Often clients after a meeting with our company are quite setback with:

A] the extent of information that is required for submission and

B] the time taken to achieve the DA approval process.

Below we have addressed in brief, the process and requirements involved to achieve a DA and CC as well as finalised handover documentation.

Often clients are misdirected with the extent of information required, and in turn a DA submission can be lodged with the lack of information, and this causes substantially more delays in the approval process.

The same can be said when a quotation is being done, the more correct information, the greater chance of getting an accurate build figure. We see many projects where PC allowances are made for major areas of a project and these inevitably escalate the actual building costs and the clients the loser here.

Below would be a typical process and discussions that would take place with most potential clients.

If the project has a DA or doesn’t require one, then the process is not applicable.

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Stage One

• Meet with clients and format a requirement brief.

• Review the site & initially address any building constraints, possible easements etc that are clear from the first meeting.

• In this stage we would want to see or organise a survey and contour plan addressing boundaries and levels.

• We would then prepare conceptual architectural plans only, addressing the clients brief to make sure both parties are on the one track.

• We would then expand the architectural design, further addressing all council town planning requirements. Please note this is not a final building plan and an accurate tender submission cannot be done until the list of reports are addressed below.

• We would have already briefed hydraulic, structural and Civil engineers along with Landscape designers and Traffic consultants for their reports.

• Waste management plans, statement of environmental effects and cost estimates are completed.

• Once these are all completed, and we have considered the actual “behind the scenes buildings requirements,” we would be in a position to finalise a quotation submission to the client.

•  We would then, should the job proceed, assemble the application documents & Lodge Application via the NSW planning portal

• This process alone can take 6 to 8 weeks prior to lodging plans.

• Changes to government approval regulations has also meant the DA is not lodged as per previous years into the council. It is lodged in a portal which in time will be addressed by the council and the process will begin.

•  A 6 to 12 month period with this process is common but this is depending on the building type, location, land restrictions, outside parties’ involvements i.e., other government bodies possibly requiring approval and general councils requirements in general.

As you can appreciate the general overview above does spell out a minimum 12-month delay from the initial meeting to the DA approval. With the lack of council and government efficiency it's unlikely the process will shorten in the foreseeable future.