My house in Coromandel Valley backs onto a reserve. Is that High?

Often the reserve is High and the residential lot is Medium or urban interface. If the lot is within 100 metres of the High area, a site assessment is required. We will check the address.

Do you assess vineyard properties around McLaren Vale?

Yes. Vineyards are managed land and are treated differently to native scrub under the standard, which usually helps the rating. What matters is any unmanaged vegetation adjoining the block.

Do you cover the coast, like Aldinga and Sellicks?

Yes. Travel is included in the fixed price.

BAL Assessment Onkaparinga | Clarendon, Willunga, Happy Valley

Suburbs and localities we cover

ClarendonKangarillaCherry GardensCoromandel ValleyCoromandel EastChandlers HillHappy ValleyAberfoyle ParkFlagstaff HillWoodcroftOnkaparinga HillsOld NoarlungaMcLaren ValeMcLaren FlatBlewitt SpringsWillungaWillunga SouthWhites ValleyAldingaSellicks HillSellicks BeachMaslin BeachTatachillaHope ForestDingabledinga

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

Bushfire overlays in the City of Onkaparinga

Onkaparinga carries a mix of High and Medium overlays, plus urban interface areas where suburban streets meet reserves and the Onkaparinga River gorge. The foothills suburbs around Coromandel Valley, Happy Valley and Flagstaff Hill are a common source of enquiries because a street can be Medium while the reserve behind it is High, which brings the 100-metre rule into play. Further south, the Willunga escarpment, the Kuitpo forest edge and the scrub behind Sellicks and Aldinga are High. The current overlay for any address is on 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?

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: usually a private assessment. Within 6 metres of the house means matching the house's BAL.
Medium overlay within 100 metres of a High area: MBS 008 requires a site assessment. This is the typical foothills scenario and one of the most common jobs we do in Onkaparinga.
Building rules consent, insurance requests, pre-purchase checks: private assessment.

We check which of these applies before we quote. If the CFS is going to assess your site anyway, we will tell you rather than sell you a second report.

What makes Onkaparinga different

Interface blocks. A lot of properties here have managed suburban land on three sides and a reserve, creek line or vineyard on the fourth. Under AS 3959 the rating is set by the worst aspect, so the one side that faces unmanaged vegetation is what matters. Getting the classification of that boundary right, and measuring the actual setback rather than estimating it, is the difference between a report that holds up and one that gets queried.

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

Get a fixed quote

Tell us the address and what you are building. Fixed quote within one business day, no obligation.

Free overlay check

Not sure if your block is in a bushfire overlay, or whether the CFS will do your BAL anyway? Send the address and we will check SAPPA and tell you. No cost.

BAL assessments in the City of Onkaparinga