Plumbing | Queensland Building and Construction Commission

Categories of notifiable work guide

Read more about Categories of notifiable work guide

Resource Type

Guide

Topic

Plumbing

Document

guide-nw-categories-plumbing-notifiable-work.pdf

Last reviewed: 22 Mar 2022 Last published: 22 Mar 2022

SEQ flood recovery

Read more about SEQ flood recovery

After a flood, there will be a lot of work to do to get a property cleaned up, repaired and ready to live in again. We provide tips and resources to help you get started, whether you’re a property owner or a QBCC licensee. We also connect property owners with local licensed contractors via our tradie register.

Find a local contractor

For licensees

Clean up before you start work

We urge all QBCC licensees who are engaged to work on a property that has been damaged by flooding or storms to ensure they take proper safety precautions before they get to work.

So, here are some key steps to restoring a house after flood damage:

all services must be made safe before any remedial work begins and particularly where occupancy is required before finishing work commences
flood debris should be cleared away as soon as possible so drying can start
plinths (kickers) should be removed from beneath kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow for proper drying
if necessary, plasterboard linings should be partially removed to allow walls to dry out
check for moisture content - no finishing work should be done until the moisture content of wall framing has dropped below 16 percent.

Repairing a flood-damaged property

It is essential the house is sufficiently dry before repair work is carried out.

Undertaking repairs to the structure and finishes before the house is properly dry can result in many problems down the track, including (but not limited to):

poor adhesion (blistering) of finishes
materials continuing to move as they finish drying, resulting in cracking
lifting and bubbling of vinyl floor coverings
health problems for occupants.

Also remember, timber absorbs water, so if you are working on a timber or timber-framed house there are further considerations to take into account before you start work.

All reinstatement work must be carried out in accordance with the Building Code of Australia.

For more information read:

Repair plumbing and drainage work

When repairing properties with damaged plumbing, it is important to identify if any permits are required prior to starting work, or if the work is notifiable work and needs to be registered with the QBCC.

Most plumbing and drainage work performed in existing buildings falls into one of 12 categories of notifiable work. If you are unsure, use our tool to find out if it is notifiable work.

Learn more about how and when to register notifiable work.

Register for our local contractor directory

The QBCC's Find a local contractor tool is a free service that helps property owners and other contractors connect with QBCC-licensed contractors in their area.

Find out how to register

For property owners

Getting started

In the aftermath of a flood, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and emotional at the thought of rebuilding, and not know where to start.

Here are some useful steps to help you get started:

put safety first, including using licensed contractors to make your electricity, gas, and plumbing safe
photograph everything before you move it or throw it away (for insurance purposes, if you have it)
lodge a claim with insurance (if you have it)
wear safety gear and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards
sort into piles of what is safe to clean and keep, and what must go
make plans to repair the damage.

Beginning the rebuild process

Here are some useful steps to help you get started with the rebuild phase of recovery:

use our tool to Find a local contractor
get at least three quotes
use a written contract. The easiest way to protect yourself with a written agreement is to use one of our contracts:
- natural disaster repairs contract (PDF, 702KB)
- residential demolition contract (PDF, 347KB).
only pay for completed work
check if building inspections are required
if problems arise advise the contractor immediately and put things in writing.

More resources and frequently asked questions can be found on the page:

Recover from natural disasters.

Use licensed contractors to rebuild

We can help you rebuild or repair your property by connecting you with local licensed workers, as well as providing resources and advice.

We recommend choosing a QBCC licensed contractor to make repairs or to rebuild your home. This will mean you are covered by the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme and will have access to our dispute resolution service.

Licensed contractors have proven qualifications and knowledge for the work they are licensed to do, which makes them the best choice to help you rebuild after a flood or storm.

Find a contractor

Find licensed contractors available for recovery work in your area by searching one of our registers:

To find contractors not regulated by the QBCC such as electricians, asbestos removalists or demolishers, contact the specific regulatory bodies such as:

Last reviewed: 9 Mar 2022 Last published: 9 Mar 2022

STLAP nominations

Read more about STLAP nominations

The Service Trades Council met in February and discussed the nomination process for the Service Trades Licensing Advisory Panel (STLAP).

