Approvals & Compliance Blog | giantA Pty Ltd

9 Articles

multi-residential ×

Class 2 Design Variations Mid-Build: DBP Act Rules for NSW Apartment Sites

On a live Class 2 apartment site in NSW, design changes are normal — but under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (DBP Act), some variations are paperwork and others are hard stops. If the...

Approval Process apartment-design class-2-building dbp-act design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance regulated-design

Sep 6, 2026

Class 2 Building Design Fees vs Construction Costs in Sydney: A 2026 Cost Breakdown for Apartment Developers

What Does It Actually Cost to Design and Build a Class 2 Apartment Building in Sydney in 2026? A Class 2 apartment building in Sydney costs between $3,200 and $6,200+ per square metre of gross floor a...

BASIX apartment-design approvals basix-certification basix-compliance class-2-building design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance

Sep 6, 2026

NSW Housing Pattern Book 2026: How Pre-Approved Designs Can Cut Your Approval Time to 10 Days

What Is the NSW Housing Pattern Book? The NSW Housing Pattern Book is a government-backed collection of pre-approved, architect-designed housing templates that can fast-track your planning approval to...

CDC Complying Development DA approval NSW Planning multi-residential townhouse

Aug 28, 2026

Design and Building Practitioners Act 2021: What Apartment Developers Must Know

Design and Building Practitioners Act 2021: What Apartment Developers Must Know Author: Franz Phan, Registered Design Practitioner (NSW DBP Act 2020), Director of giantA Pty Ltd — 15+ years experience...

apartment-design class-2-building design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance

Aug 24, 2026

Waterproofing in Class 2 Buildings: NSW Compliance Requirements Under the DBP Act and BCA Section F

By Franz Phan, Registered Design Practitioner (NSW) — 15+ years in multi-residential design and building compliance Introduction Waterproofing is the single most prevalent serious defect in NSW apartm...

apartment-design class-2-building dbp-act design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance

Aug 21, 2026

Class 2 Building Compliance Documentation: What Developers Must Lodge on the NSW Planning Portal

Introduction Every Class 2 apartment development in NSW now carries a documentation obligation that did not exist before 1 July 2021. The Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 introduced a mandat...

apartment-design class-2-building dbp-act design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance regulated-design

Aug 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown: Class 2 Building Design Fees vs Construction Costs Sydney 2026

Author: Franz Phan, Registered Design Practitioner (Class 2 buildings), Senior Planning Consultant — 15+ years experience in NSW residential development Published: 13 August 2026 Reading time: ~9 minu...

NSW building regulations apartment-design class-2-building construction-costs dbp-act design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance nsw-construction property-development

Aug 12, 2026

Common Class 2 Building Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Common Class 2 Building Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them By Franz Phan, Registered Design Practitioner (DBP Act 2020), Senior Planning Consultant — 15+ years experience in NSW residential develop...

apartment-design class-2-building dbp-act design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance regulated-design

Aug 9, 2026

Class 2 Building Approval Pathways: DA vs CDC for Apartments in NSW (2026)

Class 2 Building Approval Pathways: DA vs CDC for Apartments in NSW (2026) By Franz Phan, Registered Design Practitioner, giantA Pty Ltd If you are developing a multi-unit residential building in New ...

apartment-design class-2-building design-practitioner multi-residential nsw-building-compliance

Jul 30, 2026