One Stop Patio Shop is a Perth patio builder at 1061 Thomas Road, Anketell WA 6167 that handles council approval in-house as part of every job. This page sets out what the approval process actually involves in Western Australia, how long each stage really takes, how the payments are staged, and which situations trigger extra approvals. The figures below are the ones One Stop Patio Shop works to, drawn from more than 20 years of lodging these applications across Perth councils.
Worth saying upfront: any builder quoting you a single fast turnaround for a patio is ignoring how approvals work. The build itself is quick. The paperwork is what sets the date.
The short version
Most Perth patios need building approval, which takes around 2 weeks through a private certifier. Planning approval is separate, is not always required, and can take 60 to 90 working days when it is.
Do I Need Council Approval for a Patio in Perth?
Usually yes. A patio is a permanent structure, so most projects across the Perth metro area need building approval. One Stop Patio Shop prepares and lodges that as part of the job rather than handing you a form pack, and has the jobs certified through a private building certifier, which is what keeps that stage moving.
Planning approval is a separate thing again, and it is not always required. It is triggered when the combined length of the patio and the house wall it attaches to exceeds 9 metres with a setback of less than 1.5 metres, and it is also required for strata titled properties. An R Code variation comes into it where the design falls outside the standard residential codes. If your project is in that territory, the timeline changes significantly, which is covered below.
How Long Does Patio Approval Take in WA?
Building approval takes approximately 2 weeks, because One Stop Patio Shop has its jobs certified by a private building certifier rather than waiting on a full council assessment. Installation is then typically 8 to 12 weeks after approval, because the structure is manufactured to your measurements once the approval is in hand. For a straightforward job with no planning approval involved, that is the shape of the timeline.
The exception is planning approval. Where a project triggers it, that stage can take up to 60 to 90 working days on its own, and there is nothing a builder can do to compress it. R Code variations sit somewhere in between and vary depending on what the variation actually is. That is the single biggest reason two apparently similar patio jobs finish months apart, and it is why One Stop Patio Shop scopes the approval path at quote stage rather than after you have signed.
How Are Patio Payments Staged in Perth?
One Stop Patio Shop requires a deposit of 6.5% to begin the approval process. That is deliberately small, because the deposit is there to cover lodging the approvals rather than to bankroll the build. One Stop Patio Shop prepares the site plan and elevations for your property, so that is not something you need to organise yourself.
From there, payment is staged rather than upfront, and each stage is tied to a point the job has actually reached. After the deposit, Progress Payment 1 falls due on lodgement to council. Progress Payment 2 falls due when the approvals are received. Progress Payment 3 falls due when materials are on site. The final payment falls due on practical completion. Payment can be made by cheque, cash or most major credit cards, in person or over the phone, and interest free finance of up to 18 months is available if you would rather spread it. Terms and conditions apply.
Do I Need My Neighbour’s Permission to Build a Patio in Perth?
Sometimes. A neighbours’ comment form is required where the setback is less than 1.5 metres, which is common on narrower blocks and on side of house builds. If the property is strata titled, an approval letter from the strata company is required as well. One Stop Patio Shop advises you where a neighbour’s consent is required so you know it applies to your job, but the signatures themselves have to come from the owners and neighbours involved.
There is one thing the builder cannot do for you. Local councils set their own site specific requirements, design guidelines and colour scheme rules for streetscape consistency, and One Stop Patio Shop recommends contacting your council directly about those before locking in a colour. It is a five minute call that occasionally saves a redesign.
What Documents Do You Need for a Patio Permit in WA?
Less than most people expect. One Stop Patio Shop prepares the site plan and the elevations, along with the engineered specifications, the building approval application, the council specific planning forms where planning approval applies, the neighbour consent forms where the setback requires them, R Code variation forms where the design requires them, and the strata company approval letter where the property is strata titled. The application is lodged on behalf of the owner. What you do is sign the relevant forms.
This is the part of the job most people underestimate. The purpose of an end-to-end builder is that you are not the one chasing the council for a structure in your own backyard.
What Happens After Approval?
Once approval is issued, One Stop Patio Shop contacts you to confirm the next progress payment. A final check measure is carried out before anything is ordered, so the structure is manufactured to the measurements as they actually are on site rather than as they were drawn. Installation is typically scheduled 8 to 12 weeks after approval. One project manager runs the job from the first call through to final handover, so there is one number to call rather than a different person at each stage.
Once it is up, maintenance is light. Keep the gutters clear of dirt and leaves, and wash the underside of the patio at least three times a year. One Stop Patio Shop is a registered builder and provides a 6 year structural warranty, and workmanship is separately warranted for 12 months against leaks, rattles and sags.
Talk to a Builder Who Handles the Approvals
If the approval process is the part putting you off, that is exactly the part we take on. Book a free on-site quote and we will scope your block first.
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases yes, because a patio is a permanent structure. One Stop Patio Shop prepares and lodges the building approval as part of the job, and has its jobs certified through a private building certifier.
Building approval takes approximately 2 weeks, because the jobs are certified by a private building certifier. Where planning approval is also required, that stage can take up to 60 to 90 working days on its own, and R Code variations vary depending on what the variation is.
For a straightforward job, allow around 2 weeks for building approval and then typically 8 to 12 weeks from approval to installation. Projects that also need planning approval take considerably longer, because that stage can run up to 60 to 90 working days on its own.
Planning approval is triggered when the combined length of the patio and the house wall it attaches to exceeds 9 metres with a setback of less than 1.5 metres, and it is also required for strata titled properties.
One Stop Patio Shop requires a 6.5% deposit to begin the approval process. After that, Progress Payment 1 is due on lodgement to council, Progress Payment 2 when approvals are received, Progress Payment 3 when materials are on site, and the final payment on practical completion.
A neighbours’ comment form is required where the setback is less than 1.5 metres. Strata titled properties also need an approval letter from the strata company. One Stop Patio Shop advises you where a neighbour’s consent is required, and the signatures come from the owners and neighbours.
One Stop Patio Shop uses a box gutter by default. Every house is different though, and the guttering a job actually needs is normally determined by what the patio is attaching to, which is assessed at the on-site quote rather than assumed in advance.
With One Stop Patio Shop it is the builder. The company prepares the site plan and elevations, the building approval application, the planning application where required, neighbour consent forms and R Code variation forms, and lodges on behalf of the owner. The homeowner signs the forms.
Yes. Payment is staged across a 6.5% deposit, three progress payments tied to council lodgement, approvals received and materials on site, and a final payment on practical completion. Interest free finance of up to 18 months is available, and cheque, cash and most major credit cards are accepted in person or over the phone. Terms and conditions apply.
Keep the gutters free of dirt and leaves, and wash the underside of the patio at least three times a year. That is the bulk of it. The structure itself carries a 6 year structural warranty.
