BAL assessments in the Adelaide Hills

Suburbs and localities we cover

And everywhere in between. If your suburb is not listed, ask; travel is included in the fixed price.

Bushfire overlays in the Adelaide Hills Council area

Every property in the Adelaide Hills Council area sits under bushfire construction requirements. Much of the council is in the High bushfire hazard overlay; parts of the townships are Medium. The council itself does not issue BAL ratings. The overlay for your address is on the South Australian Property and Planning Atlas (SAPPA). Not sure which overlay applies to your block? Send us the address and we will check SAPPA for you at no cost.

Do you need a private BAL, or will the CFS do it?

This is the question to settle first, because it decides whether you need us at all.

• New dwelling in the High overlay: your development application is automatically referred to the CFS. The CFS assesses the site and sets the BAL as part of that referral, and you pay the CFS fee. We can do a BAL for you as well, but you would be paying for the same thing twice, and building is expensive enough. Our advice is to follow the CFS process and put the money into the build.
• Smaller additions and alterations, sheds, carports and decks: these often do not trigger a referral, and council or your building certifier will want a private AS 3959 assessment. A shed, carport or deck within 6 metres of the house has to be built to the house's BAL, so if the site has no current rating, that is where we come in.
• Medium overlay within 100 metres of a High area: the Code deems Medium land BAL-12.5, but under Ministerial Building Standard MBS 008 a site within 100 metres of a High area needs the BAL determined by a site assessment. This is one of the most common jobs we do in the Hills, particularly on township edges.
• Building rules consent, insurance requests, pre-purchase checks: private assessment.

What makes the Hills different

Slope. A block below forest on the Mount Lofty escarpment or in the gullies around Stirling, Crafers and Aldgate can measure a full BAL step higher than the same setback on flat ground, because fire runs uphill faster and flame lengths increase. It also means different sides of the same house often carry different ratings, and the building position on the block matters more here than almost anywhere else in the state. We report by aspect so you and your designer can see which side is driving the number.

What you get

• A site visit, with vegetation photographed and classified for each aspect
• Measured setbacks and effective slope, not estimates off a satellite image
• A council-ready AS 3959-2018 report within five business days
• Fixed price quoted upfront, travel included, no hidden costs

Read more: Building in the Adelaide Hills bushfire zone and Sheds, decks and outbuildings.