Brisbane & South East Queensland
Practical, plain language guides on building approvals, drawing requirements, council rules, and costs for homeowners in Brisbane and South East Queensland.
Written from Brisbane, relevant across South East Queensland. Setback rules under the Queensland Development Code, private certification and the building approval process apply across the state. Where a council does things differently, the guide says so.
Building approval guides
When approval is required, what the exemptions are, and what documents your certifier needs.
Read guide →Elevated decks, ground level decks, and pool decks, and when approval is triggered and what the height thresholds mean.
Read guide →Roofed vs unroofed, attached vs freestanding. How the presence of a roof structure changes the approval requirement.
Read guide →Room extensions always require approval. This guide covers the full assessment process, drawing requirements, and common delays.
Read guide →Secondary dwelling size limits, setbacks, the 2022 change allowing rent to anyone, and when a development application is needed.
Read guide →Costs & pricing
Drawing fees, engineering, certifier costs, and council fees. What you can expect to pay and what’s included in a fixed price quote.
Read guide →What a set of deck drawings costs, what’s typically included, and what additional fees to budget for alongside the plans.
Read guide →The $4,990 fixed drawing fee, plus the certifier, engineering, council and construction costs to budget alongside it.
Read guide →The $2,990 fixed drawing fee for roofed and unroofed patios, what’s included, and the other fees to budget for.
Read guide →From $3,490 with the price confirmed in writing after scope review. What affects the price and what’s included.
Read guide →Planning rules & process
Almost all residential approvals in Brisbane go through a private certifier, not council. Here’s how the roles split and when council is involved.
Read guide →Site plans, floor plans, elevations, and specifications. What each drawing shows and why certifiers require them.
Read guide →If your home is in an inner Brisbane suburb, it may sit in a Character Residential Overlay. This changes what’s allowed for carports and garages.
Read guide →Smaller lots have tighter setback constraints. This guide explains the Brisbane City Plan rules for carports on lots under 450sqm.
Read guide →The standard 6m front setback, when relaxations apply, and how corner lots and character overlays change the rules.
Read guide →What a site plan shows, what information it needs to include, and why it’s required for every building approval in Brisbane.
Read guide →Size limits and key conditions compared across Brisbane, Logan, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and the Redlands.
Read guide →Articles from across Queensland
Shorter articles on approvals, costs and the drafting process across Queensland and SEQ.
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Fixed price drawings for carports, decks, patios, and room extensions across Brisbane and South East Queensland. Send us your details and we’ll confirm suitability within one business day.