The Building Practitioners Board was created to ensure there are checks and balances in place for registered practitioners. The board uses a system which details historical data on performance, which allows practitioners to be fairly rated in overall competence. Essentially, the board oversees a number of mechanisms that facilitate the monitoring of building practitioners’ performance, competence and professional conduct. Any practitioners found in breach of codes of practice may also be subject to sanctions or punishment. What’s more, the data collected by the Building Practitioners Board is useful for creating more effective codes of practice which ultimately benefit the consumer.
Building Practitioners Board
The Building Practitioners Board’s was not solely created as a tight leash for those in the building industry. The data that is collected is also used to improve building codes and practices, as well as providing a useful reference for practitioners. There is a wealth of information available to practitioners, so that they are always up to speed with current regulations and building codes. By working with the board, practitioners are able to improve their own practices and gain a reputation as a reliable and competent builder. However, a builder need only register with the Building Practitioners Board in order to carry out particular types of building work.
Registration Requirements
It is important to understand when practitioners are required to register with the board. The requirements are very specific so some due diligence is required. Some examples of registration requirement include the construction of new single houses, including garages or carports; major extensions, such as additional bedrooms, and any construction where the cost exceeds $12,000. Similarly, there are types of work which do not require registration. For instance, the practitioner does not need to register with the board if the job involves constructing a carport or garage as an extension to an existing single house.
Benefits for the Consumer
As a home owner in the Northern Territory, you are afforded a number of safe guards due to the regulations imposed by the Building Practitioners Board. Due to the resources available to both practitioners and the home owner, there is an incentive to provide quality workmanship. You, as a home owner, also have various avenues to pursue any dissatisfaction with work that a practitioner has carried out. One such avenue of complaint is The Commissioner of Residential Building Disputes. The commissioner’s office can resolve disputes where there is an arguable case for breach of consumer guarantee. If you wish to see punitive action taken against a practitioner, the Director of Building Control can pursue such allegations and the investigation could result in the prosecution of the offending practitioner.
Due to the broad scope of the Building Practitioners Board, determining whether you need to hire a registered practitioner can become confusing. Unless you understand the various definitions used to describe types of constructions, it is very easy to misinterpret the requirements for registration. One way to pre-empt any pitfalls is by hiring a building inspector to carry out a preconstruction assessment. You will receive a detailed report, including the highlighting of any work which will require you to hire a registered practitioner. Houspect is an established and trusted building inspection service which has been helping Australian residents achieve their building goals since 1983. With over 40 years of experience, we have a proven track record of providing expert services. All our building inspectors are registered builders, who bring a working knowledge of construction to the table.
Contact Houspect via our online enquiry form, over the phone or by email. We will respond to your query as soon as we receive it, so that you can start the ball rolling on what may be the most important project you ever undertake.
