Bacchus Partners acts as Principal Certifier and carries out critical stage inspections for residential, commercial and industrial projects across NSW, including Nowra, the Shoalhaven, Wollongong, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Goulburn and surrounding regions.

Every project with development consent or a Complying Development Certificate needs a Principal Certifier appointed before building work starts. The Principal Certifier oversees compliance through construction, carries out the mandatory inspections at key stages of the build, and issues the Occupation Certificate at the end.

What is a Principal Certifier?

The Principal Certifier, once known as the Principal Certifying Authority or PCA, is the certifier responsible for overseeing that your building work is carried out in line with the approval, the National Construction Code and relevant health and safety requirements. It is a statutory role under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

The Principal Certifier can be a private accredited certifier or council. In most cases the certifier who issued your CDC or Construction Certificate is also appointed as Principal Certifier, although you are free to choose a different certifier if you prefer.

You choose your Principal Certifier

The choice of Principal Certifier is yours as the person with the benefit of the consent. The Principal Certifier works to the approval and the building standards, not to the build program.

Critical stage inspections explained

Critical stage inspections are the mandatory inspections that must happen at set points during construction, before that work is covered up and can no longer be checked. They are required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.

For a typical Class 1 or 10 residential building, there are six mandatory critical stage inspections:

  • after excavation and before footings are placed
  • before pouring in-situ reinforced concrete
  • before covering the framework
  • before covering waterproofing in wet areas
  • before covering stormwater drainage connections
  • a final inspection once the work is complete, before the Occupation Certificate is issued
Principal Certifier services by Bacchus Partners Shoalhaven

The final inspection must be carried out by the Principal Certifier. Different inspection requirements apply to Class 2, 3 and other building types, and a swimming pool must also be inspected once its barrier is in place. These six are the minimum, not the limit, and a thorough certifier may inspect more often where the project calls for it.

Why the inspections matter

Once a stage of work is covered, the only way to check it is to pull it apart. A footing poured over reinforcement, tiles laid over waterproofing, or soil backfilled over drainage all hide the work underneath. Critical stage inspections exist to confirm the work is right while it can still be seen and corrected easily.

It is the responsibility of the builder, owner or applicant to book each inspection with the Principal Certifier at the right time. Covering work before it has been inspected is a serious compliance issue, and a missed inspection can hold up the Occupation Certificate at the end of the job.

How Bacchus Partners can help

Bacchus Partners acts as Principal Certifier for homeowners, owner-builders, builders and developers across its service area.

The team can:

  • accept appointment as your Principal Certifier
  • set out the inspection schedule for your project from the start
  • carry out the mandatory critical stage inspections during construction
  • identify non-compliant work early and confirm it has been rectified
  • review the compliance documentation required through the build
  • carry out the final inspection and issue your Occupation Certificate

The team can pick up the Principal Certifier role on a project it has certified through a Construction Certificate or Complying Development Certificate, or come on board where another certifier issued the approval.

When to appoint your Principal Certifier

You must appoint a Principal Certifier before building work begins, whether your project was approved through the CDC or the DA and Construction Certificate pathway.

Appointing early is the advantage. It gives you a clear inspection schedule, a single point of contact through construction, and a certifier who understands the project from the start rather than one stepping in cold partway through the build.

Local certification support across the Shoalhaven, Illawarra and Southern Highlands

Bacchus Partners is based in Nowra and Bomaderry and carries out inspections across the Shoalhaven, Illawarra, Southern Highlands, Goulburn and surrounding regions.

The team regularly acts as Principal Certifier for projects in areas such as Nowra, Bomaderry, Worrigee, Berry, Ulladulla, Kiama, Wollongong, Shellharbour, Bowral, Mittagong, Moss Vale and Goulburn. Being local matters here, because inspections need to happen at the right stage of the build without long delays.

Why choose Bacchus Partners?

Bacchus Partners has provided building certification since 1999. The business is family-owned and based in Nowra, with experience across residential, commercial and industrial projects.

Led by Paul Bacchus, an A2 accredited certifier with more than 25 years of experience, the team brings practical, responsive certification to every stage of the build, from approval through to the Occupation Certificate.

Related building certification services

Bacchus Partners can also assist with:

Frequently asked questions

What does a Principal Certifier do?

A Principal Certifier oversees that your building work complies with the approval and the National Construction Code. They carry out the mandatory critical stage inspections during construction and issue the Occupation Certificate at the end.

Do I have to appoint a Principal Certifier?

Yes. A Principal Certifier must be appointed for any building work that needs development consent or a Complying Development Certificate, and the appointment must be in place before work starts.

Can I choose the certifier?

Yes. The choice of Principal Certifier is yours. This keeps the certification role independent of the builder.

How many critical stage inspections are there?

For a typical Class 1 residential buildings there are six mandatory inspections, ending with a final inspection by the Principal Certifier before the Occupation Certificate is issued. Other building classes have different requirements.

What happens if an inspection is missed?

Covering work before it is inspected is a serious compliance issue and can prevent the Occupation Certificate from being issued. The work may need to be uncovered so it can be checked, so it is important to book each inspection at the right time.

Need a Principal Certifier for your project?

If you are about to start building, Bacchus Partners can act as your Principal Certifier, manage the critical stage inspections and see the project through to its Occupation Certificate.

Send through your project details and the team will help you get the inspection schedule sorted. Contact Bacchus Partners or call 02 4421 3752.