Shed Conversions in Gympie

If you’re looking to convert your shed to a livable or inhabitable building, the government and Queensland Building and Construction Commission requires you to do certain things. Sheds are classified as Class 10a buildings along with structures like garages and carports. In line with the National Building Code of Australia, Class 10a structures are cannot be lived in as are. If you intend to live in a shed or a like building, they should first be converted from a Class 10a to a Class 1a building. As per the regulations contained in the Queensland State Building Act 1975, shed conversions must be built according to certain specifications. Before and during construction, a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ), such as Postma Consultants, must be employed to help you legally convert your shed into a habitable dwelling through their certification of the building designs and inspection of each stage of construction.

Class 1a Structural Reclassification Reports for Gympie Sheds

If you want to convert a shed or garage in Gympie into an inhabitable dwelling a liveable dwelling a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland must prepare a Structural Reclassification Report on your behalf.

RPEQs, such as Postma Consultants, will prepare all documents in report form or provide a drawing set including a Form 15 Design Certificate. Other information in the package will include details of any remedial structural or strengthening works required to reclassify a Gympie shed or garage to a Class 1a structure. This report may discuss structural aspects such as:

Foundation
Footings
Slab
Walls
Roof framing
Bracing
Trusses
Tie-downs

Additionally, any further work needed for your particular conditions onsite at your Gympie property, including soil tests, will be detailed in the Structural Reclassification Report. Postma Consultants also collaborates with other professionals to provide a complete wraparound service.

Form 15And Form 16 For Gympie Sheds

Before starting to repurpose your Gympie shed into a liveable home, you will require a registered engineer to prepare a Form 15 Design Certificate. This form will enable you to reclassify your shed from a Class 10a to a Class 1a building for you and your family to live in. During the construction process, you will also be required to complete a Form 16 Inspection Certificate at each stage to ensure compliance with building codes. Only a capable person such as a Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland (RPEQ) can assist you to submit these forms to change your Gympie shed to an inhabitable dwelling. Government legislation is in place to ensure all buildings are safe and structurally sound. As such, the government requires all Gympie residents wanting to reclassify their shed to submit Forms 15 and 16. If these forms are not submitted and construction commences without legal approval, there may be stiff fines to pay.

Why You Need A Form 15 Design Certificate?

Sheds and garages in Gympie are not structurally sound enough to live in as is. Therefore, a RPEQ must provide guidance on the remedial works required to bring them up to standard. A Form 15 design certificate is used to list the strengthening works that must be carried out before your Gympie shed is considered fit to live in. A Form 15 is part of the Structural Reclassification Report that must be submitted with your application to upgrade your shed. On a Form 15 the consulting engineering will also offer an explanation of their decision and what tests, specifications, rules, standards and codes of practice they used to come to a final conclusion. When preparing a Form 15 and Structural Reclassification Report, your structural engineer will also look at your plans to determine what further changes may need to be made.

Why You Require A Form 16 Inspection Certificate?

During the construction process of changing your shed to a home, a structural engineer must complete a Form 16 Inspection Certificate. When a Gympie Class 10a shed is converted to a Class 1a building, a Form 16 is used to inspect the building progress. If your builder has completed the stage according to design, your consulting structural engineer will issue a Form 16 stating the construction meets the National Building Code of Australia. This is a legal form required to be submitted by a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).

Who Can Issue A Form 15 and Form 16?

Legislation states that the only one who can issue a Form 15 or Form 16 for a shed conversion in Gympie is a competent person who is defined as a professionally experienced structural engineer. As expected, the builder of the 1a building is not permitted to sign off on a Form 16 Inspection Certificate. This is to prevent a possible conflict of interest as they are the ones who have constructed the dwelling and should not also inspect their own work. According to government legislation, a Gympie structural engineer, such as Postma Consultants, can provide this service and issue a Form 15 or Form 16 for your shed or garage conversion.

Local Gympie Shed Structural Engineers

Postma Consultants are professional structural engineers experienced in shed conversions. We are a family run business and focus on providing a highly personalised engineering service to local Gympie residents and businesses. When you work with Postma Consultants, our structural engineer is much more accessible than the bigger engineering firms and always available for phone calls or site visits. Postma Consultants’ head engineer has more than 30 years of professional experience spanning an extremely broad range of engineering fields such as forensic engineering and bridge as well as commercial and industrial engineering. We aim to become the best engineering firm in south east Queensland. If you need help changing a Gympie Class 10a shed or garage into a Class 1a dwelling, please contact Postma Consultants. We provide friendly and flexible service at competitive rates. Please call us now on 0417 533 691 or email jan@postmaconsultants.com.