Guides - Build in Brisbane

Green timber house raised on stumps in a tropical garden, Queensland

Check the character overlay before you design

Before you pay for plans on a Queenslander or pre-war house, look up your Traditional building character, pre-1911 and heritage overlays on City Plan online so you know what you can demolish, raise, build under and extend.

Jacaranda tree in flower over a Brisbane street

Guide 7 min read

Flood and overland flow: look it up before you pay for drawings

Brisbane City Council's free Flood Awareness Map and FloodWise Property Report tell you your minimum habitable floor level, which shapes any raise, build-under or extension, so get them before the first sketch.

Timber house frame under construction behind site fencing

Guide 7 min read

What a certifier does, and what they don’t

A Queensland building certifier approves and inspects your building work and issues the Form 21 at the end, but they don't design it, supervise the site, check finishes or sort out disputes with your builder.

Older timber house half-hidden by palms and garden, Queensland

Guide 7 min read

Asbestos on older homes: budget the assessment first

If your Brisbane home was built or renovated before 1990 it may contain asbestos, so get it assessed before you finalise plans and prices, and know the 10 square metre rule, licence classes and clearance requirements.

Gloved hands fastening a sheet of metal roofing with a power tool

Guide 7 min read

Licence check: how to check a builder or trade before you sign

Before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, check your builder or trade on the QBCC register, your electrician with the Electrical Safety Office, and make sure the deposit, contract and home warranty insurance meet Queensland rules.