Brisbane council approval (Development Application) typically takes 8–12 weeks for house extensions, 8–12 weeks for granny flats, and 10–16 weeks for duplexes. Impact-assessable applications take 3–6 months . Building Approvals through a private certifier take 2–4 weeks . The single biggest factor in speed is application quality — well-prepared applications get fewer council information requests. Official BCC answer: 25 business days for code-assessable. Real-world answer:

An architect in Queensland holds a five-year degree and is registered with the Board of Architects. A building designer holds a diploma and is QBCC-licensed for residential buildings (Class 1 and 10). For straightforward residential work, a building designer is often sufficient. For complex sites, heritage properties, multi-dwelling developments or commercial projects, an architect is recommended. At SheltaCo, fees for small projects often overlap with building designer rat

In Queensland, a Development Application (DA) goes to council and deals with planning — whether your project is allowed under the planning scheme. A Building Approval (BA) goes to a private certifier and deals with the building code — structural safety, fire, energy efficiency. Most significant renovations, extensions and new builds in Brisbane need both . There are two separate approval systems in Queensland that deal with different questions entirely. Development Approval