Restrictions
Covenant Removal
A previous post talked about restrictions placed on block by covenants So you have found the perfect block. . . but it has a covenant restricting the amount of buildings to 50% and your dream plan will occupy more? Removal…
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Easements

When I worked for a drainage contractor almost every month I have to tell people that they are going to have to take down their shed, dig out part of their raised garden bed, or take up part of their…
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Building On Pipeline Easements (Or Close To)

Previous posts have talked about Sewer and Drain Easements but you build close to or over a pipe on an easement? Permission You must get permission from the owner of the easement to build on the easement. Some easement owners…
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Restrictive Covenants

Don’t think because you buy a block you can do what you like on it! There are often restrictive covenants on land. . . . .That is “an agreement between land owners which may restrict how land may be used…
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Remove, or Vary, a Covenant
Many properties come with covenants that restrict what you can do with the site. Although you can try to Remove the Covenant you might have a better chance of success in getting a permit to vary it instead. A couple of…
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Stormwater Discharge Point

One check that is often forgotten when buying a house block in an established suburb is how storm water is removed from the site. Forty, or more, years ago when land was cheaper, it was not unusual for blocks to be…
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Onsite Stormwater Dention – Why

If you want to redevelop or subdivide an existing urban house block, you might find that a planning condition is that you will need to provide On-site Stormwater Detention (OSD). You may also find it is a condition on individual…
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Floor Space Ratio, or Plot Ratio
When you are buying a new house block it’s important you understand how much of the block you can build on! One way in which NSW councils prevent Over development is by prescribing a ‘Floor Space Ration’ (FSR). The same…
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Habitable Rooms
What is a Habitable Room? You see the phase in several planning and building documents with regard to things like Ceiling Height (see Room Height) and Overlooking. Well according to the Building Code of Australia (BCA) A Habitable Room is…
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Protecting Underground Pipes

One of the problems that happen all too often during a new house build is that Sewers and Drains get filled with concrete. Its normally happens on: A knock down and rebuild project where the sewer connection wasn’t sealed during…
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