A lot of our members have been finding it difficult to gain experience in the preliminary works activity that the Victorian Building Authority requires when applying for registration. This activity could consist of things like applying for a permit, completing and selecting a contract or working out the material and contracts required to complete a job.

Because an applicant for registration isn’t able to apply for a permit or complete a contract without already being a registered builder, it can be difficult to gain this experience. However, the VBA is now accepting evidence of completion of appropriate coursework as evidence that participants have enough knowledge to get registered, and the VBA has updated the prescribed qualifications to reflect this.

Master Builders has designed a short course that includes these prescribed qualifications for the limited trades.

If you are applying for a domestic builder limited registration, this five-day course will provide you with the required knowledge on contracts, permits and ordering.

Required/additional units of competency

Master Builders has determined that for the majority of Domestic Builder (Limited) licences in Schedule 7 of the Regulations, the following units of competency are required or additional:

• CPCCBC4026A Arrange building applications and approvals
• CPCCBC4003A Select and prepare a construction contract*
• CPCCBC4005A Produce labour and materials schedules for ordering*

*Note: Students who have previously studied CPC40110 Certificate IV Building and Construction (Building) with Master Builders may already hold the CPCCBC4003A and CPCCBC4005A units of competency.

Master Builders’ short courses
We have created a one and five-day short courses to provide the required or additional units of competency to prepare those wishing to apply for Domestic Builder (Limited) registration.

The Preliminary Works (Domestic) short course
Commencing in April 2018, this five-day face-to-face short course outlines how to manage the building approval application process, including the required documentation, and current regulatory and planning processes. The course also explains how to select and prepare construction contracts. Finally, this course outlines how to produce schedules of resource requirements for materials and labour and how to record (and track) costs.

This short course covers the main units of competency (outlined in Schedule 7 of the Building Interim Regulations 2017) to prepare those wanting to apply for Domestic Builder registration:

• CPCCBC4026A Arrange building applications and approvals
• *CPCCBC4003A Select and prepare a construction contract
• *CPCCBC4005A Produce labour and materials schedules for ordering

To learn more or register your interest, click here or call the Training Department on (03) 9411 4555 or email [email protected].

Building Permit Applications
Commencing in April, 2018, the one-day face-to-face short course, titled Building Permit Applications, outlines how to manage the building approval application process, including the required documentation, and current regulatory and planning processes.

The unit covered in this short course is CPCCBC4026A Arrange building applications and approvals.

Change of class of Domestic Builder – Manager (DB-M) registration
The other amendment now in effect is the replacement of the Domestic Builder – Manager (DB-M) registration category with Project Manager (Domestic). As part of the transitional provisions, DB-M practitioners will be given five years to up-skill to meet the new prescribed qualifications for registration in the class of Project Manager (Domestic).

Master Builders of Victoria has identified that one of the prescribed qualifications in Schedule 7 of the Regulations in the class of project manager is the successful completion of a Diploma of Building and Construction Management (CPC50308). Master Builders of Victoria is one of the few registered training organisations (RTOs) that offer the Diploma, which is designed to meet the professional development requirements of managers engaged in the construction industry.

To learn more, call the Training Department on 03 9411 4555 or email [email protected].