HII policy to cover the remainder of the 7 years.  It may not be possible to obtain this insurance and thus any potential sale within this 7 year period may be jeopardised.
 

Before undertaking a building project owners should satisfy themselves that they are;

• competent to interpret building plans and specifications;

• aware of workers compensation and other insurance requirements to cover such things as personal injury, fire and storm damage, theft, public risk and accidents;

• qualified to supervise all construction work;

• able to co-ordinate the flow of work by sub-contractors;

• able to handle financial or contractual disputes with sub-contractors;

• able to receive materials and ensure that they comply with specifications, required quantity and quality;

• able to distinguish technically what is bad building work; aware of the requirements of WorkSafe for safe building sites;

• and aware that the Shire’s building license imposes time constraints.

 

For more information, please contact the Building and Health Officer on telephone number (08) 9164 8300 ext 240 or email ron@shire.gov.cx.