By Casey Neill
TOWNSHIPS within the Shire of Yarra Ranges have topped a list of worst suburbs in Victoria for meeting building regulations, according to statistics released recently.
Statistics collected by Archicentre building inspectors since 1996 found 23 per cent of the 177 homes inspected in Lilydale failed a 300-point building inspection.
The Shire of Yarra Ranges ranked poorly with 39 per cent of the 2970 homes assessed deemed illegal, well above the Victorian average of 30 per cent.
Archicentre general manager David Hallett warned that renovators who got caught up in building scams or poor workmanship could find themselves in court, chasing money from a bankrupt or left with a half-finished project.
Mr Hallett said Reno Watch was aimed at educating the community and steering homeowners in the right direction.
Shire spokesman James Martin said the council not only supported Archicentre in raising awareness of the issue, but was also taking action to promote community awareness and crack down on unscrupulous building practitioners.
Mr Martin said additional funds were allocated in this year’s budget for a second building compliance officer.
He said many people were unaware of the need for a building permit, or chose to ignore the requirement.
“This has been an issue over many decades as is evidenced by the fact that many of the suburbs identified by Archicentre are long-established areas,” he said.
“Historically, a large number of the homes in the Dandenongs were built many decades ago, often as weekend getaways. Some of these would pre-date the more stringent planning regulations that exist today.”
Archicentre’s Shane Moritz said homes included in the statistics failed to pass a building inspection.
He cited incorrect ceiling heights, lean-to extensions and unsound structures as common failing points.
The figures were compiled from more than 80,000 pre-purchase inspections.
Archicentre is the building advisory service of the Australian Institute of Architects and offers services to home buyers, new home builders and renovators.
Consumers are advised to ensure they have a written contract before any building works begin.
Before agreeing to any repair work, consumers should ask for proof of builder’s registration, a written quote, a company card or letterhead with ACN / ABN number, an after hour’s contact telephone number, a street address for mailing documents and a copy of the insurance policy number.
