As a builder, jobs and work experience can be greatly expanded when you are in accordance with the Victorian Building Authority (VBA). In fact, if you have the skills and experience you can apply for registration as a building practitioner in Domestic Building work.
Domestic Building Work
Domestic building work is a job that consists of renovation, construction, maintenance or improvement of the home. According to the VBA, a home is any residential properties. It can also include industrial sites or commercial buildings that are used as residential premises. A home does not include the following:
• Any vehicle used as a residence
• A caravan as defined in the Residential Tenancies Act 1997
• Any residence that is not planned for permanent occupancy
• Nursing homes, hospitals or housing in association with a hospital
• A rooming house that has the implications of the Residential Tenancies Act 1997
• A motel, residential hotel, residential club or residential part of licensed premises under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998
• Any residence that the Regulations say is not a home for the resolutions of this definition
Builder Registrations
When building, being a registered builder is important. In fact, a builder must not enter a large domestic building contract without being registered as a builder under the Building Act 1993. The standards for major building contracts is any work that is valued at is $16,000 or over. Also, a building permit is required and work must not be carried out unless it has been authorized by the registered building surveyor who issued the building permit for the work.
There are various Builder Registrations you can apply for and the process varies slightly according to the class of registration through the VBA. The two registrations if your intention to build homes is the DB-U or DB-M Registration. As well, there are various components of domestic building work like:
• Construction of Non-habitable Building
• Structures
• Construction of Gates and Fences
• Construction of a Retaining Wall
• Construction of Swimming Pools and Spas
• Construction of Private Bushfire Shelters
• Building of Shade Structures
• Structural Landscaping
• Bathroom, Kitchen or Laundry Renovation
• Earthworks and Excavation work
• Footings and Slabs
• Framing
• Bricklaying and Blocklaying
• External Wall Cladding
