Guides
Permit guides
Plain-English answers to the questions we hear most, from setbacks and easements to how long a permit takes.
- GuideDo I need a permit for a verandah in Victoria?In most cases, yes. How Victoria's building permit exemptions work for verandahs, pergolas and sheds, and how to check your own design.
- GuideDo I need building approval for a carport in Queensland?Almost always, yes. How building approval works for carports in Queensland, the boundary rules that matter, and when council gets involved.
- GuideBoundary setbacks for sheds and carports, explainedHow boundary setback rules work for sheds, carports and verandahs in Victoria and Queensland, and simple design changes that often fix a failed check.
- GuideCan I build over an easement?What an easement is, whether you can put a verandah, carport or shed over one in Victoria or Queensland, and how consent from the asset owner works.
- GuideBuilding permit vs planning permit: what's the difference?The difference between a building permit and a planning permit for verandahs, carports and sheds, and how to tell whether your project needs one or both.
- GuideWhat happens if I build without a permit?The risks of a verandah, carport or shed built without a permit in Victoria or Queensland, and the usual ways to put it right.
- GuideHow long does a building permit take?Typical timeframes for verandah, carport and shed permits in Victoria and Queensland, what slows them down, and how to keep yours moving.
- GuideHeritage overlays and outdoor structuresHow heritage and character overlays affect verandahs, carports, sheds and pergolas in Victoria and Queensland, and how to design something that gets approved.
- GuidePermits for Stratco and other kit verandahs and shedsHow building permits work when you buy a verandah, carport or shed kit from Stratco or another supplier, what the kit paperwork covers and what you still need.
- GuidePergola vs verandah: when does adding a roof need a permit?Why an open pergola can be exempt from a permit but a roofed one usually isn't, which roof types count, and how to plan for a roof later.
Ready when you are.
Two minutes online, then we take it from there. Nothing to pay until your permit is ready.