Recent Projects Across Northern NSW
Construction Certificates, critical stage inspections and Occupation Certificates for architect-designed homes across the Northern Rivers.
Recent projects
What Do These Projects Show?
Each project below is a build East Coast Building Consultants certified from Construction Certificate through to Occupation Certificate — assessing the plans, carrying out every mandatory critical-stage inspection, and signing off the completed building. They are a record of the work rather than a portfolio of our design: the architecture belongs to the practices we worked alongside.
We have been certifying across the Northern Rivers since 2004 and have completed more than 6,000 inspections. The projects here are a small sample chosen because they show the range — a bushfire-prone site, a lightweight award-winning home, and a studio in central Byron Bay.
What Kinds of Projects Do We Certify?
Most of our work is residential: new homes, alterations and additions, secondary dwellings, swimming pools and subdivision work. The projects on this page are architect-designed one-off houses, which tend to raise the compliance questions that standard project homes do not.
Bushfire-prone sites — a build in a bushfire prone area must satisfy the relevant Bushfire Attack Level requirements before a Construction Certificate can issue, on top of the National Construction Code and the development consent conditions.
Non-standard construction — lightweight systems bring fire, acoustic and structural detailing requirements that differ from conventional masonry, and need careful assessment against the Code.
Constrained sites — coastal setbacks, flood planning levels and heritage or biodiversity overlays all shape what can be certified and when.
Do You Work With Architects and Builders?
Constantly. Every project on this page was designed by Harley Graham Architects and delivered by a different builder. Engaging with the design team early — rather than reviewing a finished set of drawings — is usually the difference between a certificate issued in a fortnight and one that stalls for months on unresolved consent conditions.
If you are an architect, builder or owner starting a project, send us the plans and we will tell you what is missing before the clock starts. See private certification for how the process runs.
Where Do We Certify?
Across seven council areas in the Northern Rivers — Ballina, Byron, Tweed, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Kyogle and Clarence Valley. We have dedicated pages for Ballina, Lismore and Grafton, or see all service areas and offices.
Project FAQs
Can I see examples of building projects you have certified?
Yes — the projects on this page are builds we certified from Construction Certificate through to Occupation Certificate. Each entry lists the architect, the builder and the certification services provided. If you want a reference for a project similar to yours, ask us and we will point you to one.
Do you certify architect-designed and custom homes?
Yes, and it is a large part of what we do. One-off architect-designed houses raise compliance questions that standard project homes do not — unusual structural systems, constrained sites and bespoke detailing all need assessing against the National Construction Code before a Construction Certificate can be issued.
Can you certify a build in a bushfire prone area?
Yes. A build in a bushfire prone area has to satisfy the relevant Bushfire Attack Level requirements in addition to the National Construction Code and the development consent conditions. Our Broken Head Studio project is one example — we ran a full DA checklist before the Construction Certificate was issued.
What does certifying “from CC to OC” actually involve?
We assess the plans and issue the Construction Certificate, then inspect at each mandatory critical stage through the build — footings and slab, frame, wet area waterproofing and the final inspection. Once the final inspection passes we issue the Occupation Certificate, which authorises the building to be occupied.
Do you work on lightweight or non-standard construction?
Yes. Lightweight construction brings its own fire, acoustic and structural detailing requirements that differ from conventional masonry. Gull House, which won an Australian Institute of Architects award, was predominantly lightweight and we advised on DA compliance before issuing the Construction Certificate.
Reviewed by Brett Crawford, principal certifier at East Coast Building Consultants — A3 accredited and registered with the NSW Building Commission, certifying across the Northern Rivers since 2004. Last reviewed .
Starting a Project in Northern NSW?
Send us your plans for a fixed, upfront quote. Call (02) 6680 8705 or request a free quote — we typically respond within one business day.