Commercial and Industrial Building Certifier in Brisbane
If you are building or fitting out an office, shop, warehouse, factory or other commercial premises in Brisbane, you need a building certifier who understands how commercial projects actually run, not just how they are meant to run on paper. Vast Consulting Group has certified more than 3,000 projects across residential, commercial and industrial work, with certifiers who have worked in construction as well as compliance. We look for the way to get your project approved and built, not just the reasons it might not comply.
How it works in Queensland
Commercial and industrial buildings are assessed as class 5 to class 8 (and sometimes class 9) under the National Construction Code (NCC), with additional requirements under the Queensland Development Code (QDC). Most commercial builds need a Development Approval (DA) from council for the planning aspects (use, height, setbacks, parking) under the Planning Act 2016 and the local planning scheme, such as Brisbane City Plan 2014. Some fitouts and minor works may qualify as accepted development, meaning you can skip the council DA step and go straight to building approval.
Once planning matters are resolved, Vast assesses your building plans against the NCC and QDC and issues the Building Approval before work starts. As your private certifier, we then carry out the required inspections through construction and issue the Form 11 Certificate of Occupancy at completion, which is what allows you to legally occupy and use a class 2 to 9 building.
The process with Vast
Send your drawings
Send us your architectural, structural, hydraulic and fire plans, along with any Development Approval conditions already issued by council. We will tell you early if anything is missing.
Assessment and Building Approval
We assess against the NCC and QDC, including fire safety, access, structural adequacy and services, and issue the Building Approval so construction can begin.
Inspections through the build
We carry out staged inspections appropriate to the class of building, checking structure, fire separation, essential services and accessibility as the work progresses.
Final certificate
Once the building passes final inspection, we issue the Form 11 Certificate of Occupancy, which you need before opening or occupying the premises.
Common issues we solve
Areas we cover
We certify commercial and industrial projects across Brisbane City, Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Redland, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast council areas. If your project spans an industrial estate, a strip shopping centre or a standalone office building, we can work with your builder, architect and engineers wherever the site sits in South East Queensland.
FAQs
Do all commercial buildings need a council Development Approval?
Not always. Some commercial fitouts and minor works qualify as accepted development under the planning scheme, meaning you may only need a building approval from a private certifier rather than a full council DA. We can tell you which path applies once we see your plans.
What is the difference between a Form 21 and a Form 11?
Form 21 is the Final Inspection Certificate used for class 1 and 10 buildings, such as houses and sheds. Form 11 is the Certificate of Occupancy used for class 2 to 9 buildings, which covers most commercial and industrial premises. See our Form 21 and Form 11 final certificates page for detail.
How long does commercial certification take?
Timeframes depend on the complexity of the building, the completeness of documentation and the number of inspections required. We typically move quickly once drawings and any DA conditions are in hand, but we do not promise a fixed number of days.
Can Vast certify a fitout inside an existing building?
Yes. Fitouts are assessed against the NCC and QDC for the new use, and often need updated fire and access certification even if the base building already has an occupancy certificate.
Call our Brisbane office on (07) 3112 7689 to talk through your commercial or industrial project, or get a free quote. If your project is in Sydney instead, see our commercial building certifier Sydney page.
Send us the drawings. We'll tell you what it takes to get approved.
Unrestricted building surveyors and certifiers. Residential, commercial and industrial. Brisbane and Sydney.
Woolloongabba QLD 4102 (07) 3112 7689 Also serving the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast