SUBDIVISION INTO 2 TO 10 LOTS

Practitioners report this to be a common task sought by clients and it involves several components. Research findings indicate strongly that the clear communication of the stages of the task to the client is beneficial to both the client and the practitioners.

Initial Application to the WA Planning Commission

This is the first stage in the subdivision process for the creation of up to 10 lots. The fee would include client instruction/interview, site meeting, plan and title searching, investigations with the local authority and planning body, preparation of the application sketch and other documentation, the lodgement of the same, report to the client and petties.

Practitioners report that they commonly seek a fee in the order of $500 plus $70 per lot with hourly rates to apply if time exceeds 4 hours. Third party fees and charges are treated in either on the methods outlined above. If location of improvements on the subject land are required for application purposes, then usually hourly rates are found to be the more equitable for Clients and Practitioners.

Feature and Level Surveys for Design

Should this survey be required by the Client, Practitioners report that generally the task is undertaken in general alignment with those detailed under the section Feature and Level Survey later in this report.

As-Constructed Sewer survey

This survey is typically the only engineering survey required in relation to small subdivisions. Tasks are restricted to the levelling of the new junctions and line ends, connections to the cadastre, addition of results onto flimsy sheets and lodgment of the same. Practitioners report that generally a $200 base charge plus $50 for each manhole, IO, IS, junction, etc is negotiated.

Post Approval Survey

Practitioners report that often clients see this as the only component undertaken by the Licensed Surveyor and very often the client only sees the field component. Some Practitioners report that extra time spent communicating the statutory scope of works to Clients is very beneficial to both Clients and Practitioners.

To effectively and legally complete the task a Licensed Surveyor will:

·          Undertake a full cadastral search

·          Search a geodetic horizontal and height value

·          Undertake a full re-alignment survey

·          Precalculate the new lots

·          Mark the new lots

·          Protect the cadastral referencing

·          Prepare field books

·          Prepare deposited plan of survey

·          Prepare digital data

·          Lodge the same

·          Prepare and make application for clearances

·          Liaise with client/engineers/contractors/authorities, and for general

·          Attend on survey matters up to the deposited plan being put in order for dealings

·          Advise client of deposited plan number

Practitioners report that they generally seek to negotiate a fee from $2500 base charge plus $250 per lot and upwards – often to accommodate the higher liability when working in areas of very high land value.

Findings are that disbursements and third party costs are usually treated in either of the manners outlined above. Practitioners report that savings to clients can be brought about if clients make direct payments to statutory authorities, particularly GST exempt fees.

Additional Services Provided

Research findings indicate where professional services or advise is provided which is in addition to the above or outside the accepted industry norm for this type of instruction, the fees charged are usually based on the practitioners hourly rates. Practitioners report that in order to avoid any latter disputes, all such work instructions should be in writing and approved by the Client before any commencement.

Research findings indicate some concern by practitioners that special care should be taken when forwarding a client a fixed fee for services with regard to this type of development. Some Practitioners report that the benefit of open consultation with Clients in regard to this mater: this is particularly the case with the introduction of ‘Smart Register’ plan requirements.