Registered design practitioner for remedial building work on NSW strata buildings
Do you need a registered design practitioner in NSW?
We prepare and declare the regulated designs needed to rectify defects in existing strata buildings, with particular depth in waterproofing.
What is a design practitioner?
Under section 3(1) of the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) (“DBP Act”), a design practitioner is a person who prepares regulated designs.
For regulated building work in NSW, a registered design practitioner prepares the relevant regulated designs and, where required, makes design compliance declarations confirming that the designs follow the applicable requirements, including the National Construction Code (NCC).
Regulated designs may cover building structure, fire safety systems, waterproofing, building enclosure, services and performance solutions.
Design practitioner registration in NSW
Certain regulated building work in NSW must follow the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW). Where the DBP Act applies, regulated designs must be prepared and declared by a registered design practitioner.
At Archi-QS, we support your project through:
Registered design practitioner in the Building Design class, with an active NSW registration and no limit on building height or storey count.
Designs prepared within our registered class, and coordinated with other registered practitioners (such as structural or fire) where the project needs them.
Ongoing professional development to keep up with changes to the DBP Act and the NCC.
Who needs a design practitioner?
If you are carrying out remedial building work on a regulated building in NSW, such as rectifying defects in an existing strata building, you may need to appoint a registered design practitioner to prepare the regulated designs and make the required design compliance declarations.
Regulated designs are designs for a building element or performance solution for building work on a regulated building. Regulated buildings include:
Class 2 buildings
such as apartments and apartment buildings
Class 3 buildings
such as certain shared accommodation buildings, including hostels
Class 9c buildings
such as aged-care buildings
Mixed-use buildings
that include a Class 2, 3 or 9c part
There are various registration classes and areas of practice for design practitioners. Each registration class allows a practitioner to declare specific types of regulated designs. This means each project may require several registered design practitioners working together, and it’s important that they integrate their designs instead of working in isolation.
When do you need one?
You may need a registered design practitioner if:
You are about to start remedial building work on a strata building that involves a building element or a performance solution. A registered design practitioner must prepare the relevant regulated design and design compliance declaration (where required).
Your architect or designer is not registered for the relevant NSW design practitioner class or area of practice. For regulated design work, the design practitioner must hold the appropriate NSW registration.
You change a building element or performance solution after work has started. If the change affects regulated work, an updated or new regulated design and design compliance declaration may be required before the affected work continues.
You are an owners corporation carrying out regulated remedial building work. Since 1 July 2021, remedial building work on a Class 2 building, including certain work to common property, has been subject to the DBP requirements.
You want to avoid compliance issues and construction delays. Our registered design practitioner takes responsibility for the compliance of the regulated designs we prepare and how they integrate with other regulated designs. This helps identify design and compliance issues before they arise.
Not sure if your project needs a registered design practitioner? We can help you find out.
Book an obligation-free consultation with our experts.
Design practitioner responsibilities
Design practitioner responsibilities are laid down in the DBP Act. A design practitioner is responsible for the regulated design work that falls within their area of registration, rather than every design or decision on a project.
The table below summarises the key responsibilities a design practitioner may have on a project.
| Responsibility | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Preparing regulated designs | Preparing regulated designs for building elements or performance solutions within their specific area of registration. |
| Design compliance | Ensuring the regulated designs follow the NCC and other applicable rules. |
| Design integration | Ensuring the design integrates with other relevant regulated designs and building work. |
| Design compliance declarations | Providing a design compliance declaration when providing a regulated design for use in building work. |
| Design variations | Providing a design compliance declaration when a regulated design is varied after the work has begun and involves a building element or performance solution. |
| Records and documentation | Keeping copies of regulated designs and design compliance declarations, as required under the applicable laws from time to time. |
Design and Building Practitioners Act: what does it mean for your project?
If the DBP Act applies to your project, it has implications at all stages of the project.
Pre-construction
You need registered design practitioners to prepare the relevant regulated designs and make the required design compliance declarations. The building practitioner must lodge the regulated designs and compliance declarations on the NSW Planning Portal before the relevant building work begins. You generally can’t get a construction certificate for regulated work without the required declared designs.
During construction
If there’s any variation involving a building element or performance solution, the design practitioner must prepare a new or varied regulated design and compliance declaration before the varied work can continue. The building practitioner must lodge the relevant documents on the NSW Planning Portal.
