|
frequently asked questions
| Do building certifiers supervise the quality of building work? (24-10-2007) |
| No. The primary function of inspections is to determine that construction work complies with the approved plans and relevant building standards.
It is the responsibility of the contractor and owner, working together, to ensure the building work is carried out to an acceptable standard of quality and finish. It is recommended that owners engage their own Building Consultant to carry out quality of works inspections, report and possibly act as a mediator and assist in administrator and or acting as Clerk of Works to assure an acceptable completion of the building works. |
| Certificate of Accreditation (16-10-2007) |
| Means a certificate issued by a State or Territory accreditation authority stating that the properties and performance of a building material or method of construction or design fulfill specific requirements of the BCA. |
| Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions (16-10-2007) |
| Means provisions which are deemed to satisfy the Performance Requirements |
| Fire-resisting (16-10-2007) |
| Applied to a building element, means having an FRL appropriate for that element |
| Habitable room (16-10-2007) |
| Means a room used for normal domestic activities, and—(a) includes a bedroom, living room, lounge room, music room, television room, kitchen, dining room, sewing room, study, playroom, family room and sunroom; but
(b) excludes a bathroom, laundry, water closet, pantry, walk-in wardrobe, corridor, hallway, lobby, photographic darkroom, clothes-drying room, and other spaces of a specialised nature occupied neither frequently nor for extended periods
|
| Insulation (16-10-2007) |
| In relation to an FRL, means the ability to maintain a temperature on the surface not exposed to the furnace below the limits specified in AS 1530.4 |
| Fire-resistance level (FRL) (16-10-2007) |
| Means the grading periods in minutes determined in accordance with Specification A2.3, for the following criteria—
(a) structural adequacy; and
(b) integrity; and
(c) insulation
|
| Lightweight construction (16-10-2007) |
| Means construction which incorporates or comprises—(a) sheet or board material, plaster, render, sprayed application, or other material similarly susceptible to damage by impact, pressure or abrasion; or
(b) concrete and concrete products containing pumice, perlite, vermiculite, or other soft material similarly susceptible to damage by impact, pressure or abrasion; or
(c) masonry having a thickness less than 70 mm.
|
| Primary building element (16-10-2007) |
| Means a member of a building designed specifically to take part of the loads specified in B1.2 or B1.3 and includes roof, ceiling, floor, stairway or ramp and wall framing members including bracing members designed for the specific purpose of acting as a brace to those members.
|
| Sole-occupancy unit (16-10-2007) |
| Means a room or other part of a building for occupation by one or joint owner, lessee, tenant, or other occupier to the exclusion of any other owner, lessee, tenant, or other occupier and includes—(a) a dwelling; or
(b) a room or suite of rooms in a Class 3 building which includes sleeping facilities; or
(c) a room or suite of associated rooms in a Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 building; or
(d) a room or suite of associated rooms in a Class 9c aged care building, which includes sleeping facilities and any area for the exclusive use of a resident
|
| Window (16-10-2007) |
| Includes a roof light, glass panel, glass block or brick, glass louvre, glazed sash, glazed door, or other device which transmits natural light directly from outside a building to the room concerned when in the closed position. |
| Alteration (16-10-2007) |
| In relation to a building, includes an addition or extension to a building |
| Alternative Solution (16-10-2007) |
| Means a Building Solution which complies with the Performance Requirements other than by reason of complying with the Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions. |
| What is a Building Consultant (06-12-2006) |
| A Building Consultant have many roles and sectors in the building industry. A building consultant is a professional person with experience and suitable qualification to make correct decisions and report after studying relevant documents and or site inspections. The building consultant is also asked to undertake a higher than normal position and use the expertise to carry out those tasks required.
Some States and Territories require the Building Consultant to be licensed for some sectors or categories.
Definitions on this site are the main but not the only areas where Building Consultants are used or participate.
|
| What is a Pre-purchase inspections under government terms (27-02-2006) |
|
Building Consultancy work means work involved in pre-purchase visual inspection of dwellings and reporting on their condition, excluding pest inspections and specialist work. Excluded from this definition are pre-purchase inspections undertaken for the sole purpose of providing a report on pest infestations and inspections solely of specialist work
|
|
