General information only, not advice. Confirm with your council or a QBCC-licensed or qualified professional before you act.

The kit I wish I’d had.

Your Queensland building job, laid out step by step.

Step-by-step walkthroughs, plain-English guides, an Excel tracker and ready-to-use scripts, made for Queensland homeowners managing their own building job. Try the free screener first.

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General information from official sources. It's not a certifier's decision and it doesn't replace one. Licensed trades still do licensed work. If you'll manage or do building work yourself instead of using a licensed builder, check with the QBCC whether you need an owner-builder permit.

Why I built ClearDA

When I moved an old Queenslander onto a block in South East Queensland, the removal company was helpful right up until I signed the contract. The consultants I paid answered only by email and did the bare minimum, and weeks of delays cost me money. I kept thinking someone should just lay out the steps, the questions to ask and the tools to keep it all on track. So I built the kit I wish I'd had, at a fair price.

Chris, Founder

Our mission

Building in Queensland comes with a lot of rules, and that makes it easy for everyday people to be misled. ClearDA gives you a plain-English kit for your job, for a small fee.

Know what comes next, what to ask, and how to keep things moving with your certifier, builder and council.

How it works

  1. Pick your job

    Choose the kind of work you're planning, such as relocating a house.

  2. Choose your council and answer a few questions

    Rules can differ between councils. The questions are plain and one at a time, and you can go back and change an answer.

  3. See your free summary, then get the full kit

    Your summary shows what may apply, who handles it and where the information comes from. The kit for your job adds the steps, the questions to ask, scripts and emails, and an Excel tracker.

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What's covered

Coverage grows as each job kit is researched from official sources and checked. Anything not ready yet is marked Coming soon.

Jobs

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Councils

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By job and council

Full: the kit covers the council’s published requirements for this job, checked against its official sources as at the last-checked date. Anything the council doesn’t publish (such as processing times or one-off bonds) is marked “check with council”, with who to ask and what to ask. Partial: some published details aren’t in the kit yet. Coming soon: no kit for this job yet.

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A council shows Full local detail when every live job kit has a complete local section for it, Partial when a local section isn't complete yet or only some kits cover it, and Coming soon when no kit covers it yet. Council-specific rules we couldn’t check are marked UNVERIFIED in your summary and kit.

What you get: the full kit for your job

In your kit

  • A Start here guide and a plain-English guide to your job
  • A step-by-step roadmap
  • A checklist, and questions to ask your certifier, council and builder
  • Call scripts and chase-up emails, ready to use
  • An Excel tracker for your budget, quotes, payments and delay costs
  • A contacts card, so you know who to call

The house relocation kit also has a removalist checklist. Start with the free screener: your summary lists what may apply, who handles it and the official sources, with links and check dates.

What it doesn't do

  • It doesn't lodge anything or deal with council for you
  • It doesn't make a decision on your project. Only the relevant certifier, council or authority can do that
  • It doesn't replace a site visit, a certifier or a licensed trade
  • Where an official source doesn't state a fee or rule, the summary and kit say so, and anything we couldn't check is marked UNVERIFIED

Where the information comes from

Built from official government, council and utility sources, with a link to each one:

  • Queensland legislation, such as the Building Act 1975, the Building Regulation 2021 and the Planning Regulation 2017, published on the Queensland legislation website
  • The Queensland Development Code and other Queensland Government building and planning material
  • The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC), for example on licensing and home warranty insurance
  • Council documents, such as planning schemes, fees and charges schedules and information packs
  • Other official sources where they apply, such as the ACCC (consumer rights), the Australian Building Codes Board, Before You Dig Australia (via the Australian Government), and water and electricity providers such as Urban Utilities and Energex.

Every kit and summary lists the exact documents behind each item, with a link and the date we checked it. Rules change, so always confirm with the issuer before you rely on a fee or timeframe.

When you need a professional

ClearDA helps you understand the process and ask the right questions. It doesn't take the place of the people who make decisions or do regulated work:

  • A building certifier assesses building work and carries out the inspections it needs.
  • Your council handles matters such as planning and plumbing applications in its area.
  • Licensed trades, such as plumbers, electricians and QBCC-licensed builders, are needed for work the law says must be done by a licensed person.

If your summary or kit points to one of these, that's your next call.

Pricing

Best value per kit

Bundle: all 6 standard kits

$59.95

Under $10 a kit when you buy all 6 standard kits, compared with $19.95 each.

$119.70 bought one at a time, a saving of $59.75

The bundle includes

  • Shed or other Class 10a building
  • Carport, patio or pergola
  • Deck
  • Bathroom renovation
  • Restump or reblock a house
  • Rainwater tank and stand

The house relocation kit isn't in the bundle. It's sold separately.

House relocation kit

$49.95

Screener and on-screen summary Free

  • Built from official government, council and utility sources, with a link to each oneFull local sections for all 6 councils: Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba, Somerset, Ipswich, Scenic Rim and Southern Downs.
  • If a kit didn't help you: full refund within 30 days. See our refund policy.

General information only, not advice. Confirm with your council or a QBCC-licensed or qualified professional before you act.

Licensed work still needs a licensed trade. Owner-builder permit? Check with the QBCC.

What a paid kit adds to the free summary

  • A step-by-step order, and who does what at each stage.
  • The thresholds and site conditions that can change the answer.
  • Published fees, and timeframes where an official source states them (the kit says so where it doesn't), plus common mistakes and red flags, and questions for your certifier, council and contractor.
  • Full local sections for all 6 councils: Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba, Somerset, Ipswich, Scenic Rim and Southern Downs, and a table of every official source cited, with links and check dates.
  • The house relocation kit also has the founder's lessons learned.

Prices are in Australian dollars. A small fee, set to reflect the value you actually get.

  • No add-ons, no subscriptions: one price, paid once
  • No pressure and no countdown timers

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Frequently asked questions

Is this advice?

No. ClearDA is general information drawn from official sources. It isn't legal advice and it isn't a certifier's decision. Every site is different and rules change, so check with your council or a building certifier before you start.

Does this approve my project?

No. ClearDA can't give, grant or lodge any approval. Only the relevant decision-maker can do that, such as a building certifier, your council or another authority. Your summary and kit help you understand what they're likely to ask for, so you can go in prepared.

Do I still need a certifier, council or a licensed trade?

Very often, yes. Your summary and kit show which ones are likely to be involved for your job, and give you questions to ask them.

How up to date is the information?

Each kit and summary shows the date its sources were checked, and links to each source so you can read it yourself. Anything we couldn't check against an official source is marked UNVERIFIED.

My job or council isn't listed. What now?

We're adding jobs and councils as each one is researched and checked. Until then, your council or a building certifier is the best place to start.

What happens to my answers?

The screener runs in your web browser. Your answers aren't sent to us.