How much does building approval cost in NSW?

Building approval costs in NSW typically range from $30,000 to $100,000+ depending on project type and construction value. This includes council DA/CDC fees, section 7.11 or 7.12 contributions, Long Service Levy, bonds, HBCF insurance, and practitioner costs for certifiers, engineers, and fire consultants. ApprovalAssist calculates the exact costs for your specific property and project.

What is the difference between a DA and CDC in NSW?

A Development Application (DA) is assessed by your local council and suits complex projects or those that don't meet pre-set standards. A Complying Development Certificate (CDC) is assessed by a private certifier, is typically faster (20 days vs months), and suits projects that meet standards under the State Environmental Planning Policies. ApprovalAssist automatically determines which pathway applies to your project.

What documents do I need for building approval in NSW?

Common documents include architectural plans, structural engineering drawings, a BASIX certificate, bushfire assessment (if applicable), flood assessment, heritage impact statement (if applicable), geotechnical report, and a Statement of Environmental Effects. The exact list depends on your property's zoning, overlays, building classification, and approval pathway. A typical Class 2 renovation requires 19+ documents across pre-DA, pre-CC, construction, and pre-OC stages.

For Principal Certifiers

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LiveLink is a shared case portal that connects you with your clients in real time. See exactly what documents have been uploaded, track OC checklist progress, and correct requirements — all in one place.

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LiveLink Case

14 Harbour View Drive — Renovation Class 2 CDC

Document Tracker 8 of 12 covered

✓ Architectural Plans

✓ Structural Engineering

✓ BASIX Certificate

○ Fire Safety Report Missing

○ Acoustic Report Missing

− Heritage Assessment Not Required

− Heritage Assessment — Not Required

Reason: Not heritage-listed or in conservation area per S10.7

Everything You Need to Manage Cases

LiveLink streamlines the CC-to-OC process by giving you and your clients a shared view of what's needed, what's been submitted, and what's outstanding.

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Document Tracker

See exactly which documents your client has uploaded and which are still missing. Progress bar updates in real time as documents are uploaded and AI-classified.

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AI Document Classification

Every upload is automatically analysed by AI. Documents are classified by type, summarised, and matched to requirements — no manual sorting.

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Requirement Corrections

As the Principal Certifier, you're the authority. Flag items as not required, add missing requirements, or correct stages — your changes appear instantly.

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OC Checklist Parsing

Upload your OC checklist PDF and it's automatically parsed into structured items with completion statuses. Outstanding items are highlighted for your client.

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Shared Case Portal

Your client sees the same document tracker, requirements, and your corrections. No more emailing PDFs back and forth or chasing up missing documents.

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Activity Audit Trail

Every document upload, share, correction, and status change is logged. Full transparency for both sides — no more "I sent that last week" disputes.

How It Works

Client Creates Case

Property owner runs an assessment and creates a LiveLink for their property.

Links Your Listing

Client selects you as their Principal Certifier. You see the case in your dashboard.

Track Progress

Documents are shared, AI-classified, and tracked against requirements. Upload your OC checklist.

Correct & Close

Submit corrections, track to completion, close the case when OC is issued.

Simple Pricing

Pay per case. No subscription. No lock-in.

LiveLink Case Portal

For owners, builders, and certifiers

$199 +GST / case

✓ Full compliance assessment

✓ AI-powered document classification

✓ Process tracker (CDC/DA to OC)

✓ Document tracker with gap analysis

✓ Shared portal with all participants

✓ Invite owner, builder, certifier

✓ Full activity audit trail

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