Fraser Coast Plans



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INITIAL DESIGN CONSULTATION

The Initial Design Consultation is the first time Fraser Coast Plans Pty Ltd (FCP) meets with the client to discuss their needs. This meeting usually takes up to an hour and FCP do not charge for this meeting. At this meeting, FCP will illustrate the extent of services offered and as well as clearly define the fees applicable to each stage of the works.

SKETCH DESIGN

The Sketch design is a plan prepared by FCP after the initial design consultation with the Client, and would incorporate all the particular requirements of the Client, and where necessary, the requirements of the relevant current Codes and Regulations. FCP would also adjust the concept design where it sees fit in order to meet aesthetic, design, structural or budgetary requirements.

This Sketch Design is a computer generated CAD drawing that is prepared in a manner that any competent Builder should be able to offer a broad indication of construction costs. This process of designing a project might take several Sketch Designs before a design is deemed satisfactory by the Client but is essential to the proper implementation of the project.

TOWN PLANNING DRAWINGS

This plan is prepared in CAD format and is usually an addendum to the Final Sketch Design which incorporates all of the relevant information required for the issue of a Town Planning Permit.

These plans are usually only required in cases where the proposed project does not fall within the accepted parameters of what the Town Planning Department of the local Council is willing to accept in any particular street, region, zone, estate, town, municipality, or suburb.

A more accurate estimate of construction costs can be sought from this type of plan as it would include more information such as a Site Plan, all elevations and a Brief Material Specification.

WORKING DRAWINGS

The Working Drawing is the major part of the documentation works and is prepared in CAD format. This is the plan that the Building Approval is issued against and also the plan that details all of the construction works as well as the final plan the Builder would use for finalising quotations and construction works.

This plan, along with a Construction Specification and Engineering documentation, forms an integral part of the Contract between the Owner and the Builder. The Working Drawings contain far more content and technical detailing, which obviously takes much longer to prepare, and thus, the fees for this plan will most likely be the more expensive component in the documentation.

The WD are prepared in several stages.

PRELIMINARY STAGE

The initial WD are prepared in accordance with the instructions received from the client upon acceptance of the Final Sketch Design.

These plans are clearly stamped "PRELIMINARY - NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION" and are for the purpose of the client approving the content of the plans prior to issuing to the Engineer for the preparation of the structural design. These plans are usually marked with the Drawing No reference WD101. At this stage, the engineer makes his assessment of the development and after consulting with FCP, continues with the preparation of his plans. The client also has a set of plans to peruse and confirm acceptance of the plans.

Once FCP receives the certified plans from the Engineer, FCP alters the WD to suit the engineers design and will then reissue the plans stamped "FOR COUNCIL SUBMISSION ONLY - NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION". These plans are usually marked with the Drawing No. reference WD102 and are altered to suit the engineering as part of our fees.

COUNCIL STAGE

The plans are issued stamped "FOR COUNCIL SUBMISSION ONLY - NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION" and are intended for that purpose only. They can however also be used for estimating and costing purposes.

Once the Council or Building Certifier issues the Building Approval (BA), FCP would receive a copy of the BA and amend the plans where required to suit the BA. These plans are then reissued clearly stamped "CONSTRUCTION COPY". These plans are usually marked with the Drawing No. reference WD103 and are altered to suit the BA as part of our fees.

CONSTRUCTION PLANS

Once the plans reach this stage, they are readily available to the client and the builder to use for the construction of the project.

These plans are usually marked numbered from WD103 and so on until the client and/or the builder are totally satisfied with the content. Any alterations to the plans at this stage will incur extra costs and fees not only from FCP but may be also from the engineer and Council/Certifier.

FEATURE SURVEY

A Licensed Surveyor is engaged to visit the site and prepare the Feature Survey by locating all of the features particular to that site. This would typically include any fences, trees, pits, poles, drains, adjacent buildings, existing structures, ground level and contours, etc., and provide the information to FCP in a format suitable for the purposes intended.

In the instance of developing a design of a new building, it is advisable, almost imperative, to have a full feature survey completed prior to preparation of the Sketch Design. For a residential site, the usual cost for a Feature Survey is between $400 - $600. FCP will always obtain quotations from several surveyors and confirm the fees with the Client prior to ordering the survey.

COLOUR & COMPONENT SCHEDULE

The Colour & Component Schedule is a document that clearly defines all of the finishes, fittings and inclusions to be used in the construction of the project.

This document can be used to obtain fairly precise construction costs from a Sketch Design and when it comes to Working Drawings and eventually building the new project, the Colour & Component Schedule has proven invaluable in relaying to the Builder precisely what it is the client wants.

