Your Responsibilities

What do I need to do?

Building a cottage involves lots of people. Here's a simple breakdown of who does what — and what you'll need to handle yourself.

Who Does What?

Party	Main Responsibility
Homes & Domes	Cottage supply and contracted coordination
Customer	Property information, decisions, access, payments and appointed responsibilities
Draftsperson	Site and permit drawings
Planner	Planning pathway where required
Engineer	Site-specific structure and foundations
Energy assessor	Energy-rating documentation
Building surveyor	Assessment and building permit
Builder / owner-builder	Regulated on-site building work
Licensed trades	Electrical, plumbing and other connections
Council / authority	Planning, wastewater or other statutory approvals where applicable

Homes & Domes coordinates many stages, but cannot issue statutory permits or replace the independent decision-making role of councils, surveyors, engineers or other authorities.

What You Must Provide

Provide accurate and complete property information at all stages
Make timely decisions and provide instructions to avoid delays
Ensure site access is available for delivery and installation
Provide land information: title, boundaries, easements, covenants
Arrange or confirm service connections (power, water, waste)
Decide on owner-builder or licensed builder arrangement
Make payments in accordance with the agreed schedule
Obtain independent planning, legal and financial advice before committing

Last reviewed: July 2026 · Applicable jurisdiction: Victoria · General information only — not legal, planning or engineering advice.

Requirements vary by property, local government area, building classification and proposed use. Obtain site-specific advice before making financial commitments.