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Building (General) Regulation 2008
Part 31 Interpretation—sch 3
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Part 3.1 Interpretation—sch 3
3.1 Definitions—sch 3
(1) In this schedule:
defect tolerance, for an element of building work, means the amount
stated in the tolerances guide for the element as the amount by which
the element may deviate from a stated dimension in the approved
plans for the building work, or a result from working out a dimension
using a method stated in the tolerances guide, for the element.
tolerances guide means the Guide to Standards and Tolerances 2017,
as in force from time to time.
Note The tolerances guide does not need to be notified under the Legislation
Act because s 47 (5) does not apply (see Legislation Act, s 47 (7)). The
tolerances guide is accessible at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.
(2) For this schedule, approved plans that relate to building work show
the dimension of an element of the building work if the dimension of
the element can be—
(a) worked out geometrically from the drawings in the approved
plans; or
Schedule 3 Fundamentally noncompliant building work
Part 3.1 Interpretation—sch 3
Section 3.1
(b) deduced from diagrammatic information in the approved plans.
Examples—s (2)
1 Approved plans show a building’s finished floor level and ceiling height with
reference to a national height datum but do not include any other vertical
dimensions that refer to a height datum. The plans also show a roof pitched
from the ceiling level at a roof slope of 22.5º, rising to a single ridgeline at the
uppermost part of the roof. It can be worked out, from the stated horizontal and
vertical dimensions and slope, that the top of the ridge must be 5430mm above
the finished floor level. Although the plans do not state the level of the top of
the roof, the plans show what the level must be.
2 Approved plans show external doors and windows of a building to be
approximately in the horizontal centre of the adjacent room wall. The plans do
not show horizontal dimensions to locate the doors or windows. The plans are
taken to show that the doors and windows must be located approximately in
the horizontal centre of the relevant walls even though no dimensions are
specified. A door or window wholly left or right of the horizontal centre of the
room would not comply with the location shown on the plans.
Fundamentally noncompliant building work Schedule 3
Fundamentally noncompliant building work Part 3.2
Part 3.2 Fundamentally noncompliant
item
element of building
work
when building work is fundamentally noncompliant
1 horizontal set out of a
the building’s set out is more than 10 times the defect
tolerance for horizontal set outs stated in the
tolerances guide
2 a floor (a) the level of the floor is more than 10 times the
defect tolerance for floors stated in the tolerances
guide;
(b) the total floor area exceeds the total floor area
building work by more than 10%
3 external dimensions of
a building
the external dimensions of the building are more than
10 times the defect tolerance for external dimensions
stated in the tolerances guide
4 a room (a) the set out or a dimension of the room is more
than 10 times the defect tolerance for rooms
stated in the tolerances guide;
(b) the number of rooms is more than the number
5 masonry work a tolerance of a masonry component is more than 10
times the defect tolerance for the masonry component
stated in the tolerances guide
6 height of a building (a) the top of the building is more than 500mm
higher than shown on the approved plans that
relate to the building work;
(b) the vertical distance from the ground to any point
on the building is more than 500mm greater than
Schedule 3 Fundamentally noncompliant building work
Part 3.2 Fundamentally noncompliant building work
item
element of building
work
when building work is fundamentally noncompliant
7 number of storeys of a
the number of storeys is more than the number shown
on the approved plans that related to the building work
8 number of buildings the number of buildings, residences or units is more
than the number shown on the approved plans that
relate to the building work
9 useless space in a
Note See the
example at the end of this
table.
the approved plans that relate to the building work do
not show a use for a space in the building and the
space is constructed in a way that it could be
reasonably used for human occupation
10 door or window (a) the number of external doors or windows is more
than the number shown on the approved plans
that relate to the building work
(b) a door or window is located in an external wall
even though the approved plans that relate to the
building work shows no part of a door or
window to be located in the wall
11 an enclosure (a) a wall or roof encloses or partly encloses a
building or space shown on the approved plans
for the building work not to be enclosed or partly
enclosed with the wall or roof;
(b) a wall or roof has an area of more than 2m²
12 regulated swimming
pool
pool does not have the fencing or barrier required
under the Act to restrict access of young children to
pool and immediate pool surrounds
Examples—item 9
1 Approved plans show a space between a ceiling and the roof above the ceiling
(the roof space) but do not show a use for the roof space. The roof space is
constructed in a way that it could reasonably be used as an attic bedroom.
2 Approved plans show a space between the ground and a floor above the ground
(the subfloor area) but do not show a use for the subfloor area. The subfloor
area is constructed in a way that it could reasonably be used as a home theatre.
Reviewable decisions Schedule 4