Owner Builder NSW Course - by Correspondence
Owner Builder Correspondence Course by
‘Hard Copy’ or ‘Electronic’
Enrol and get a Free Guide to "Standards & Tolerances 2007"
Enrol in one of our Owner Builder Courses and we will post FREE...
Guide to Standards and Tolerances - this helpful 56 page guide can be used as an acceptable and authorised reference to independently determine the minimum quality of building work or workmanship that is to be, or has been, carried out.
Consumer Building Guide - this 20 page guide contains important information if you are considering to Build/ Extend or Renovate your home. You should read it carefully before signing any contract, and have a good understanding of everyone's responsibilities under the 'NSW Home Building Act 1989.' Additionally it covers Contracts, Statutory warranties, Asbestos, Insurances or what to do if things go wrong.
Page navigation
- Course overview & recommendations
- Advantages of the Correspondence course
- Course Costs & Bookings
- Booking a course
- Course outline & learning outcomes
- Course Feedback (Correspondence)
- About Course Author & Presenter
- Useful links for Owner Builders
- Download Courses PDF Booking Form
Related pages
- Courses General Information
- Owner Builder NSW Course - Workshop [1 Day]
- Owner Builder NSW Course - Private Tuition, Sydney
"The correspondence method is excellent, it allowed me to study at my own pace. The most exciting part is that it is in "plain English" and is easy to read and understand."
10th April 2006
Course overview & recommendations
You can do this OFT approved course by Correspondence either as "Hard Copy" or "Electronic", or by Workshop in Sydney, or Private Tuition in Sydney.
If you are planning to build as an Owner Builder in NSW and ACT, it is mandatory to obtain an Owner Builder Permit from your State's regulating office, if the work's value is $5,000 and over. If the work is less than $12,000 you may not need to attend an approved Owner Builder course.
For example in NSW, if you wish to obtain an Owner Builder Permit, you must be the owner of the land or a joint owner as per details on the Title Deed of where you are planning to build. Moreover, if you are planning to undertake a project where the cost will be over $12,000 (including labour and materials), you will be required to complete an Owner Builder Course approved by the NSW Office of Fair Trading, such as this Correspondence Course. Some Councils require Owner Builders to these courses if project cost is $5,000 or over. Therefore always check your local council requirements prior initiating any building works.
As from 29th April 2005, it is an offence with a maximum penalty of $22,000 for each offence for the holder of an Owner Builder Permit to:
- Knowingly engage with an unlicensed contractor
- Lend your Permit to another person
- Refuse to disclose the names and addresses of contractors working on-site
The Building Centre recommends to any home owner, who is planning to build as an Owner Builder or to have a builder build their new home, extension or renovation, to enrol into one of the Owner Builder Courses we offer, such as this one. It is essential to learn as much as possible while planning and designing your project, as well as before selecting and contracting with a builder or contractors.
You cannot become a licensed builder with a day's tuition as it takes many years of study and experience to obtain necessary skills and knowledge to get a building licence. However, to obtain an Owner Builder Permit the same degree of commitment is not required. Still, it is in your interest to learn as much as you can. Completing this course will give you the general overview of your obligations and responsibilities as an Owner Builder.
This Owner Builder NSW Correspondence Course has been structured to help provide you with sufficient information to meet the study requirements of the NSW Office of Fair Trading, in order to obtain an Owner Builder Permit from them, relating to the proposed home building work on your land. For NSW only one owner-builder permit can be issued within any five-year period, unless the application and any earlier permit relate to the same land and to related owner-builder work or unless special circumstances exist.
The Building Centre can help you organise Owner Builder Construction and Public Liability Insurance. If you sell within 6 years of completion, we can help you co-ordinate the needs of the compulsory OB Home Owners Warranty Insurance. Whether you attend one of these courses or not. See our Insurance information for Owner Builders on our website for more details.
There are two ways you can obtain this Owner Builder Correspondence course, either in "hard copy" (60+ pages) posted to you by Registered Post, or in "PDF format" (approx. size 1.0Mb), which can be downloaded from our website once payment is received. You will need Adobe Reader in order to view downloaded PDF files.
There is no specified time frame for you to read through the course manual and return the completed Knowledge Test. However, please bear in mind that a Statement of Attainment, also known as a Course Attendance Certificate, is usually valid for 2 years after being issued.
Advantages of the Correspondence course
- Doing the course in the convenience of your own home or workplace
- Choosing the time that most suits you
- Work at you own pace, taking as long as required to complete
- Ideal for Owner Builders who live in rural NSW
- Very cost effective
Course Costs & Bookings
The Owner Builder Correspondence course can be booked by:
- Downloading the Courses Booking Form below, complete it, and
- faxing it back to (02) 8303 0533 or
- posting it to The Building Centre, Suite 209/ 410, Elizabeth st. Surry Hills 2010 - Calling us on 1300 884 876 Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEST)
- Book online for the two available options by correspondence of the course below:
Please Note: For those that do not have a ‘PayPal’ account.
