Q. Will the building cost be fixed?

A. Some builders will offer “fixed price” contracts.  The question is whether the fixed price contract covers all your scope of works.  Sydney Dualocc will ensure your fixed price contract includes the appropriate scope of works for the builder and the works not undertaken by the builder are cover by other contractors such as landscaper or services contractors.

Sydney Dualocc will ensure the costs for all works are identified and quantified.  Where there are unknown costs Sydney Dualocc will include a contingency to ensure there are no cost blows outs on your development.

Q. How long does it take to build a dual occupancy?

A. This is probably the second most commonly asked question after how long does it take to start building.

Generally speaking allowing 6 months from commencement of construction is a good rule of thumb.  This allows for some delays from wet weather, authority delays other unforeseen delays which are not known at the start.

Some builders will offer fixed time contracts however they usually include either a heathy delay allowance or clauses allowing the date for their completion to be delayed.

Sydney Dualocc will arrange for a construction programme from the builder so you know exactly where he is up to in competing you duplex and when your duplex will be completed. 

Q. How long does it take to obtain Development Consent?

A. This is most commonly asked question and the variable in developing property.

Development Consent can be issued by Council in as little as 6 weeks or may take a year.  There are numerous issues affecting this time line.  The application’s level of compliance to Council’s planning laws, whether your neighbours have any concerns with your development and of course how busy Council planners are during the application process.

As a rule of thumb allowing 3 months as a guide will help you works out a broad timeline for your duplex.

In our experience development applications are rarely approved within the 6 weeks however Sydney Dualocc can give an indication once contact is made with Council planners.

Q. What is a feasibility?

A. It is the first step in determining whether it is practical to develop a dual occupancy on your property. This includes undertaking an initial site assessment of your site. 

A feasibility assesses what size dual occupancies, 2 or 3 bedrooms, can be built, incorporating an estimate how much it will cost to build the dual occupancy and what the development will sell or rent for upon completion. 

At the end of the feasibility you will know:

1. What size dual occupancy Council may allow you to build,

2. An initial estimate of the total cost of the development of your dual occupancy,

3. Whether a bank may provide you finance to fund your dual occupancy and,

4. What profit you could make through selling or renting your completed dual occupancy.

From this information you can make an informed decision whether to proceed to the next step and commit to selecting designs and preparing a development application.  It is better to know before your commit your money whether you can develop your dual occupancy.

Q. What is an initial site assessment?

A. As part of the feasibility process, an initial site assessment is prepared to determine what size dual occupancy you can build under the local planning laws which govern your site. 

This includes:

1. Reviewing Council’s Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plans,

2. Obtaining a planning certificate for our property,

3. Undertaking a preliminary assessment of your site’s conditions including site slope or grade, ground conditions, preliminary siting of the duplex on the property, and

4. Preliminary services investigation for sewer and stormwater.

The site assessment provides valuable information, including site costs, into the feasibility to determine initial cost assessment of the development. 

Q. What are site costs?

A. Site costs are the costs to prepare your land for the construction of a new dual occupancy, they are also known as Site Works Costs.  They may include excavation and/or filling to level the site, piering for foundations and possibly additional works such as connections to water supply and sewer lines.

Once the site works have been completed, the building work of your new dual occupancy can commence.

These costs may be excluded from some building contractor’s quotations and can cause some stress when they need to be completed and paid for.

There are also other costs which comes builders exclude such as landscaping, driveways, retaining walls, fencing, external stormwater and sewer connections, clothes lines and letter boxes. 

Site cost are often missed by the novice developer and often excluded by the builder leaving you with an incomplete dual occupancy which you cannot live in or sell.  Sydney Dualocc will ensure these costs and works are identified from the start and managed through to completion.

Q. What is Development Application?

A. It is an application to your Council to build a dual occupancy on your land.  It will include

1. Statement of Environmental Effects,

2. Architectural plans with site analysis plan, floor plans, façade elevations and shadow diagrams,

3. The Survey plan,

4. Stormwater management plan,

5. Engineering plans,

6. Landscape plan,

7. Basix report,

8. Site management plan,

9. Finishes schedule,

10. Geotechnical report,

11. Development application form

12. Any other plans or reports your council may require.

The Development Application is assessed by a Council planner for compliance with the Council's Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plans for the area.

Development Applications that comply with the Council’s plans can be assessed quickly and may be approved by Council's planner under the 'delegated authority'.

Non-compliant Development Applications take longer to assess and may be referred to a Council meeting.  They can be refused by Council wasting a lot of your effort and money or resulting in further complex challenges to Council’s refusal.

Sydney Dualocc generally recommends development applications comply with the Local Environmental Plan and Development Control Plans to avoid disappointment and long delays in starting your duplex.

Q. What are Development Consent Conditions?

A. Upon approval of the development application, Development Consent Conditions will be issued by Council.  These conditions are the rules set by Council is allowing you to develop your dual occupancy.

Development Consent Conditions can sometimes be complex and must be complied with to proceed with your development.  Non-compliance may lead to fines and legal action by Council.

Sydney Dualocc will ensure there are no breaches of the Development Consent Conditions.

Q. What is Construction Certificate?

A. A Construction Certificate is the approval to commence construction works.  It is issued by a Principal Certifying Authority, which can be a private certifier or Council itself.

The Construction Certificate ensures your dual occupancy complies with:

1. The development consent conditions issued by Council,

2. The Building Code of Australia and relevant Australian Standards.

3. All engineering requirements including structure and services and,

4. All statutory fees, bonds and contributions are paid as they are required.

Q. What is Occupation Certificate?

A. The Occupation Certificate is issued by the Principal Certifying Authority who also issued the construction certificate.  It confirms your dual occupancy has been constructed in accordance with the Construction Certificate, the Building Code of Australian, the relevant Australian Standards and all relevant authority requirements.

Upon the issuing of your Occupation Certificate you can move in or sell your duplex.

Your duplex must be 100% complete and all development consent conditions satisfied for this certificate to be issued.  This includes payment of all fees and charges, connection of all services and completion of landscaping, driveways and fences.  These items are commonly left to, you, the land owner to manage after the builder has built the dual occupancy.  As stated above the occupation certificate cannot be issued without completion of these items and if left unattended may cause cost blow outs and time delays.

Q. What are statutory fees, bonds and contributions?

A. Council imposes a number of fees, bonds and charges as a part of the development consent.  These are generally paid prior to issuing the Construction Certificate.  Some bonds are refunded at the completion of the project. 

The most common are:

Section 94 contribution to contribute to Council’s infrastructure, such as roads, parks sports venues etc.

Section 73 Certificate to connect Sydney Water’s water supply and sewer system.

Council footpath bond in case you damage council’s footpath, kerb & gutter and road.

Council Road Opening Permit to obtain permission to excavate in Council’s road.

Landscape Bond to ensure landscaping is installed to the development consent requirements.

These charges and bonds can amount to a significant cost and should be ascertained prior to committing to developing your dual occupancy. 

Sydney Dualocc will ascertain these charges and include them in your initial feasibility so you know where you stand from the start.

Q. What is Practical Completion?

A. This is a technical term in the builder’s contract where upon the builder has completed his works.  This does not necessarily equate to completion of your development.  As referred to above, builder’s often leave out external works such as landscaping driveways and services connections. 

Sydney Dualocc will ensure your practical completion is when you can move back into or sell your dual occupancy.