ARBE1304 Building Codes: BCA Compliance Report for Residential House

This report provides a Building Code of Australia (BCA) compliance assessment of a proposed double-storey residential building, focusing on Section 3 (Parts 3.7, 3.8, and 3.9) of Volume Two, 2016. P & J Consulting was engaged to conduct the audit, identifying conformances and non-conformances related to fire safety, health and amenity, and safe movement and access. The assessment covers aspects like fire separation distances, smoke alarm placement, room heights, and required facilities. The report includes recommendations to rectify non-compliant areas, noting that most modifications should not require significant design alterations. The assessment is based on provided architectural plans, with assumptions made where information is lacking, and excludes considerations like heritage significance and structural design. The building is classified as Class 1a (residential) and Class 10a (garage), with specific attention paid to compliance requirements for each classification.

BCA COMPLIANCE REPORT
Name:
Class:
Professor:
School:
City:
Date:

BCA 2
P & J CONSULTANTS
15th September Ground Floor 387 Kent Street,
SYDNEY, New South Wales 3001,
Mr. Rodgers Harvey, Phone: [phone].
Department of Urban Affairs and Planning,
GPO BOX 3927 Sydney NSW 2001,
Phone: [phone].
Dear Mr. Rodgers,
RE: BCA REPORT UPON PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
We write to you in response to your instructions to P & J Consulting to carry out a BCA
Compliance Audit and compile a report and propose any necessary recommendations. We are
glad to report that we have completed the assessment as per your requirements. A comprehensive
report and necessary recommendations have been developed for your consideration for approval
or otherwise. We are open to any clarifications that may arise as a result of this assessment
report.
Thank you for appointing us to carry out this audit on your behalf. We look forward to future
engagements with yourselves. Herewith attached are the requisite documents as indicated above.
Yours sincerely,
Henry Rich,
Senior Consultant,
P & J Consultant.
P & J Consultants

BCA 3
P & J CONSULTANTS
BCA ASSESSMENT COMPLIANCE REPORT
PROPOSED DOUBLE STOREY PATIO DWELLING
NCC SECTION 3: PART 3.7 (Fire Safety)
PART 3.8 (Health and Amenity)
PART 3.9 (Safe Movements and Access)
PREPARED BY: P & J Consulting Pty Ltd.
DATE: 14 September 2018
Ground Floor 387 Kent Street SYDNEY, NSW 3001.
Phone: [phone]
P & J Consultants

BCA 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................5
1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................6
2.0 BCA ASSESSMENT SUMMARY...........................................................................................9
3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS.........................................................................................................17
4.0 CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................19
P & J Consultants

BCA 5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report provides an assessment of a proposed double storey building against the
Building Code of Australia (BCA). The proposed residential house comprises of 4 bedrooms, a
kitchen, dining room, family/living room, a bathroom, a powder room, an ensuite, a porch, a hall
and garage. P & J Consulting has been engaged to carry out an assessment of the proposed
project and come up with a report including recommendations.
The main focus of this audit is to identify conformances non-conformances with the
required provisions of Section 3 (Part 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9) of the BCA, Volume Two, 2016. We will
aim to provide recommendations to help correct the non-compliances with the BCA.
The following information can be obtained from the site plan provided:
Site area 259 m2
Total floor area 213.24 m2
Following the assessment, several issues regarding non-compliance with the BCA were
noted and appropriate recommendation have been given. From our point of view, all
modifications that have been proposed in the recommendations for compliance purposes may not
require significant alterations in the design. Additional, from the architectural drawings provided,
we believe that there is capability of compliance in all areas of non-compliance.
Other aspects that were considered for compliances purposes were not applicable as they
are required for different classes of buildings. In the main report, they are marked as ‘Not
Applicable’.
P & J Consultants

BCA 6
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report provides an assessment of a proposed double storey building against the
Building Code of Australia (BCA). The proposed residential building comprises of 4 bedrooms,
a kitchen, dining room, family/living room, a bathroom, a powder room, an ensuite, a porch, a
hall and garage. P & J Consulting has been engaged to carry out an assessment of the proposed
project and come up with a report including recommendations.
The main focus of this audit is to identify conformances non-conformances with the
required provisions of Section 3 (Part 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9) of the BCA, Volume Two, 2016. We will
aim to provide recommendations to help correct the non-compliances with the BCA.
The proposed construction lies on undulating land where cuts and fills are necessary for
landscaping. The building is to be constructed of concrete slabs, metal sheet roofing, treated
timber frames and trusses, and brick veneer walls. To building is to be located at on a lot of
259 m2 while occupying a total floor area of 213.24 m2.
The project will involve the construction of a single residential unit with a car garage
attached to it. The main building is considered to be in Class 1a while the car garage is in Class
10b of the Building Code Australia classification.
1.1 Basis of Report
This report aims to:
1. Make an assessment of the proposed project under the Building Code Australia (Vol.
2, 2016) Part 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and list the compliances and non-compliances with the
requirements.
2. Provide recommendations on how to rectify the non-conformances.
P & J Consultants