Before making any online purchase through the Buildingcentre.com, you will need to create a PayPal account. Please sign up and register for a PayPal account in the checkout page.
Payment methods accepted 
All prices include GST.
| Owner Builder Training Information Course | |
| ELECTRONIC VERSION | HARD COPY VERSION |
| PDF files available immediately for download (approx. 1.0Mb size) | 60+ page Manual sent by Registered Post |
| $130.00 | $160.00 |
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Call 1300 884 876 |
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Call 1300 884 876 |
Once you go through the course manual, you will be required to complete the supplied simple Knowledge Test (with Electronic Version you'll have to print it out) and fax it back to the Owner Builder Training Information Centre.
PLEASE NOTE: In order to view Courses Booking Form or Course Manual, which are in PDF format, you are required to have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. Click on the icon to download Adobe Reader for free.
Your booking will only be accepted on completion of payment. Once we receive and process your booking, the course manual will be send out to you by Registered Post.
In case you choose electronic version, after the successful payment, you'll be re-directed to Downloads page where you will be able to download course manual and other documents. You will also receive an email with course manual download links. Please note, you will have 48 hours to download course files after which the links will expire..
After you studied the course manual you'll have to complete supplied Knowledge Test (with Electronic Version you'll have to print it out), which tests your level of knowledge of the course, and fax it back to the Owner Builder Training Information Centre.
Your Knowledge Test answers will then be checked and if your score will be less than 80% correct answers, you will be required to re-submit them. If you score over 80% correct answers, a Statement of Attainment will be issued and sent out to you by Registered Post, which then you can take to any NSW Office of Fair Trading to apply for an Owner Builder Permit. Apart from the Statement of Attainment, the NSW Office of Fair Trading would also require you to provide:
- Proof of being over 18 years old
- Certificate of Title or Rates Notice, showing that you own the land at the specified address or have a prescribed interest in it
- Proof that you do, or intend to live in the completed house
- A description with drawings of the proposed work at the specified address
- Development Certificate Number provided by your local council
- Owner Builder Permit application
- Application lodgment fee of $143.00
Course outline & learning outcomes
The following information is covered in this course:
(Click Title to Open or Close)
The Approval Process (Residential)
Certification (Public & Private sectors)
Administration (Paper work & Planning)
Contracts- Vital to get them right
Insurance- Important to get them right
Glossary & building terminology
Illustration of typical Construction Details
Please call us Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm (AEST) on (02) 8303 0545 to enquire about this course.
About the Course Presenter
The Owner Builder Course was written by, and is presented by Peter Lupevski, a highly experienced professional, with the following background and qualifications. He has a wealth of knowledge and practical experience in project management, supervision of building works and a wide range of construction methods. His career in the building industry has spanned over 30 years in both private sector and local government areas. In local government, he was involved in many large projects, which were of 'state' significance and local government interests.
His principal focus has been on design, assessment and mandatory inspections at critical stages of the building works. Based on his extensive practical experience, he has a solid and thorough understanding of the planning and building processes as well as its pitfalls. He has developed an appreciation of the potential problems and insights into the building industry and its procedures.
Qualifications
- Certificate of Building - NSW
- Certificate of Architectural Design Drafting - NSW
- Certificate of Structural Design Drafting - NSW
- Certificate of Accreditation - Building Surveyor (BSAP) [1999 - 2002]
- Builders Licence No 113408C
Course Feedback (Correspondence)
"Very well presented. Value for money"
M. Tran, February 2007
"The Correspondence method is excellent, it allowed me to study at my own pace. The most exciting part is that it is in 'Plain English' and is easy to read and understand."
April 2006
"This Owner Builder Course is so well documented, it's worth every penny spent."
December 2005
Useful links for Owner Builders
The Building Centre's information source for Owner Builders in NSW
- Important Information for Owner Builders
- Contracts, and dealing with Contractors
- Home Warranty Insurance for Owner Builders
External information sources for Owner Builders in NSW
- NSW Local Councils
- Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (DIPNR)
- Accredited Certifiers in NSW
- Saving water in your home - Sydney Water
- Home Energy Saver - EnergyAustralia
- Dial before you dig Freecall 1100 - EnergyAustralia
- Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority
- NSW Deptartment of Lands
State-specific external information sources for Owner Builders
- Planning and Land Authority [Australian Capital Territory]
- The NSW Office of Fair Trading [New South Wales]
- Building Services Authority [Queensland]
- Planning SA [South Australia]
- WST Building Standards and Regulation [Tasmania]
- Consumer Affairs Victoria [Victoria]
- Builder's Registration Board [Western Australia]
- Northern Territory Lands Group [Northern Territory]
Remember, The Building Centre has a range of fee-based services to guide and help you. There is no substitute for experienced an independent advice. Call us on (02) 8303 0545 Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm (AEST), to enquire about such services or to make a booking for an on-site inspection and advice.
