How long does a building permit take in Victoria?

Short answer: it depends less on the surveyor than on what lands on the surveyor’s desk. With a complete application for a simple structure, we offer fast turnaround times. A new home waiting on a planning permit cannot be assessed until that permit is in place.

What sets the timeline

Completeness of the documents. The clock only starts on a complete application. If the soil report is missing or the 7-star energy rating report does not match the drawings, the first thing you get is a request for more information, and the job waits. The Building Regulations 2018 give the surveyor a fixed number of business days to decide an application once any reports and consents it needs are in — the key period is 10 business days for a house or shed, 15 for other classes of building. That clock does nothing for a half-complete application.

The class of work. A freestanding Class 10a shed with supplier engineering is checked for siting and structure — our shed and garage permits page lists what that package contains. A Class 1a house is checked against siting, structure, the 7-star energy rating, fire separation, bushfire where it applies.

Report and consent. If the design does not meet a siting provision — a setback, a wall on a boundary, site coverage — council’s report and consent is needed before the permit can issue. Council has its own statutory period to respond: for a siting matter on a house or shed the key period is 15 business days from when council receives the application (10 business days for most other matters). In practice councils hold an incomplete application until the missing information arrives, and where a neighbour could be affected council must give them the chance to comment first. Our report and consent guide covers what is involved.

Planning permit prerequisites. Where a planning permit is required — overlays, two or more dwellings on a lot, some demolition — the building permit cannot be issued until it is in place and the drawings match the endorsed plans. Planning runs on council’s clock, not ours.

Engineering, the 7-star energy rating and soil reports. These come from third parties. An engineer who is running behind delays the permit by the same amount. Order them early, from people who talk to each other.

What differs by job type

We offer fast turnaround times once the package is complete. What differs between jobs is what has to be in the package and whether council is involved.

Shed or garage — the supplier’s drawings and a siting check that passes. A shed too close to a boundary adds council’s report and consent period.
Verandah, pergola, carport or deck — proper drawings for the attachment to the house and setbacks that work. Report and consent adds council’s period where it is triggered.
Extension or renovation — engineering for the tie-in to the existing structure and the 7-star energy rating, both before the assessment can start.
New home or townhouses — the full package, and any planning permit before that. Our new home building permits page lists what the package contains.
Shop fit-out, office or warehouse — the tenancy or building drawings, the fire safety and access provisions that apply to that class of building, and planning consent first where a change of use needs it. Our commercial fit-out permits page covers what the package contains.

How we keep the job moving

When we quote, we list what we have and what is missing, so you know what to chase. If something changes along the way, we tell you what and why. One surveyor holds the job from permit to sign-off, so the person who quoted it is the person assessing it.

What slows things down, and how to avoid it

Documents that disagree. The 7-star energy rating report shows different windows to the drawings; the engineer designed for a slab that has since moved. Have the drafter issue one final set to everyone before lodging.
Lodging before planning is done. We can pre-check the package, but the permit waits for the endorsed plans.
A site plan without dimensions. Setbacks are measured, not guessed. Boundary distances on the plan save a round trip.
Appointing the surveyor late. The owner appoints the building surveyor. Sign the appointment before the builder books the slab pour.
Slow replies to requests for information. Each open question pauses the job. Answer the whole list at once.

What determines the cost of a building surveyor

The same things that determine the timeline. Our fixed fee, quoted up front, covers the assessment, the building permit, the mandatory inspections during the build and the final document — an occupancy permit for a new home, or a certificate of final inspection for most sheds, verandahs and smaller alterations. What moves the fee is the class and size of the work and the number of inspections it needs: a shed takes fewer site visits than a two-storey house or a warehouse.

Two things sit outside the fee. The state building permit levy is calculated on the cost of the work and paid to the building regulator, and a lodgement fee goes to council. If report and consent is needed, council charges for that too. We itemise them separately on the quote.

Want a quote for your job? Send the drawings you have, or just the address and a description, through the quote form. We will reply within one business day with what is missing and a fixed-fee quote.