A garage is an enclosed building that gives you an effective way of protecting your vehicle from the harshest Australian weather. The great thing about garages is that they’re not just confined to vehicles – you can store all sorts in your garage once it’s been built! They can be an excellent way of giving your new build some extra storage and property value.
However, you can’t just wake up one morning and decide to build a garage. You’ll need permission from both the local council and Australian standards to prevent being hit with any fines in the future. Today we’re looking at everything you need to know before building your garage in Queensland, including planning approval, building permits, and much more below.
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What’s the difference between a garage and a carport?
Before we dive into the nitty gritty of Queensland’s regulations, we want to make sure we’re all talking about the same thing. Garages and carports often get lumped together and are used interchangeably, but this isn’t the case. Garages are fully enclosed and are often a part of the existing house or as a separate building through its own door. This means you can close and lock the garage, keeping it completely secure from the outside world.
Alternatively, you might want a carport instead. These are semi-open structures that don’t close with their own door, but rather stay open all day and night for constant access. They tend to be cheaper and easier to build, but they don’t give you the security that garages often do.
Whether you’re looking for a garage or a carport is completely up to you, but you’ll need to know what you’re hoping for when applying for permission, as QLD regulations are different for both garages and carports.
Do I need planning approval to build a garage in Queensland?
Brisbane City Plan 2014 allows for the construction of a garage or carport as part of a dwelling house, which is otherwise known as a residential use of premises for one household containing a single family. Garages are widely considered accepted development, although this might differ depending on your location.
Accepted development structures don’t need council approval, as long as you meet the correct guidelines set out for you. However, bear in mind that this doesn’t give you a free pass to go and do whatever you want – you still have some rules to follow.
Your garage must comply with all of the requirements in the Dwelling House code, or if you’re on a small lot, it should comply with the requirements of the Dwelling House (small lot) code.
If your proposal meets all of the identified requirements of its applicable code, your garage can be considered accepted development, and you won’t need anything in writing from your council. However, if it doesn’t meet all of these requirements, it then becomes assessable development.
What is assessable development?
So, you think your garage might not meet the identified requirements to be an accepted development – what’s next? Don’t worry; all hope of your dream new build garage is not lost. You’ll simply need a planning application.
Your planning application only needs to be against the performance outcomes that your garage fails to meet. A garage that only fails against one requirement will have a much smoother ride than if it fails against multiple!
Here are some of the most common reasons why your garage might be assessable development and therefore need council approval:
- Your home is in a neighbourhood plan area or overlay that has different rules outlined
- It’s in a zone where the regulations are varied from the norm
- You own a heritage-listed house, which might come with more restrictions
What about new builds?
When building a new house and wanting to add a garage, you should include this in your building application. You should be able to get it approved much quicker this way as if you don’t include it on your initial application, you’ll need to submit an entirely separate building approval to build the garage on an existing house.
Building approval is different to planning approval, so you might find that you need both of these from your local council before moving on to building your garage. You can get help applying for building approval through a building certifier to hopefully make this part of the process easier and less stressful for you.
What are the garage building regulations in Queensland?
Queensland’s building code defines a private garage at a Class 10a building, as long as you’re not planning on making it a habitable space. Most properties allow one garage to be built upon it, although it’s vital that you check with your local council’s regulations beforehand.
Why might you have to submit a building application?
A building application might need to be submitted before building your garage because:
- Your plan is to build a garage of more than 10 square metres in size
- The garage is set to be taller than 2.4 metres
- You want the garage to have a length of more than 5 metres
- The garage is going to be attached to another building rather than remaining freestanding
- You’re in the process of planning your new build
What is the garage building approval process?
Every application is different, but as a general rule of thumb, the Queensland government has a four-step plan for building approval applications. Here are the typical steps you’ll need to go through:
- Request a quote from your choice of certifier to discuss the project and what you’ll need to provide for your application.
- Return the forms and information your certifier has asked for. This might include plans, proposed structures, and specific details you’d like to be approved.
- You can then draft all of the plans before sending them to your building certifier and wait for their decision.
- Once you’ve hopefully been given the green light for your garage, you can begin building! Your certifier will need to arrange inspections along the way, so make sure you liaise with them when the best time for you would be.
Of course, this is a typical approval process, and yours might look different depending on your district and personal plans. We’d highly recommend getting advice from a local professional to learn what your council requires to make building your garage as simple as possible.
How do I ensure that my garage is compliant with QLD regulations?
The best advice we can give is for you to make sure your garage plans meet all of the accepted regulations and legal requirements before submitting your request. We also recommend getting the help of either. building certifier or building inspector to take a look at your proposal beforehand to see if there’s anything that needs changing for the best outcomes.
How much will a building inspector cost to review my garage build?
Again, there’s no one-price-fits-all rate for a building inspector in Queensland, as the fee will largely depend on the size of your garage. However, we’d recommend expecting a bill of between $200 and $300 for a smaller building, like a garage, and $400 to $500 for an average-sized house. Bear in mind that if you’re building a new build alongside the garage, your fee will likely be on the higher end.
Are there any exemptions to the garage building regulations in QLD?
As we mentioned earlier, not all garages need council approval if they’re considered acceptable developments. However, it’s incredibly important that you follow the building regulations to keep this the case. Your advisor will be able to let you know whether you have any grounds for exemption, as this will be based on meeting the guidelines outlined by your local council. You’ll be able to make your case for the exemption you want, for example, a garage taller than 2.4 metres, and whether this is granted or not will depend on how strong your case for it is.
What are the consequences of not following the garage building regulations in QLD?
The consequences for not following regulations or not getting the correct approval before building your garage is often not worth the bother. You might be given a notice or fine, or you might even be told to remove the garage from your property. You’ll need to pay for the removal or alterations to your garage, so you’ll end up paying more in the long run and might not get the garage that you originally wanted.
When in doubt, check with your council. This gives you the best chance of abiding by any rules and regulations they have in place and prevents you from getting into trouble in the long run.
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