Post-construction
Before applying for an occupation certificate, the building practitioner must lodge the required building compliance declaration and final regulated designs. The certifier cannot issue the occupation certificate until the required compliance declarations have been lodged.
Registered practitioners must keep the required compliance declarations, regulated designs and related project records for at least 10 years from the date the building work is completed.
At what stage of the project should you appoint a design practitioner?
It’s worth appointing a design practitioner as early as possible, during the design stage and before you begin construction.
If you wait until the construction is about to start, you may not have enough time to complete the required designs, declarations and lodgement process.
How does the design compliance process work?
Every remedial engagement follows the same steps, from understanding the defects to declaring the design and checking the work on site.
Site inspection and defect review
We inspect the building and review the defects, previous reports and available documentation to understand what needs to be rectified.
Scope of remedial works
We define the scope of the rectification work so the design, budget and program are based on the same information.
Regulated design
We prepare the drawings and specification for the rectification work, within our registered class.
Design compliance declaration
We declare the regulated design, ready for the building practitioner to lodge on the NSW Planning Portal.
Progress inspections
We inspect during the works to confirm the work is being built in accordance with the declared regulated design.
Records
We keep the regulated designs, declarations and project records for at least 10 years.
Design practitioner services by Archi-QS
Archi-QS is registered under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) as a design practitioner in the class of Building Design, with no limit on building height or storey count.
We dedicate this registration exclusively to remedial building work on existing strata buildings. From three storey walk-ups to high rise residential towers, we prepare and declare the regulated designs required to rectify defects under the DBP Act, with particular depth in waterproofing, one of the most common sources of building defects in NSW strata.
01
Regulated design documentation
Preparation of regulated designs and the associated design compliance declarations, lodged through the NSW Planning Portal in accordance with the DBP Act and the NCC.
02
Waterproofing design and detailing
Regulated designs for waterproofing to balconies, planter boxes, roofs, podiums, wet areas and basements.
03
Progress inspections and monitoring
Inspection during construction to confirm the work is being built in accordance with the declared regulated design and the associated documentation.
These services sit alongside our broader building consultancy and cost planning work, allowing us to consider design compliance in the context of the wider project.
Why choose Archi-QS as your design practitioner?
Registered design practitioner
We are registered under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) as a design practitioner in the class of Building Design, with no limit on building height or storey count. This registration allows us to prepare and declare regulated designs within our registered scope.
Ongoing professional development
Ongoing professional development to keep up with changes to the DBP Act and the NCC.
NSW compliance experience
We work with the DBP Act, the NCC and NSW Planning Portal requirements every day, which helps identify compliance issues early in the design.
Coordinated project support
We can prepare the regulated design, scope of works and cost estimate for the same remedial project, and feed the results directly into the scheme’s capital works fund plan. This allows the design, scope, budget and levy forecast to align, rather than having three separate consultants produce them independently.
Who can benefit from design practitioner services?
Design practitioner requirements apply to most remedial building work on strata buildings. These are the people we most often work with.
Owners corporations
Rectify defects to common property with regulated designs that are declared and ready for the remedial works to proceed.
Strata managers
Get clear advice on when the DBP Act applies to a remedial project and what documentation the scheme needs.
Building managers
Coordinate inspections and remedial works with a design practitioner who understands how the building operates.
Remedial builders
Build from declared regulated designs that are clear, current and ready to lodge on the NSW Planning Portal.
FAQs
Does a design practitioner need to be registered?
Yes. A regulated design must be declared by a design practitioner registered in the relevant class. Other people can work on the design under that practitioner’s supervision, but only a registered practitioner can make the design compliance declaration. Where several practitioners work on a project, each must be registered for the type of regulated design they declare.
What is the Design and Building Practitioners Act or DBP Act?
The Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) is a law that sets out registration, compliance and declaration requirements for professionals involved in the design and construction of certain buildings in NSW.
The DBP Act applies to regulated buildings, including multi-unit residential buildings, certain shared accommodation buildings and aged care facilities. It aims to improve accountability and compliance and reduce building defects.
Does my project require a design practitioner?
If your project requires designs related to a building element or the development of a performance solution on a regulated building in NSW, you may need to appoint a registered design practitioner.
Can Archi-QS act as a design practitioner?
Yes, Archi-QS is registered under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (NSW) as a design practitioner in the class of Building Design, with no limit on building height or storey count. We use this registration for remedial building work on existing strata buildings.
Need a registered design practitioner for remedial work?
Speak with Archi-QS about your building.