BCA 7
2.2 Methodology
As a statutory requirement in Australia, all proposed building projects should have
their architectural plans submitted to the local authorities for certification so as to proceed
with construction (Shire of Asburton, 2018). The subject matter of this assessment is a
proposed three storey building in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. An application
for the approval and certification of the proposed development was submitted to the
Department of Urban Affairs and Planning in Sydney, NSW. The department appointed P
& J Consultants to carry out a BCA compliance audit and thereafter compile a report
together with any necessary recommendations.
The report is based on plan drawings that have been provided. For the purpose of this
audit, we shall limit the report to the clauses provided. We hall inspect the architectural
plans provided and audit them using the requirements of the Building Code Australia. We
shall report on the compliances and non-compliances and provide the requisite
recommendations. In areas where specific information/architectural drawings are
missing, we shall make intelligent assumptions and provide justifications for the same.
Below are the details of the architectural drawings provided for BCA assessment;
Sheet No. Description
1 Cover Sheet
2 Site Plan
3 Ground Floor Plan
4 First Floor Plan
5 Doors & Windows Schedule
6 Elevations/Sections
P & J Consultants

BCA 8
7 Elevations
8 Kitchen Details
9 Powder Room Details
10 Laundry Details
11 Bathroom Details
12 Ensuite Details
13 Recycled Water/Floor Covering
14 Recycled Water/Floor Covering 2
15 Slab Plan
16 Drainage Plan
1.2 Limitations and Exclusions
Aspects that are not consider in respect to this Report include:
 Heritage significance.
 Consideration of local planning policies.
 Reporting on hazardous materials, OHS&S matters or construction site contamination.
 Requirements by statutory Authorities.
 All other BCA requirements are not taken into consideration for the purpose of this audit.
 Structural design of the prosed building.
 Any proposed mechanical/electrical fire protection system.
All assumptions made in this report are based on the information provided for the basis of this
audit and should therefore be taken as that, assumptions.
P & J Consultants

BCA 9
2.0 BCA ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
Building Classification 1a (Residential house)
10a (Garage)
Building Storeys 2
Gross Floor Are 213.24 m2
Effective Height 5.245
Construction Type A
The following table gives details concerning the assessment carried out as per the BCA, Volume
Two, 2016.
3.7 Fire Safety
Part 3.7.1 BCA Requirement Proposed Project Conformance
(Yes/No)
Cl. 3.7.1.3 Building should comply with
Cl. 3.7.1.5 if the distance of
separation between the external
wall of the building to the
boundary is below 900 mm or
1.8m less from an adjacent
building in the same lot. This is
meant to minimize fire spread
potential.
From The
architectural Plans
provided, the
minimum distance
between the
outermost wall and
the boundary is
900mm.
Yes
P & J Consultants

BCA 10
Cl. 3.7.1.4 This clause involves
measurements of distances.
Protection is not necessary for
a wall that is at a right angle to
the boundary.
Noted
Cl. 3.7.1.5
Construction
of external
walls
Outer walls that do not meet
the requirements of 3.7.1.3 are
required to have a minimum
Fire Resisting level under this
clause.
The distance of
separation of the
external wall to the
boundary is within
the demands of this
clause.
Yes
Cl. 3.7.1.6 This relates to the fire
protection if class 10a building
is located within the same
compound as the class 1
building.
Minimum of 900 mm
Class 10a buildings
comprise of
inhabitable buildings
such as garages.
The car garage of the
prosed structure is
900mm from the lot
boundary. The
demands of this
clause are met.
Yes
Cl. 3.7.1.7 An encroachment is any
construction or structure
The roof
encroachment is
Yes
P & J Consultants
1 10a

BCA 11
between the outer wall and the
lot boundary or between
buildings on the same lot as
required by Cl 3.7.1.5.
Encroachments includes
downpipes and gutters.
within the required
limit of 450mm fig.
3.7.1.9. The water
tank besides the
garage would be
assumed to be
constructed of steel
and is part of the
allowable
encroachment as per
Cl. 3.7.1.7. (b)(v).
Cl. 3.7.1.8 There should be a separating
wall between the class 1a
buildings or between the Class
1a structure and a class 10a
structure that isn’t appurtenant.
The separating wall should
begin at the footing.
The garage is
appurtenant to the
class 1a building. It
is also important to
note that the R1.5
batts to garage
internal walls.
Not Applicable
Part 3.7.2 Smoke Alarms
Cl. 3.7.2.2 Requires The provision of
smoke alarms in class 1a
building in compliance with
There is not enough
information to make
a determination if the
No
P & J Consultants

BCA 12
AS 3786. requirements are
satisfied.
Cl. 3.7.2.3 Smoke alarms should be placed
in the bedrooms, hallways or
staircases.
Smoke detectors are
placed at the entrance
of the house.
However, the
architectural
drawings for the
bedrooms are
missing hence it
cannot be assumed
that the BCA
requirements are
fulfilled. (See
Recommendations)
No
Cl. 3.7.2.4 Placement of smoke alarms in a
class 1b building.
The building under
consideration does
not fall in this
category.
Not Applicable
Cl. 3.7.2.5 Lighting requirements for
evacuations in case of an
emergency.
This is only
applicable for class
1b buildings.
Not Applicable
3.8 Health and Amenity
P & J Consultants