Owner-builders

An owner-builder is a person authorised to do owner-builder work under a permit issued by NSW Fair Trading.

An Owner-Builder Permit allows people who have the skill or capacity to build their own house or supervise construction by coordinating sub-contractors.

You will need an Owner-Builder Permit if:

1. you want to supervise, coordinate or do building work on your home that is worth more than $10,000 (including labour and materials), and you have decided not to use a licensed builder
2. the work relates to a single-dwelling house, dual occupancy (in special circumstances) or a secondary dwelling that requires development consent with a Development Application or a Complying Development Certificate.

Although an Owner-Builder Permit is not a builder's licence, as the owner-builder you are responsible for the building work - just like a licensed builder would be.

You must provide your principal certifier with a copy of your Owner-Builder Permit before the start of your building work.

• You can find out more about the construction phase on our construction process page.

Download

Find out everything you need to know about becoming an owner-builder with our flowchart of the owner-builder process:

• Download a flowchart that shows the major steps in the owner-builder process (568 KB)

More information

You can find more information on the NSW Government Fair Trading website, including answers to these questions and topics about becoming an owner-builder:

• what is owner-builder work?
• should I do owner-builder work?
• do I need an Owner-Builder Permit?
• how do I get an Owner-Builder Permit?
• what are my limitations under the permit?
• what are my responsibilities?
• construction approval
• using licensed tradespeople
• contracts
• compulsory home building compensation cover and other insurances
• handling disputes.

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