Class 2 Buildings

Class 2 buildings are residential apartment buildings. They are typically multi-unit residential buildings where people live above and below each other and have special rules to protect all occupants’ health, safety, and welfare.

Types of Class 2 buildings include multi-unit, multi-storey residential apartments; a house with a granny flat on a second storey; two single-storey dwellings that are attached and have a shared space below. Mixed-use buildings containing a Class 2 component are also included in the classification.

With the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020, the NSW Government introduced changes to the residential building industry to restore consumer confidence in the apartment sector. These stricter laws ensure that buildings are safe and secure, that the industry is more customer-focused, and that better data is captured throughout the building life cycle.

These changes apply to building work for any Class 2 building or building with a Class 2 part, including remedial work on existing buildings. This includes construction, alterations or additions, fit outs and repair, renovations and protective treatments.

Building work on Class 2 buildings cannot commence until regulated designs and compliance certification declarations are signed and lodged on the NSW Planning Portal. If the architect, engineer, or builder is not a registered Design or Building Practitioner, building works may be delayed until they have completed training and registration.

Before lodging a design certificate, an architect must complete detailed construction documentation drawings. Previously many developers skipped this integral specification step (to save time and money), leading to faulty building work, compliance issues and consumer complaints. By demanding this level of detail the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 ensures that drawings and plans are compliant with the Building Code of Australia and relevant standards. The result is a more professional approach and peace of mind for the consumer.

All designs for Class 2 building work must be lodged on the NSW Planning Portal to assist with tracking in the case of defects.

Consumers are now covered by mandatory insurance requirements that commenced on July 1, 2022. Archisoul's Professional Indemnity Insurance is current and compliant with these requirements.

The Act creates a duty of care to exercise reasonable care to avoid economic loss caused by defects in, or related to, a building arising from construction, design and supervision work.

The Class 2 registration process entails rigorous compliance measures as well as demonstrated architectural qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience. To maintain their registration, Architects are required to undertake extensive Continuing Professional Development every year.

These compliance measures help to protect consumers and enable them to readily attain insurance. When working with Class 2 registered professionals, consumers can be confident that the work has been completed competently and that detailed records are held with the NSW Planning Portal.

Archisoul Director Jo Gillies is a registered Class 2 building Principal Design Practitioner. Her Registration number is PDP 0001476.

Check that your builder / consultant / contractor is qualified and registered as this is also a requirement.