Who actually applies for the building permit, me or the builder?

This varies by project arrangement, but commonly your builder or contractor manages the building permit application on your behalf as part of their service, working with your engineer’s documentation and a building surveyor.

As the property owner, you’re still the legal party the permit is ultimately issued to, and you retain genuine responsibility for compliance — even where your contractor is managing the application process practically on your behalf.

Worth clarifying directly with your contractor at the outset whether permit application is included in their service or something you need to arrange separately, since this varies between contractors and project types.

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