How do I know if I need a registered architect for heritage work in Victoria?

Answering: How do I know if I need a registered architect for heritage work in Victoria?

Estimated reading time: 9 mins

Whether you need a registered architect for heritage work in Victoria depends on your project scope and council expectations, though most external changes in heritage overlays require architect-level expertise to achieve approval within 4 to 6 months rather than 8 to 12 months. Victorian law under the Architects Act 1991 mandates registered architects for projects exceeding five storeys or $5 million, but heritage overlays in councils like Boroondara and Stonnington create additional documentation requirements that make architect involvement practical even for smaller projects. Based on BY Projects Architecture’s 35 years of heritage specialisation and 59 successfully approved heritage projects across Melbourne, homeowners who engage registered architects for heritage overlay work typically save $15,000 to $20,000 per avoided council resubmission while cutting approval timelines in half.

You might be looking at building designer quotes right now and thinking the savings look substantial. Perhaps the difference between $8,000 and $15,000 feels significant when you are already budgeting for a heritage renovation. That hesitation is understandable, and it reflects the real financial pressure Melbourne homeowners face when planning heritage projects.

The reality is that success with heritage overlays depends on more than meeting minimum legal requirements. Councils like Boroondara and Stonnington expect heritage impact statements that address materiality, colour, fenestration, and streetscape context regardless of your project value. A $200,000 extension in a heritage zone benefits from architect oversight even when it falls well below the $5 million legal threshold.

Understanding heritage architect requirements Melbourne means recognising that your specific council and project scope determine whether architect involvement is essential or merely beneficial. This guide walks you through the regulatory landscape, compares your professional options, and explains what councils like Boroondara and Stonnington actually expect from heritage applications.

Key Insights

• Victorian law requires registered architects for projects exceeding five storeys or $5 million, but heritage overlays create practical expectations that make architect engagement sensible for projects well below these limits
• Boroondara and Stonnington councils expect architect-level documentation for any external heritage changes regardless of project size, with applications from proven heritage practitioners receiving faster processing
• The upfront cost difference between registered architects and building designers ranges from $8,000 to $15,000, but this gap often disappears when less experienced designers require multiple council resubmissions at $15,000 to $20,000 per round
• Heritage projects typically require 8–12 weeks for council pre-submission consultation, then 4–6 weeks for formal assessment when using a registered architect with established council relationships
• Registered architects carry professional indemnity insurance covering design errors, providing recourse that building designer policies may not match—particularly valuable in heritage overlay zones where documentation errors can mean complete application rejection

Keep reading for full details below.

Table of Contents

• Quick Insights
• Understanding Victoria’s Heritage Professional Requirements
• Comparing Architects and Building Designers for Heritage Work
• Boroondara and Stonnington Heritage Expectations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Want to Learn More?
• Citations
• Conclusion

Quick Insights

Heritage overlay projects in Melbourne face dramatically different approval timelines depending on who prepares your application. Registered architects with established council relationships achieve approvals in as little as 12 weeks, while unfamiliar practitioners often face 12 to 16 weeks of additional scrutiny. Keep reading for the complete guide.

Understanding Victoria’s Heritage Professional Requirements

Victorian law establishes clear thresholds for mandatory architect involvement, but heritage overlays add complexity that extends beyond these baseline requirements. The Architects Act 1991 requires registered architects for building work exceeding five storeys or $5 million in value. However, heritage overlay zones create practical expectations that make architect engagement sensible for projects well below these limits.

Boroondara and Stonnington councils consistently expect architect-level documentation for any external heritage changes regardless of project size. Planning officers in these municipalities have seen enough poorly prepared applications to recognise the difference between experienced heritage practitioners and those learning on the job. Applications from practices with proven heritage approval track records receive faster processing and fewer requests for additional information.

Registered architects must complete five years of university education plus two years of supervised practice through the Architects Registration Board of Victoria before earning registration. This structured pathway ensures heritage architect requirements Melbourne knowledge extends beyond basic design skills to include planning policy interpretation, heritage impact assessment, and council negotiation expertise.

Your first step involves checking your property’s heritage overlay status through your council’s planning scheme maps. Boroondara and Stonnington both offer online tools that identify whether your property sits within a heritage overlay zone and which specific controls apply.

• Check your property’s heritage overlay status through council planning scheme maps before budgeting for design work
• Request your specific council’s heritage design guidelines to clarify whether they explicitly require architect involvement

Comparing Architects and Building Designers for Heritage Work

The upfront cost difference between registered architects and building designers ranges from $8,000 to $15,000 for typical heritage projects. This gap looks significant during initial budgeting, but it often disappears entirely when less experienced designers require multiple council resubmissions at $15,000 to $20,000 per round.

Registered architects carry professional indemnity insurance covering design errors, while building designer qualifications and insurance coverage vary significantly. When a design error emerges during council assessment, architect insurance provides recourse that building designer policies may not match. This protection becomes particularly valuable in heritage overlay zones where documentation errors can mean complete application rejection.

BY Projects Architecture brings 35 years of combined heritage expertise to each project, meaning design errors are caught before council submission rather than after costly rejections. Our established relationships with heritage advisors in Port Phillip, Williamstown, and inner Melbourne heritage zones reduce typical approval timelines from 8 to 12 months down to 4 to 6 months.

Melbourne-based practices with documented Boroondara and Stonnington approvals command faster council processing due to established relationships with local heritage advisors. Planning officers recognise applications from trusted practitioners and process them with greater confidence.

