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An owner-builder is someone who takes responsibility for domestic building work carried out on their own land. If you become an owner-builder, you will require our prior consent and be responsible for:
If the value of the domestic building work you'll be doing is over $20,000, you'll need to have a certificate of consent from us to be an owner-builder. The value of the building work includes labour costs and materials. It's the estimated cost if you were to engage a registered builder to do the work. Your building surveyor or architect can help with calculating the cost of the work.
Failure to obtain a certificate of consent prior to undertaking any work may result in the owner builder not being eligible to apply for a Notice of Cover.
To become an owner-builder in Victoria, you'll need to meet several eligibility criteria. For instance, unless you are building a small second dwelling, an owner-builder can only build or renovate one house every five years and must intend to live in the house once it is completed.
If you are planning on being the owner-builder for a swimming pool or spa, or installing safety barriers, see the regulations and requirements on our Swimming pools and spas pages.
If you are planning on being the owner-builder for a small second dwelling, see the regulations and requirements on our small second dwelling page.