BPC/VBA Domestic Builder (Unlimited) Exam cheat sheet

National Construction Code (NCC) Volume Two governs Class 1 and Class 10 domestic buildings; Class 1a is a single dwelling, Class 1b a boarding house or guest house, Class 10a a non-habitable structure such as a carport.

Performance Solution vs Deemed-to-Satisfy: a Performance Solution must be verified against the NCC Performance Requirements, while DtS provisions are prescriptive recipes accepted as compliant.

Site classification under AS 2870 runs A, S, M, H1, H2, E, P; class A is stable sand/rock with little movement, class P requires site-specific geotechnical design.

Minimum ceiling height for habitable rooms is generally 2.4 m with 2.1 m permitted over not more than one third of the floor area; a kitchen, laundry or corridor may be 2.1 m.

Habitable room light: window area not less than 10 percent of floor area; ventilation: openable window area not less than 5 percent of floor area.

Stair geometry rules: riser 190-220 mm and going 240-355 mm for domestic stairs, with a 2 m minimum head clearance measured vertically from the nosing line.

Balustrade height for a balcony or stair is 1.0 m where the drop exceeds 1 m, with no climbable openings that pass a 125 mm sphere; a 865 mm barrier applies to windows.

Wet area waterproofing under AS 3740 requires a minimum 150 mm upturn at wall junctions and full floor coverage in showers, with shower area falls of 1:80 to 1:100.

Contract price and progress payment schedules must align with the stages named in the contract; a builder cannot demand payment for a stage not yet completed.

Domestic building work insurance (home warranty) must be taken out before work starts and covers structural defects for the statutory period, commonly 6 years structural and 2 years non-structural.

Variations must be in writing, signed by the owner, and state the change, the price adjustment and any time extension before the work proceeds.

Retention is commonly 5 percent of each progress payment held until practical completion, then reduced to 2.5 percent during the defects liability period.

Practical completion is reached when the works are complete except for minor omissions or defects that do not prevent the building being used for its intended purpose.

A defects liability period of 12 months from practical completion is typical; the owner must notify defects in writing for the builder to rectify at no cost.

Safety: a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) is required for high-risk construction work such as work over 2 m, and site induction records must be kept.

Programme logic: critical path is the longest sequence of dependent tasks; float is the spare time a non-critical task can slip without delaying completion.

Progress claims should be supported by a statutory declaration that subcontractors and suppliers have been paid, protecting the owner from payment claims.