After more than 5 years of development Houspect WA welcomes the WA Government’s recent release of the Western Australian Guide to Standards and Tolerances. This guide should be of assistance to both homeowners and builders in understanding key requirements in the construction process.
1 What are we talking about?
Buildings in WA need to be constructed in accordance with the Approved Plans, Engineers requirements, the Building Code of Australia and applicable Australian Standards. Problem is this is a vast amount of paperwork some of which is not publically available!
So the Guide is a solid attempt to document some the key requirements that should apply to construction work. If required the documents, detailed above, are the primary reference point but the WA Guide to Standards and Tolerances is an excellent summary.
2 Is it New?
Yes and No. Yes the actual guide is new to WA and some would argue long overdue. But in reality the guide reflects the expectations of the Code and Applicable Australian Standards so the expectations are not new.
Most of the other Australian States have had equivalent Guide to Standards and Tolerances for many years so in this regard WA is simply playing catch-up.
3 Is it a revolutionary change to WA Construction
No. As indicated above the primary documents have always been and will continue to key references point. Also, references to the NSW and or Victoria the Guides to Standards and Tolerances have generally been accepted in dispute resolution processes.
4 What are the benefits?
WA now has its own the Guide to Standards and Tolerances. This should assist both home owners and builders find common grounds on identifying whether or not construction issues are within tolerances. Yes, sometimes builders make mistakes which need to be remediated. Yes sometimes property owners have unrealistic expectations about how items should do be constructed. So the Guide to Standards and Tolerances is a win win for all stakeholders.
5 Where do I find the Guide?
Click on the cover below to access the Guide from the WA Commerce Web Site.
August 2019
Build, Buy, Invest in property with confidence. Ph 9240 8855 Web: www.houspect.com.au/wa Email: enquiry@houspectwa.com.au
