Frequently Asked Questions

Stuck on where to start? 

Building can be a confusing process, whether it be your first time or third time, so we have answered the most
common questions we get asked below. 
If you can’t find the answer here, no need to stress, get in touch with our team.

If you are having renovation or building work done on your home where the reasonable market cost of the labour and materials involved in the work is over $1,000 (including GST), you will need to engage a licensed contractor.

Yes we are. Both Paul and Extrabuild hold current builders licences. Our licence numbers are:

Paul Dyett – 21974C

Extrabuild Pty Ltd – 106458C

Yes we are. We have all appropriate insurances including:

  • Workers Compensation
  • Construction Insurance
  • Public Liability Insurance

A Development Application (otherwise known as a DA) is the application made to your local Council seeking consent to carry out a building project.

A Complying Development Certificate (otherwise known as a CDC) is an alternative to this and deals with a more straightforward set of requirements. It is a combined planning and construction approval for certain developments that meet specific development standards. These applications are determined by Council or an accredited certifier through a fast-track assessment process. CDCs require all relevant standards to be met and the construction must comply with the Building Code of Australia. They are often approved in less time than a DA, however CDCs can only be sought with particular types of development.

Each Council has their own set of requirements for each of these types of approval. It’s best to seek Council advice and the advice of a building certifier when choosing which path to take.

A Construction Certificate (otherwise known as a CC) certifies that your chosen design and construction materials comply with the Building Code of Australia, and associated standards and codes, and the development is consistent with your Development Application.

A Construction Certificate must be obtained before starting construction and can be issued by Council or a private certifier. You can apply for a Construction Certificate as part of your Development Application, or after your Development Application has been approved.

Construction approval is already included in an approved CDC.

At a minimum, when applying for a Complying Development Certificate you’ll need to submit:

  •  A Certificate of Title
  • Plans of the proposed development (including site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections)
  • Structural plans
  • Building specifications

The type of information that accompanies a Development Application will vary depending on your proposal and site. This may include:

  • Plans of the proposed development (including site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections)
  • Plans demonstrating proposed landscaping
  • Plans of existing development (if being retained wholly or partly)
  • Subdivision Plans (if subdivision is proposed)
  • Hunter Water stamping (supply of water & sewer)
  • Stormwater plan
  • BASIX Certificate (if applicable), and plans demonstrating commitments
  • Statement of Environmental Effects

The type of information that accompanies a Construction Certificate application will vary depending on your proposal and site. This may include:

  • Site analysis
  • BASIX certificate (an energy efficiency report that demonstrates sustainability for a new home or alterations and additions greater than $50,000)
  • Site survey
  • Statement of Environmental Effects
  • Other plans such as landscape or drainage plans
  • Specific technical reports

That’s fine. Contact us and we can recommend several local Drafters or Architects depending on the type of build you want. We can also offer information and/advice at any time.

Great job! Please contact us and we will get our team to help you bring your dream home to reality.

With Extrabuild, nothing is ever a problem!

We have recent experience in:

  • Flood affected areas
  • Bush fire zones
  • Heritage properties
  • Steeply sloped sites
  • Stormwater management

Yes you can. Effective January 1 2021, all development applications must be submitted through the NSW Planning Portal

Feel free to contact us if you need help while completing the application. We’re happy to help anytime we can.

Inspection and certification of your project at critical stages is required by law to confirm that it is built in accordance with the approved plans, specifications, relevant Australian Standards, Building Code of Australia and council regulations, to ensure structural integrity, health, safety and amenity.

You can choose your local council or select a Private Certifier.

Extrabuild then liaises with your certifier of choice to organise inspections at critical stages of your build and we organise certificates of compliance from our trades and suppliers to prove that we have met the regulations and enable your certifier to issue the Occupation Certificate at the end of the work.

Home Owners Warranty insurance, now called Home Building Compensation Fund cover acts as a safety net for homeowners (and subsequent owners) in NSW so they don’t suffer financial loss as a result of incomplete and defective work carried out by a builder who disappears, dies, becomes insolvent or has their licence suspended. The cover lasts up to 6 years from completion of the domestic building work or termination of the domestic building contract (6 years for structural defects and 2 years for non-structural).

It’s a statutory product required by law if you undertake a home building project valued at $20,000 or more, including GST.

Extrabuild will organise it for you, once you sign a contract, and provide you with the certificate for your records. Hopefully you will never need it!

We use a standard Master Builders Association contract to ensure both parties rights are protected. You can choose between a Lump Sum (also known as a Fixed Price) or Cost Plus (also known as a Do-And-Charge) contract.

Click here for a sample copy of our Lump Sum contract

More information is available from NSW Fair Trading. See Guide to Home Building Contracts

A Lump Sum (also known as Fixed Price) is where a single ‘lump sum’ price for the works is agreed before the works begin.

A Cost Plus (also known as a Do-And-Charge) contract is where a builder obtains materials and services throughout the stages of the building process and costs are passed on to the owners, with an agreed margin to cover overheads and profits. The builder must provide an estimate of the expected total cost of the building works prior to the contract being signed.

The owner agrees to reimburse Extrabuild Pty Ltd for all costs incurred in running the project plus percentage. In exchange Extrabuild Pty Ltd agrees to manage the project including the co-ordination and supply of contractors and materials in a most expeditious, economical and professional manner.

