Your home
Find information about fencing requirements in the shire, including when a building permit is needed, rules for fence heights and materials, neighbour responsibilities, and regulations for pool and spa barriers.
Learn about legal obligations for pools and spas in the shire, including mandatory registration requirements, building permits for safety barriers, compliance inspections by private inspectors in line with Victorian regulations, and details on when exemptions apply.
Understand your legal responsibilities when building or renovating in the shire: learn how to identify asbestos (a material commonly used in residential building from the mid-1940s to the late 1980s) manage it safely, and find guidance on licensed removal and disposal.
Discover energy-efficient building guidance including mandatory 6-star energy and water-saving standards for new homes, relocated buildings, and major renovations, plus guidance on accredited Energy Raters and useful resources for reducing home energy costs.
During a building project, if a dispute arises with your builder, try to resolve it directly first. If that fails, guidance is provided for homeowners and builders including links to Consumer Affairs Victoria and the Domestic Building Dispute Resolution Victoria for binding resolution options in the shire.
Termites
The Surf Coast municipality has no designated areas where buildings are prone to termites.
However, it is always recommended to construct with termite protection.
Domestic rainwater tanks don’t require a building permit unless they involve earthworks, retaining walls, or other building components, but must be installed and certified by a licensed plumber. All tanks need overflow pipes connected to legal stormwater discharge points, should be sealed to protect health, and must be set back at least 500 mm from boundaries and away from septic systems.
Liveable Housing Design (LHD) Guidelines help the residential building industry, property industry and governments to better understand how to incorporate easy living features into new housing design and construction.