Building or renovating without the right approvals can cost you far more than it saves.

It can be tempting to skip approvals to save time or money — but unapproved work can create serious legal, financial and safety problems that far outweigh any upfront saving. This page explains what counts as unapproved work, what Council can do about it, and the penalties that apply.

It applies to all building, demolition and plumbing work in the Huon Valley — including coastal protection works, sheds and outbuildings, extensions/additions, garage conversions, and decks.

What are unapproved works?

Unapproved works are any building, demolition, plumbing or development activities carried out without the planning and/or building approvals required under Tasmanian law. Some minor projects are exempt, but many common improvements are not — for example, converting a garage or storage area into a habitable room requires approval.

If you’re not sure whether your project needs approval, check before you start. Council’s planning, building & plumbing teams can help, with the AI Planning Assistant able to provide you with an initial steer.

What Council can do

Under the Building Act 2016, Huon Valley Council is the Permit Authority and has a statutory obligation to act where building and plumbing work has been carried out without the required approvals.

Council can:

  • Issue a Building or Plumbing Notice requiring the owner to show cause why a Building Order should not be made
  • Issue a Building or Plumbing Order requiring works to be altered, demolished, or otherwise brought into compliance
  • Pursue penalty proceedings through the Magistrates Court
  • Issue on-the-spot fines

Property owners, builders, plumbers and contractors can be issued with notices for unauthorised work — responsibility is not limited to the owner.

Penalties

Penalties under the Building Act 2016 are significant:

  • Up to 100 penalty units for individuals
  • Up to 500 penalty units for body corporates

(Penalty unit values are set by the State Government and change periodically. Check the current value at [legislation.tas.gov.au] before relying on a dollar figure.)

The wider risks

Beyond enforcement, unapproved work creates problems that often surface at the worst possible time — usually when you try to sell or make an insurance claim:

  • More complex and costly approval processes later, to bring work into compliance retrospectively
  • Rectification or demolition orders, in some cases
  • Work that has not been carried out to the required building codes and regulations may result in safety or quality problems that are costly to fix later
  • Insurance claims may be refused
  • Property sales may be delayed or terminated or result in a lowering of the property value and potential sale price when issues are uncovered during the sale process
  • Work that appears to add value — such as an extra “bedroom” — may not be legally recognised as habitable space, so it adds no recognised value at all

The bottom line: work done without proper approvals today can become a costly problem tomorrow.

Protect yourself

  • Check whether your work needs planning approval, building or plumbing approval, or all three — before you start
  • Engage licensed tradespeople where required
  • Keep your approval documentation; you’ll need it if you sell
  • Seek advice from Council, a building surveyor, or another licensed professional if you’re unsure

You can identify applicable planning approvals for your project by referring to the: Planning Scheme Viewer

Building and Plumbing works in Tasmania are categorised according to their level of risk: Directors Determination – Categories of Building and Demolition Work and Director’s Determination –
Categories of Plumbing Work.

Need help?

Council’s planning, building and plumbing teams can help you understand what approvals your project needs.

Also in Do It Once, Do It Right