The Council were asked to endorse the following at the meeting:

If independent members should be included on the 2022 Panel.
Decide on subcommittee representatives and number of representatives from the Council required.
The proposed candidate attributes for Panel nominees.
The proposed approach to seek expressions of interest for the Panel.
The Panel Committee Booklet.
The Letter of offer to new nominees.

The proposed candidate attributes are:

current knowledge and experience in the service trades industry, including plumbing, drainage, gas, fire protection and/or mechanical services and should have the relevant associated licence
the ability to be an effective member of a team and have exemplary communication skills.
connections to broader industry and community networks, to share experience wider than their own.
represent the voice of their relevant industry sector.

Nominees must also consent to a criminal history and probity checks and provide details of any potential conflicts of interest.

The advertisement for the STLAP panel nomination process will be from 7 March to 18 March 2022, as an open merit, expression of interest to members of the service trades industry, including stakeholder representatives and individual representatives.

Last reviewed: 23 Feb 2022 Last published: 23 Feb 2022

Watermark certification

Read more about Watermark certification

Non-conforming building product laws apply to you as an installer, to ensure the products you are installing are not non-conforming building products (NCBPs).

An installer is a person in the chain of responsibility in relation to non-conforming building product laws. Therefore, you need to ensure the products you are installing are listed on the WaterMark Schedule of Products (refer to the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) website) and that the product is WaterMark certified to meet the regulatory provisions.

According to the ABCB website, if a product listed on the Schedule of Products is to be installed in Australia, including those purchased via online stores the product must be:

WaterMark certified
marked with the WaterMark trademark, WaterMark licence number and the applicable product specification
listed on the WaterMark product database, and
provided with a Scope of Use statement specifying its intended use.

Any associated product packaging and promotional material must also be marked with the WaterMark trademark and licence number.

QBCC recommends referring to the Manual for the WaterMark Certification Scheme to ensure the product you are installing complies.

ABCB also states, if your client is supplying their own plumbing products for you to install, remember to ask them to look for the WaterMark and to only supply you with WaterMark certified products. Buying WaterMark certified products means they are fit for purpose, authorised for installation and safe for you and your clients.

The use of NCBPs is a nation-wide issue that affects everyone. While Queensland has a rigorous building certification process, safety is always of the utmost importance, and our buildings need to meet high standards.

The Non-Conforming Building Products Amendment to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 (the QBCC Act) commenced on 1 November 2017. The laws place greater obligations on everyone in the chain of responsibility to ensure their products are fit for the intended use.

The laws ensure every person in the chain of responsibility for building products is accountable, with the intent to improve the safety of Queensland buildings.

The QBCC Act defines building products and non-conforming building products as:

A building product is any material or other thing associated with, or that could be associated with, a building.
A building product is a non-conforming building product for an intended use if—
- a. the association of the product with a building for the use—
  - a. is not, or will not be, safe; or
  - b. does not, or will not, comply with the relevant regulatory provisions; or
- b. the product does not perform, or is not capable of performing, for the use to the standard it is represented to perform by or for a person in the chain of responsibility for the product.

Compliance with the relevant regulatory provisions means—

a. in relation to relevant work mentioned in the definition relevant work, paragraph (a)—the building assessment provisions under the Building Act 1975; or
b. in relation to relevant work mentioned in the definition relevant work, paragraph (b) or (c)—the Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018.

A person (or company) is in the Chain of Responsibility if the person:

designs, manufactures, imports, supplies; and
they know, or are reasonably expected to know, the product will or is likely to be associated with a building; OR
installs the product by carrying out relevant work; OR
who is an architect or engineer in designing a building, specifies a product be associated with a building.

A person (or company) is the installer if they:

personally install
supervise the installation
carry out the relevant work
engage a person to do an activity mentioned above.

For more information about NCBPs and your responsibilities as a person in the chain of responsibility visit Non-conforming building products on QBCC's website.

For more information about WaterMark Certification visit the ABCBs website at abcb.gov.au.

Last reviewed: 16 Feb 2022 Last published: 16 Feb 2022