In our last post, we have covered the important aspects of land selection when building in Australia. Continuing with the series, we must now look into building permits for the dream contemporary log cabins. Naturally, it’s important to comply with local and national regulations when looking to get a permit.
Another important aspect is finding right the log cabins supplier or an architect, who would be open to designing a log cabin or a log house from scratch. These are the topics we will cover in today’s post, so let’s get right to it.
Building permits
There are two permits that you need to get when building anything in Australia: a planning permit and a building one. The administrative process in general is not complicated. You simply apply at your local planning authority for the permit. Each one may have differences in procedure, depending on where your plot is. However, what’s important is to provide all the necessary documentation right of the bat. The easier to make it for the authority to process information, the faster they will issue your permits.
Pricing and timing depend solely on the location. As mentioned, each state might operate a little differently. Let’s take Victoria as an example. The price of permits there largely depend on the size of the development (in this example, let’s say it ranges from $10,000 to $1,000,000). The fee will appropriately range between $199.90 to $1495. To receive a permit usually takes between 9 to 12 months, so be mindful of the project timescale.
Dream log homes & suppliers
Before you can start building, you must know what type of log house you want it to be. Are there compact glulam log cabins that attract your eye? Something like a bespoke log cabin Tranquil from our catalogue? Or you dream bigger and looking to pick a serious glulam house design where you will make your permanent residence? Something in the line of glulam log house Monaco might be more up your street. Whatever the option, this is the time to choose a log cabins supplier.
There will no doubt be many options to choose form. In general, make sure they specialise or are at least familiar with the type of glulam construction you want to order. Glue laminated bespoke log cabins are not the same as classic log cabins and requirements for their construction can vary drastically. Make sure your chosen log cabins supplier understands the difference and can offer specialised advice, design options, delivery and construction services.
Working with an architect
Often times, it befalls on architects to complete your custom log cabins dream. Working together with a professional log cabins supplier, architects can achieve true wonders of design. When choosing an architect, there are also a few crucial things to keep in mind.
The most important filter for a good architect is them being registered in their local territory or state registration board. It’s not recommended to contract somebody who isn’t, as the likelihood of bad practices increases. These boards are Architects Registration Board of Victoria, Board of Architects of Queensland and so on.
Another crucial aspect is how architects build their fees. There are three main options: fixed fees, where you and the architect agree on a fixed price for a glulam house design. Then there’s percentage fee, where the architect charges a percentage of the final project fee. The rule here is, the lower the project price, the higher the percentage. And finally, there are hourly rates. These will require you to figure out how to oversee the architect’s work. The advantage of this type of arrangement is that you’re only paying for the active hours and nothing more. Discuss these options with your architect. Some may offer several avenues of agreement.
Final thoughts
Good planning is essential to successful contemporary log home designs. Always take time to invest in professional help, as well as research of your own needs and wants. Finally, be open with the authorities and cooperate to speed up the permit process as much as possible.