Bought a rural “fixer” just outside of the Ballarat area under the old Shire permit system. Plans were stamped Approved in 1994 and everything we could find indicate all concrete work and structure was inspected and approved as appropriate back then. The house was charged Rates as a finished house for 28 years and was lived in by the builder for 25 years.

Finally, as we all do, he got old and frail and forgetful. Yet his daughter could not get him to move to a retirement village. So after an almost disaster she rang the Council. They red tagged the house because of his unsafe and self installed wood burner, and a 1st floor balcony with rotted and broken deck boards. He had to move that day.

We bought the house knowing it needed a complete remodel. There were many sheds and additions that were clearly built without any permits, and our offer to purchase required the seller to remove all non-permitted structures, which were (except the house itself). Because of al the rearrangements in the Building Permit transition to a State run system, conflicting information from various “officials” about how to approach Renovs and permits, and the potential costs involved, we approached the remodel differently. Spending over $18,000 on a renov project triggered even more costly fees and hoops to pay to jump thru.

So we elected to take each system renov and approach it as a seperate project.

We hired an electrical contractor to replace the electrical system. The electric meter box DID meet all new requirements. All beyond to power points was replaced per all new codes, and we received a certificate for that work. Did the same for plumbing. And we had the wood burner removed entirely, replaced with Reverse Cycle. The balcony was done the same way… remember old, and build it new but to current codes. We took each major Renov item as if it was a stand alone replacement of existing.

Even the interior staircase was a replacement/upgrade of the existing. Same physical location, just. Used a pre manufactured system rather than the wobbly and built from scrap monstrosity that existed when we bought it.

Now for the tough part. I need an occupancy permit. 25 years ago after passing inspections for the slab, septic, structure, roofing etc, he just stopped having any inspections done.

I rang Council and a person said that since the change over handing control to the State, and because we are talking about the original being so old, that I had to start over, just as if I wanted to build a brand new house.

That means Architect drawings, planning commission, tree study, energy study, all just like starting with a vacant lot, even tho I’ve got a Title /deed for a property with a house on it, have a small bank mortgage, pay insurance with a replacement cost in case of disaster provision, and they’ve been collecting Rates just like it was a completed Occupancy Permitted home for 25 years.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can obtain an OP without spending an additional $20,000 worth of fees, potentially have to hire some unknown Building Surveyor who many demand I open up walls so he can measure insulation density, or even require I tear the place down and he can inspect the foot8ngs and slab (even tho that all passed under the old permit).

My 70 year old nervous system has decided to flare up over all this. So any advice someone has just might help me sleep a bit better this upcoming weekend.

Thanks