Qualified Person for a Landed Home: When Do You Need One?

You need a Qualified Person for a landed home where the applicable submission or statutory role requires that appointment. The answer depends on the proposed works and relevant rules, rather than the contractor’s description of the project as renovation, A&A or minor work.

For a particular property, ask an appropriately qualified professional to review the scope before committing to demolition, fabrication or a start date. This guide explains the assessment questions; it does not classify an unseen project as exempt or approved.

What BCA says about exemptions and QP advice

BCA’s guidance on works not requiring approval identifies insignificant building works as exempt from BCA plan submission and points to the current regulatory schedule. It advises private property owners to engage a QP to assess required clearances, including those from other authorities.

The distinction is between a statutory requirement for particular work and obtaining professional advice to determine what applies. An exemption from one process should not be interpreted as an exemption from all responsibilities.

Qualified Person for a landed home: identify the right discipline

BCA’s building-plan submission guidance describes QPs as registered architects or professional engineers with valid practising certificates, subject to the rules governing the particular work. A QP is therefore an appointed role, not a separate generic design qualification.

For structural plans, BCA identifies a registered civil or structural professional engineer as the person eligible to apply. Ask which architectural and engineering roles your proposal needs rather than expecting one title to cover every discipline.

Review the proposed changes as a complete scope

Describe what will physically change

Prepare a list of removals, additions and alterations, supported by existing drawings and photographs where available. Include changes to the roof, external form, floor levels, openings and services. A description limited to the desired finished appearance can conceal relevant work.

For example, a request for a larger living room could involve moving furniture, changing a partition or altering a structural element. Those are different scopes. The professional needs enough information to determine which one is actually proposed.

Identify missing information

Existing plans may not fully describe current conditions. Ask what must be surveyed, inspected or investigated before the assessment is reliable. Record assumptions as assumptions, particularly where structural elements or concealed services have not been verified.

If the review is preliminary, ask which conclusions can already be relied upon and what remains conditional. This helps prevent a feasibility discussion from being mistaken for a complete clearance to begin work.

Check planning requirements separately

URA’s landed A&A lodgment guidance sets conditions for that route and assigns duties to the QP. Lodgment is a defined process with requirements, not a general shortcut available whenever work is called A&A.

The URA planning submission guide explains the wider planning context. Ask the appointed professional to identify the applicable route and record the clearances still needed from other parties.

Keep the scope used for the assessment consistent across the team. If the builder prices one version while the designer reviews another, an apparently simple answer about requirements can become unreliable.

Separate assessment, appointment and permission to start

An initial review can identify the likely process, but the subsequent professional appointment needs its own scope. Confirm who prepares the information, coordinates the relevant disciplines and responds to questions during review.

Before starting affected work, ask for a written readiness summary identifying the required approvals and permits, their status and any remaining conditions. Avoid treating an appointment letter, submission receipt or verbal update as a substitute for that check.

If the proposed work changes, return the revised scope to the appointed professionals. Moving an opening or adding a feature after an earlier assessment can alter the assumptions behind it. Keep a record of the revised advice and documents.

Do not confuse QP duties with every project service

A statutory appointment and a wider architectural service package may overlap, but they are not identical descriptions. Ask separately about design development, tender assistance, contract administration and owner reporting so that neither side relies on an undefined phrase such as handling everything.

Use the companion guide to architect, engineer, QP and builder roles to identify interfaces. The comparison of architect, designer and contractor-led arrangements explains why the delivery route also needs examination.

Bring the right information to an early review

Gather the property address, available approved plans, a description of existing conditions and the changes you want. Explain whether any quotation, order or work has already been committed. That information lets the adviser prioritise unresolved decisions and practical next steps.

Discuss the scope of your landed project with Joya before fixing the construction programme. Ask for a clear distinction between confirmed requirements, further investigations and decisions that need the relevant authority or professional’s assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every minor renovation require BCA plan submission?

No. BCA identifies insignificant building works that are exempt from plan submission, subject to the applicable rules. The actual scope must be checked against those provisions. Other clearances and responsibilities may still apply, so do not decide the position solely from the word minor in a quotation.

Is a QP always an architect?

No. Eligibility depends on the professional discipline and work concerned. BCA’s guidance includes registered architects and professional engineers with valid practising certificates, subject to the relevant rules. Ask which named professional will hold each required role and how the architectural and engineering appointments relate to one another.

Can my builder decide that a QP is unnecessary?

A builder’s description of the job is not a substitute for assessing the applicable requirements. Ask an appropriately qualified professional to review the proposed scope and explain the basis of any exemption. Keep that advice aligned with the actual drawings and changes being priced and carried out.

What if the design changes after the initial assessment?

Return the changed scope to the appointed professionals before implementing affected work. Earlier advice may depend on dimensions, structural assumptions or a particular proposal. Ask whether the revision changes required appointments, submissions or permits and record the updated position so that the team works from consistent information.