Easements and Building: What You Need to Know Before You Dig
An easement on your property genuinely restricts what you can build over or near it — worth checking before any excavation planning begins.
What an Easement Is
An easement is a legal right allowing someone else (often a utility authority or council) to use a defined part of your property for a specific purpose — commonly, access to underground services running through your land.
Common Types Affecting Residential Blocks
Drainage and sewerage easements are among the most common affecting residential blocks — see our Dial Before You Dig guide for how these frequently relate to the same underground services that check identifies.
How to Check for Easements
Easements are recorded on your property’s title — checking your title, or engaging a surveyor to review it as part of project planning, is the genuinely reliable way to identify any easements affecting your block.
Building Restrictions Near Easements
Building over or too close to an easement is often restricted, or requires specific approval from the relevant authority — genuinely important to check before finalising a foundation or excavation plan that might conflict with an easement’s location.
What to Do If Your Project Affects One
If your planned work is near an easement, engaging with the relevant authority early — before design is finalised — genuinely avoids costly redesign later. This is exactly the kind of check worth doing at the very start of project planning.
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We complete residential and commercial concrete, excavation and foundation projects across Melbourne every week. Explore our project gallery to see the range of work we deliver.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an easement?
A legal right allowing someone else, often a utility authority or council, to use a defined part of your property for a specific purpose, commonly service access.
What's the most common type of easement on residential blocks?
Drainage and sewerage easements are among the most common, frequently relating to underground services.
How do I find out if my property has an easement?
Easements are recorded on your property’s title — checking your title or engaging a surveyor is the reliable way to identify them.
Can I build over an easement?
Often restricted, or requiring specific approval from the relevant authority — genuinely important to check before finalising your design.
What should I do if my project might affect an easement?
Engage with the relevant authority early, before your design is finalised, to avoid costly redesign later.
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