Patio Council Approval in Perth: Real Cases From Our Approvals Desk

If you’ve read our main guide on council approval for a patio in WA, you already know the rules: the three-box exemption test, bushfire ratings, who approves what, and the standard timeframes. This article is different. It is what we see day to day on the approvals desk: real cases, the things that slow an application down, and what you can do to keep yours moving.

It is based on a recorded interview with Julia Pritchina, who manages council approvals at The Patio Factory and has handled them since she joined the company more than two years ago.

What the approvals desk looks like

We lodge roughly 10 to 15 new applications every week, around 50 a month. Because some applications take up to three months to clear the planning department, well over 100 are in progress at any time, across shires all over Perth.

Most are routine. The ones below are the exceptions, and they show where applications get stuck.

Case 1: how close to the fence decides which department sees it

The distance between your patio and the boundary fence decides how your application is routed.

• Less than 1 m from the fence: planning approval is always required, and the process takes longer in the shire.
• Around 1.5 m from the fence: the application normally goes straight to the building department.
• City of Swan: it is one of the strictest councils. Every application goes to planning first, even a freestanding patio well away from the fence.

If you are close to the boundary, expect the longer path and plan your timing around it.

Case 2: the neighbour signature that saves weeks

When a patio sits less than 1 m from the fence, we usually ask the owner to take the plans next door and get the neighbour’s signature. It confirms the neighbour doesn’t object to the size and height.

It isn’t mandatory, and the shire can proceed without it. But when we have it, the shire’s assessment typically takes less than two weeks. It is one of the simplest ways for a homeowner to speed up their own application.

Case 3: the patio that was built higher than it was approved

One patio was approved at 2.6 m. Partway through, the customer changed their mind and asked for it to be built at 3.5 m. We built it as requested.

Within a couple of days the shire called us: a neighbour had complained that what had been built wasn’t what was approved. We returned to site, cut the patio down and reinstalled it at the approved height.

The lesson is simple. Once approval is granted, the approved plans are the plans. If you want to change the height, the size or the layout, tell us before installation so we can amend the application. Changing it on site is the most expensive way to find out.

Case 4: too much roof, too little light

Shires don’t only look at boundaries. Two recent requests show how much discretion they have:

• One shire asked us to reduce the size of a patio because too much of the block was covered.
• Another asked for skylights in the roof because a large patio left too little sunlight reaching the windows.

Neither is a rule you can find in a simple checklist, which is why we talk through your block with you at the design stage.

Case 5: the unapproved structure that was already there

A shire once refused to progress a new patio because the owner already had an unapproved structure on the block, and wanted that dealt with first. The owner told us they held a building permit for it. In that situation the owner contacts the shire directly and supplies the permit, or obtains one if they don’t have it.

If you have any older structures on your block, such as sheds, extensions or enclosures, find their paperwork before you apply.

Case 6: heritage areas, and the jacuzzi under the patio

• Heritage areas. A separate heritage department assesses the application, not the normal planning team, and the process can take up to six months.
• Jacuzzis and spas. A recent customer wanted a jacuzzi under the new patio. A spa needs a safety fence, and the fence needs planning approval of its own. We put the fence and the patio into a single application so they are assessed together.

When it’s worth calling the shire yourself

Most of the time you don’t need to. But shires are staffed by people, and they can be flexible. Julia has seen applications that were initially refused approved after the owner spoke directly with the shire and explained the situation.

If you do call, ask what specific issue is holding the application and what would resolve it.

The part nobody likes: the wait

The most common misunderstanding we meet is that the patio company controls the timeline. We don’t. When we chase an application, the shire tells us it is in the queue, up to three months for planning, and nothing more.

Julia describes the result bluntly: customers can think the approvals team is lazy, or has forgotten them. We don’t want you wondering, so:

• We send updates about once a month while you wait.
• We always tell you straight away when planning approval comes through, along with the next steps: certification, then the building permit.
• Customers are usually delighted to hear something is moving, even a small step.

End to end, allow roughly four months where planning approval is needed. Our salespeople explain the steps at the start, and the customers who go smoothest are the ones who plan around them.

Why we certify every application

Every Patio Factory application is certified by an engineer before it reaches the building department. Our approvals specialist, an independent company, prepares the drawings and submission, and their engineer checks setbacks and fire separation up front. That takes about five working days.

The reason is practical. Shires have started asking more questions on uncertified applications, including requests for soil and wind reports. Certifying first means fewer questions and a faster decision.

Doing it yourself vs letting us handle it

You are allowed to lodge your own application, and we don’t earn money from the approval process. It is simply a shire requirement. But you will need a drafter and a certified engineer, and most homeowners find that complicated. We handle it, and if you are using a different builder, your details go on the application instead and we aren’t responsible for the build.

What approval costs

Shire and certification costs are separate from the patio price. As a guide, planning applications are around $141, building permits are in the $170 range, and certification is about $250. The exact figures vary slightly between shires, and drawings are a separate cost.

Two timing notes

• Builder registration. A registered builder is no longer required for Class 10a structures, including patios, valued under $50,000 (previously $20,000). A building permit is still required.
• Christmas. If a job doesn’t need approval, we can probably still build it before Christmas, but it isn’t guaranteed because our installation backlog is large. Nearly all applications do need approval, so start early.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need my neighbour’s signature?
Not legally, and the shire can proceed without it. But if your patio is less than 1 m from the fence, it is worth getting, because the shire’s assessment then typically takes under two weeks.

Can I change the design after approval?
Not on site. Changes to size or height must go back to the shire first. A patio built higher than approved can be ordered cut down.

Why is my application taking so long?
Planning departments can take up to three months, and neither we nor you can speed that up. Ask us for an update, or call the shire yourself.

Can you apply for approval on a patio someone else built?
That falls outside what we do through the company, but we can refer you to our approvals specialist.

Which shires are fastest?
We can’t predict it. Timing varies from application to application.

For the rules behind all of this, including the exemption test and the bushfire requirements, see the full guide: do you need council approval for a patio in WA. Building a carport? Read our carport setbacks guide.

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