This document, in addition to the Working Drawings would usually form part of the Contract between the Owner and the Builder. It is also sometimes required, in part and only if required, for the issue of the Building Approval.

Many hours of consultation between FCP and the client may be required before the full and complete specification can be completed.

FCP will assist the clients to select their preferred finishes, fittings and inclusions by way of providing paperwork to keep track of selections as well as highlight to the owners any finished and fittings they may not have thought were necessary for the specification. FCP will also help our Clients by coordinating certain suppliers and retailers to assist in their selections and provide to FCP a detailed list of those selections.

ENGINEERING DRAWINGS

Nearly all projects require some degree of engineering input. Some projects need a post or a beam computed and other require a full design analysis in consultation with FCP, the Building Approval officer and sometimes the builder gets involved.

Most projects only require Structural Engineering, however, some may require Civil Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering computations and documentation. The Working Drawings cannot be fully completed without consultation with the Structural engineer. The fees for the Engineering works will be quoted on a job-to-job basis, and are payable upon invoicing.

GEOTECHNICAL REPORT

The Geotechnical Report is prepared by a licensed Geotechnical Engineer and in commonly called the Soil Report. Preparation of the Soil Report requires the Soil Engineer to visit the site, bore some test holes and take some soil samples back to a laboratory for sampling.

The Soil Report will reveal the precise nature of the soils under the surface of the site. This information is then used by FCP, in consultation with the Structural Engineer and the Geotechnical Engineer to develop the footing system and other engineering elements of the building to fit within acceptable design parameters. For a residential site, the usual cost for a Soil Report is between $250 - $300.

PERCOLATION TEST

The Percolation Test is only required when the property lies outside of the sewered regions and therefore must have some form of septic system. The Percolation Test is prepared by a licensed tester and is required to assess the permeability or absorption qualities of the soil to determine the appropriate design for the septic system or treatment system. For a residential site, the usual cost for a Percolation Test, when undertaken at the same time as the Soil Report, is between $100 - $150.

RE-ESTABLISHMENT SURVEY

A Licensed Surveyor is engaged to visit the site and fully re-establish the precise Title boundaries including locating, and/or relocating the pegs at each corner of the property and ensuring the pegs are located in the correct position.

These surveys are usually linked to the Australian Map Grid and could require the surveyor to locate the site in relation to a specified point which could be quite close by or several kilometres away. The normal working tolerance the surveyor would work to is within 10mm.

A Re-establishment Survey is usually only required when a project is to be constructed close to a boundary or when some discrepancy has arisen after the preparation of the Feature Survey, or in a conflict on location by a neighbour.

For a building site, the usual cost for a Re-establishment Survey usually start at about $750 through to several thousand.

CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS

The Construction Specification is a document that clearly defines all of the materials used in the construction of the works as well as the level of competency of the tradespersons required to carry out the works. This document is of paramount importance for accurate quoting and/or tendering as well as the construction of the works.

This document, in addition to the Working Drawings, can form part of the Contract between the Owner and the Builder. It is also sometimes required, in part and only if required, for the issue of the Building Approval. Many hours of consultation between FCP and the client will be required before the full and complete specification can be completed.

FCP will assist the clients to select their preferred materials by way of providing paperwork to keep track of selections as well as highlight to the owners any materials they may not have thought were necessary for the specification.

SHOP DRAWINGS

FCP Drawings are prepared externally from FCP, and would only be required if the project included some structural steelwork, detailed cabinetry, aluminium shopfronts, or any other specialist works.

In some cases, other drafting and/or design disciplines prepare plans and associated documentation for items such as mechanical ventilation, electrical layouts, fire services, civil engineering, structural engineering, plumbing layouts, shopfront design, etc., but are usually only required in the larger projects such as hospitals, offices, factories, tenancies, shops, schools and other similar projects. FCP can arrange for these drawings on behalf of the Client or leave it to the Client to arrange via the relevant fabricator and/or Builder.

BUILDING APPROVAL

The Building Approval or Construction Certificate is commonly known as the Building Permit. A Building Approval must be sought in order to construct the works detailed on the plans.

There are two distinct types of Building Approval simply called Complying Development and Non-Complying Development. The Complying Development approval usually takes around 7 days to issue whereas the Non-Complying Development Approval can take up to 13 weeks.

A Complying Development is basically defined by council as a development that fits neatly within their predefined requirements and all relevant supporting paperwork has been submitted upon application. A Non-Complying Development is basically defined by council as a development that does not fit within their predefined requirements and/or all relevant supporting paperwork has not been submitted upon application.

For a single residential development, the fees payable to the relevant Building Approval Certifier will be quoted on a job-to-job basis.