Free checklist · Renovating or building in Victoria
Before you call a designer, find these.
Your first meeting goes further when the paperwork is already on the table. Answer eight questions about your home and this list drops anything that doesn't apply. Most of it is in your settlement papers, your inbox or your phone.
Built from the checklist we use on every projectFree, with no sign-upYour ticks stay on this device
Your title and property
Most of this is in your settlement papers.
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Essential
Shows who owns the land and any restrictions on what can be built.
Where: LANDATA (about $15), or your settlement papers.
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Essential
Your lot size, boundaries and easements.
Where: LANDATA, ordered with the title.
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If it applies
These can limit height, materials or how far you build from the boundary.
Where: Listed on the title from LANDATA.
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Helpful
Easements, covenants, permits and any owner-builder work, all in one place.
Where: Your conveyancer, or your settlement papers.
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Helpful
Gives us the council's property number and confirms who owns it.
Where: Your council, by post or email.
Council letters and earlier work
Anything done to the house before you, or before now.
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If it applies
An open compliance issue can stop or delay a project.
Where: Your own records.
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Helpful
Saves measuring and shows earlier changes. Old council copies and real estate floor plans count.
Where: Your files, the previous owner, the real estate listing or council's archive.
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If it applies
Confirms earlier extensions were signed off.
Where: Your records, or the permit history from council.
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If it applies
Affects warranties and what we need to check.
Where: Your records or the Section 32.
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If it applies
We check whether they needed permits.
Where: Take them on your phone.
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If it applies
Works near a pool or spa can trigger a re-inspection.
Where: Council's register, or your records.
Reports you may already have
If you don't have one, that's fine. We'll arrange what's needed.
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Helpful
Lists known defects, so nothing is a surprise.
Where: Your records from when you bought.
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Helpful
Termite history affects the design and the build.
Where: Your records.
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If it applies
Earlier advice on cracks, footings or structure.
Where: Your records.
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If it applies
A recent one can save commissioning a new one.
Where: Your records. If there isn't one, we arrange a surveyor.
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If it applies
Footing design depends on it.
Where: Your records. If there isn't one, we arrange it.
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If it applies
For homes built before 1990, asbestos must be known before any demolition.
Where: Your records. If there isn't one, we arrange it.
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Helpful
A starting point for your energy assessment.
Where: Your records, or the Section 32 for newer homes.
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If it applies
Protected trees can change what's possible on your site.
Where: Your records.
Bills and energy
Your retailer's app usually has these in a few taps.
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Essential
Your usage and meter number: the baseline for your energy assessment.
Where: Your retailer's app or email.
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If it applies
Your gas use, and planning for going all-electric.
Where: Your retailer's app or email.
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If it applies
System size, inverter and export limit: what you have and what can be added.
Where: Your installer's paperwork, or the inverter app.
Photos on your phone
Daylight, landscape, one thing per photo.
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Helpful
Street context and the front of the house.
Where: Stand across the road.
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Helpful
Walls, windows and the yard.
Where: Walk around the outside.
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Helpful
Roof type and condition.
Where: From the ground. No ladders.
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Helpful
Glazing and frames, for the energy assessment and design.
Where: One photo per type, inside or out.
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Helpful
So problems are fixed as part of the work.
Where: Close up, with something for scale.
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Helpful
Overlooking, overshadowing and tree rules.
Where: From your yard, looking out.
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Helpful
Shows capacity, and whether an upgrade is needed.
Where: Only open it if it's safe to.
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If it applies
For going all-electric, and for the energy assessment.
Where: Heater, cooktop, hot water and meter.
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Helpful
Its type, age and size.
Where: One photo of the unit, one close up of the label.
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Helpful
Their type, age and efficiency.
Where: One photo of each unit, one of each label.
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Helpful
Insulation is a big factor in comfort and energy.
Where: From the manhole, only if you can do it safely.
Your ideas
Nothing needs to be final. A rough idea is enough.
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Essential
The first three things we'll ask about.
Where: Jot them down. A range is fine.
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Helpful
Shows us the look and feel you're after.
Where: Your saved images, or a board per room.
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If it applies
Appliance, fixture and window sizes the design must fit.
Where: Supplier spec sheets or links.
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If it applies
So we can compare like with like.
Where: From the builders.
If another designer drew your plans
For an energy assessment or project management of someone else's design.
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Essential
We assess and build from these. The design stays with your designer.
Where: Your designer or architect.
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Essential
Insulation, glazing and finishes, for the energy rating and for pricing.
Where: Your designer.
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Essential
The builder prices and builds the structure from these.
Where: Your engineer, usually through your designer.
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Essential
Shows which set of plans is the approved one.
Where: Your building surveyor.
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If it applies
The permit's conditions have to be met during the build.
Where: Council, or your designer.
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If it applies
So the build matches what was rated, and nothing is done twice.
Where: Your designer or energy assessor.
Leave these to us
Once you engage us, we find or arrange these, so you don't need to:
- Your planning property report, showing zoning and overlays (VicPlan, free).
- Your building and planning permit history from council (a small fee, and only with your OK).
- Heritage guidelines, if your property is in a heritage overlay.
- A bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment, if your site is bushfire-prone.
- A feature survey, soil report or asbestos audit, if you don't already have a recent one.
Please never send keys, alarm codes or passwords. We'll collect those in person when they're needed.
Save your list
Leave your name and email and we'll keep a copy of your answers and what you've found, so we're ready when you call. Then print it, or save it as a PDF.
Saved. Print your list or save it as a PDF to bring to your first meeting. Come back any time: your ticks stay in this browser.
Next: we can turn your answers into a Neighbourhood report for your site, $500 incl. GST. See a sample.