Extrabuild provides full transparency to the client in the form of a detailed budget report with each invoice detailing all related expenses, including direct and indirect costs to substantiate each progress payment.


The cost of building works includes, but is not limited to:

  1. The cost of all materials, supplies and equipment including cost of transportation and storage thereof, expressly purchased for your job;

  2. The cost of all subcontracts including labour and/or materials that are solely related to the building works;

  3. The costs of labour and services supplied by the builder that are solely related to your job;

  4. All fees payable in relation to your job including but not limited to the builders fee, any surveyor, structural engineer, architect or other consultant engage by the builder;

  5. All premiums and other costs relation to insurances including but not limited to Workcover, public risk and other statutory requirements;
  6. The cost of all building materials used for the building works;
  7. The cost to rectify any defects during the contract maintenance period, unless such defects are due to faulty materials or workmanship;
  8. The cost of all hire, delivery and incidental charges for machinery, plant and equipment used for the building works;

  9. The cost of petrol, oil lubricants and other fuel used for the building works;

  10. The cost of scaffolding, including transport to and from the site, erection and dismantling;

  11. The costs to make good, repair, replace or rebuild any defects and faults which are not due to materials or workmanship by the builder;

  12. The cost of clearing away debris, replacement, repair and/or rebuilding after any damage due to causes beyond the reasonable control of the builder;

  13. Any excess for insurance claim by the builder if necessary;

  14. Any permit fees, licences, tests, infringements relating to materials, labour and plant required to perform the building works;

  15. The cost of removal of rubbish, debris and of progressive final clean up;

  16. The cost of emergency action relating to safety of persons and personal property;

  17. The cost of all permanent and temporary connection and disconnection fees required for specific trade work;

  18. The cost of site sign boards;

  19. The cost of temporary fences as required;

  20. The fair and reasonable costs of all variations, extensions of time or other proper price adjustment and charges;

  21. Any GST payable on any of the amounts or on the supply of the building works to the owner;

  22. Any other costs of whatsoever nature reasonably incurred in the performance of the building works and/or it’s organization and/or management.

We are so lucky to have wonderful clients that are happy to talk to you or even welcome you into their lovely home to see our work. You can talk to them privately and hear about the good, the bad and the ugly side of building with Extrabuild.

newcastle.nsw.gov.au/home    (Click on Development tab)

Click here to get a DA fee estimate from Newcastle council 

Click here for details of the Development Application Process

Yes we can. Buildings, houses and flats erected before the mid 1980s may contain asbestos. Paul is certified to remove non-friable asbestos and for those big jobs we bring in experts in the field to ensure that the asbestos is removed safely and legally.

Do Extrabuild build in my area?

Newcastle Lake Macquaire Service Areas

Adamstown, Adamstown Heights, Bar Beach, Beresfield, Birmingham Gardens, Black Hill, Broadmeadow, Callaghan (University), Carrington, Cooks Hill, Elermore Vale, Fletcher, Georgetown, Hamilton, Hamilton East, Hamilton North, Hamilton South, Hexham,The Hill,  Islington, Jesmond, The Junction, Kooragang, Kotara, Lambton, Lenaghan, Maryland, Maryville, Mayfield, Mayfield East, Mayfield North, Mayfield West, Merewether, Merewether Heights, Minmi, New Lambton, New Lambton Heights, Newcastle, Newcastle East, Newcastle West, North Lambton, Rankin Park, Sandgate, Shortland, Stockton, Tarro, Tighes Hill, Wallsend, Warabrook, Waratah, Waratah West, Wickham

Adamstown Heights, Arcadia Vale, Argenton, Awaba, Balcolyn, Balmoral, Barnsley, Belmont, Belmont North, Belmont South, Bennetts Green, Blackalls Park, Blacksmiths, Bolton Point, Bonnells Bay, Boolaroo, Booragul, Brightwaters, Buttaba, Cameron Park, Cams Wharf, Cardiff, Cardiff Heights, Cardiff South, Carey Bay, Catherine Hill Bay, Caves Beach, Charlestown, Coal Point, Cooranbong, Croudace Bay, Dora Creek, Dudley, Edgeworth, Eleebana, Eraring, Fassifern, Fennell Bay, Fishing Point, Floraville, Freemans Waterhole, Garden Suburb, Gateshead, Glendale, Highfields, Hillsborough, Holmesville, Jewells, Kahibah, Kilaben Bay, Killingworth, Kotara South,  Lakelands, Little Pelican, Macquarie Hills, Mandalong, Marks Point, Marmong Point, Martinsville, Mirrabooka, Morisset, Morisset Park, Mount Hutton, Myuna Bay, New Lambton Heights, Nords Wharf, Pelican, Pinny Beach, Rankin Park, Rathmines, Redhead, Ryhope, Seahampton, Silverwater, Speers Point, Sunshine, Swansea, Swansea Heads, Teralba, Tingira Heights, Toronto, Valentine, Wakefield, Wangi Wangi, Warners Bay, West Wallsend, Whitebridge, Windale, Windermere Park, Woodrising, Wyee, Wyee Point, Yarrawonga Park

What Our Clients Say

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