On 1 July 2017, amendments were made to the Building Interim Regulations 2017. Three key changes have been made to the:
- Prescribed qualifications for Builders Registration
- Scopes of Work
- Class of registration as Domestic Builder – Manager (DB-M)
What Do The Amendments Mean?
Prescribed Qualifications for Builders Registration
The Building Interim Regulations 2017 detail the educational and experience requirements for Builders Registration. Taken together, both the educational and experience requirements are known as the ‘Prescribed Qualifications’ for registration as a building practitioner. These requirements are different for each category of Builders Registration.
When applicants apply to become a Registered Building Practitioner, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) is required to consider both the formal qualifications and the practical experience the applicant holds. The Regulations now detail the educational requirements more specifically than they had previously.
Whilst a formal qualification is important, the application must also show they are able to apply the theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained through experience.
The VBA may assess an application without the prescribed qualification, and they are currently developing guidance to assist in identifying what may be considered equivalent to the prescribed qualifications. However, the VBA does look favourably towards builders that hold a formal qualification as this enhances the knowledge and skills of building practitioners in the industry.
The VBA have also indicated that the Regulations will be reviewed and updated annually to ensure the prescribed qualifications remain current.
Scopes of Work
The Regulations define scopes of work that registered building practitioners in each class and component of Domestic Builder, Building Surveyor and Building Inspector can undertake. These definitions are consistent with the VBA Building Practitioner Guides currently published on the VBA website. For any practitioners who hold registration that do not match these current definitions, the VBA will transition you and you’ll be contacted by the VBA in regards to this.
As of 1 July 2017, it is illegal to carry out work outside the scope of registration. This is particularly relevant to registered building practitioners who build ‘spec’ homes, as they now need to hold a Domestic Builder – Unlimited (DB-U) registration to build such homes.
Class of Registration as Domestic Builder – Manager (DB-M)
As part of the new Building Interim Regulations 2017, the class of Domestic Builder – Manager (DB-M) has been changed to Project Manager (Domestic). The scope of work for this class remains identical to that of the DB-M. However, changes will be implemented over a 5 year period to ensure that all practitioners currently registered as a DB-M meet all the requirements, including that of the prescribed qualifications.
Other Changes
Another important change to note, is that as of 1 August 2017, the cost threshold for work which is required to be undertaken by a Domestic Builder or Draftsperson has increased from $5,000 to $10,000.
For more information on the amendments introduced through the Building Interim Regulations 2017 refer to the VBA fact sheet. Alternatively, you can find more information on the VBA website.
