QBCC LICENCING REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED
The QBCC, or the Queensland Building and Construction Commission, is the government body that regulates the building industry.
When you don’t work in an industry everyday, it is sometimes difficult to navigate the technical aspects of your project. A building project on the scale of your rock wall is a major investment in your home. Unfortunately, hiring the wrong person can result in it all going wrong. So how do you know you are hiring the right person for the job? The first step is to ensure that the people you hire are suitably qualified and licenced. Below is a brief explanation of licencing requirements in Queensland:
The QBCC, or the Queensland Building and Construction Commission, is the government body that regulates the building industry.
1. Heavy machinery operator/earthmover:
– no earthmoving certificate, licence or experience required.
– cannot accept any jobs with a value of $3300 or more.
2. Site Supervisor (QBCC Licensed):
– an employee of a licenced contractor.
– cannot enter into contracts directly.
– can personally perform the work only if they also hold the required occupational licence.
3. Nominee Supervisor (QBCC Licensed):
– is responsible for supervising building work for the company.
– cannot enter into contracts directly.
– can personally perform the work only if they also hold the required occupational licence.
4. Structural landscaping (Trade) (QBCC Licensed):
– possesses a Trade Contractor Licence.
– can prepare and erect retaining walls of a height that do not require an engineering certification under a local law.
– the general maximum height of a wall before engineering is required in most local Council areas is 1 metre, so operators with this licence are generally permitted to build retaining walls up to 1 metre maximum in height but not higher than 1 metre.
5. Builder Restricted to Structural Landscaping (QBCC Licensed):
– possesses a Builder Licence.
– has more advanced qualifications and experience to manage larger and more complex projects.
– can prepare and build retaining walls to any height.
Unfortunately, it has been our experience that the industry is plagued with unscrupulous operators who mislead potential clients and build unsafe and illegal retaining walls. I often update my Facebook page with pictures of failed work so feel free to seek it out to see these fails for yourself. We have seen examples of inexperienced, unqualified, unlicensed, or under-licensed operators claim to have all of the required classes of licences when they actually don’t. This often leads to an alarming rate of safety and compliance issues and is really not worth the risk. Our advice is to always ask for the QBCC licence number of your prospective wall builder and conduct your own online search on the QBCC website at the link below. Make sure that they hold either a Trade Contractor or Builder licence and that they are licensed to build the wall to the agreed height. While there, you can also search the licensee’s full history. Also ask if that licence belongs to the tradesman who will actually be building your wall, and if a different operator turns up to build your retaining wall, ask for their licence number before they begin your job to ensure they are suitably qualified.
Unfortunately, the QBCC system itself is not particularly user-friendly and even experienced contractors often struggle to navigate the policies and requirements that apply to licenced trades. For example, if licensed contractors trade under a company name, both the company and the individual must each hold their own licence. What many people don’t realise is that if an infringement occurs, the penalty will typically be recorded against the company licence only, and doesn’t appear on the individual contractor’s licence under their name. This can make it difficult for homeowners to see the full picture when checking credentials, which is why it’s important to search both the company and the individual contractor when using the QBCC online licence tool:
When looking for us, as an example, do a licence search for both “Johnathon Lamb” and “Rocksmith Construction”.