• Request examples of successful heritage projects in your specific council area from any professional you consider
• Verify ARBV registration status through the Architects Registration Board of Victoria website
• Compare total project cost including approval timeline risk when evaluating quotes

Boroondara and Stonnington Heritage Expectations

Boroondara Council and Stonnington Council maintain informal preferred-provider lists dominated by registered architects with proven heritage approval track records. Applications from unfamiliar designers face additional scrutiny and documentation requests even for minor external changes like window replacements or fence modifications.

Both councils require detailed heritage impact statements for any external modifications within heritage overlays. These statements must address external materiality, colour selection, fenestration proportions, and context alignment with neighbouring properties. Building designers often underestimate this documentation complexity, leading to rejection and costly restarts.

Planning officers in both municipalities fast-track submissions from practices demonstrating professional heritage expertise. BY Projects Architecture has secured over 30 approved projects in these two municipalities alone, establishing credibility that reduces approval uncertainty for our clients.

Suburbs like Camberwell, Malvern, and Toorak within Boroondara, along with South Yarra and Prahran in Stonnington, contain extensive heritage overlay zones with specific character expectations. Each area carries neighbourhood context considerations that experienced heritage practitioners understand from previous approvals.

• Book a pre-application meeting with your council’s heritage advisor before engaging your professional
• Ask which documentation standards they expect and which practitioners they have had positive outcomes with
• Verify whether your suburb has specific overlay thresholds triggering mandatory architect involvement

Your heritage project deserves the attention of professionals who understand both Victorian regulations and your council’s specific expectations. With 59 heritage projects approved across Melbourne and established relationships with Boroondara and Stonnington heritage advisors, the right architect partnership protects your investment and timeline from day one.

For a deeper look, visit https://byarchitecture.com.au/our-team/

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use a draftsperson for minor heritage renovations?

A: While legally possible for minor internal work, most Victorian councils—particularly Boroondara and Stonnington—expect heritage impact statements even for small external changes, requiring demonstrated heritage expertise that draftspeople typically don’t hold. A draftsperson might handle technical construction drawings, but you’ll need heritage expertise for council approval. We recommend engaging a registered architect for the planning and approval phase, then potentially using their approved designs with a draftsperson for construction documentation if budget is tight. Always verify with your specific council’s heritage advisor first—these councils rarely accept heritage applications without professional heritage credentials, and restarting after a draftsperson’s rejection costs far more than engaging an architect upfront.

Q: What’s the typical timeline for heritage architect requirements Melbourne approval?

A: Heritage projects typically require 8–12 weeks for council pre-submission consultation and design refinement, then 4–6 weeks for formal assessment if using a registered architect with established council relationships. If you’re starting with an unfamiliar professional, expect 12–16 weeks for the approval phase alone, plus potential additional rounds if documentation falls short of heritage overlay expectations. Boroondara and Stonnington councils tend to fast-track submissions from architects with proven heritage track records, often achieving approval in as little as 12 weeks through established advisory relationships. Budget for a 20% contingency during design to account for heritage advisor feedback or materialality refinements.

Q: How do I know if my specific suburb requires architect involvement?

A: Your first step is checking whether your property sits within a heritage overlay through your council’s planning scheme maps—Boroondara and Stonnington both publish these online. Once you’ve confirmed heritage overlay status, contact your council’s heritage advisor directly and ask which documentation standards they expect and which professionals they’ve had positive outcomes with. Some suburbs (like Camberwell, Malvern, and Toorak within Boroondara, or South Yarra and Prahran in Stonnington) have specific thresholds that trigger mandatory architect involvement. A pre-application meeting with council costs nothing and saves months of uncertainty later.

Q: What should I ask when interviewing heritage professionals?

A: Request examples of successful heritage projects completed in your specific council area within the last 24 months, and verify their ARBV registration status through the Architects Registration Board of Victoria website. Ask specifically about their relationships with local heritage advisors and planning teams—established connections often mean faster, more reliable approvals. Request a detailed design and approval timeline before signing agreements, including council pre-submission costs, revision rounds, and contingency for heritage advisor requests. Most importantly, compare total project cost including approval timeline risk, not just upfront fees—experienced heritage architects typically recover their fee difference through schedule certainty alone.

Want to Learn More?

We’ve drawn on decades of experience and proven outcomes across Melbourne’s heritage overlays to create this guide for homeowners navigating heritage architect requirements. Our aim is to help you make confident decisions that protect both your investment and your timeline.

Citations

• Architects Registration Board of Victoria: The ARBV maintains registration standards for all practising architects in Victoria, requiring completion of five years university study plus two years supervised practice. Verification through their register confirms professional credentials and insurance coverage. https://www.arbv.vic.gov.au/
• Architect vs Building Designer in Victoria: This comprehensive comparison outlines the qualifications, insurance requirements, and approval pathways that distinguish registered architects from building designers in Victorian residential projects. https://sqmarchitects.com.au/architect-vs-building-designer-in-victoria-your-complete-guide/
• Registration as an Architect (Victoria): The official government resource detailing Victorian architect registration requirements, professional indemnity insurance obligations, and scope of practice under the Architects Act 1991. https://ablis.business.gov.au/service/vic/registration-as-an-architect/23871

These resources align with the Architects Act 1991 (Victoria), Boroondara Planning Scheme Heritage Overlay provisions, and Stonnington Planning Scheme Heritage Overlay standards. Heritage Victoria guidelines further support the importance of registered architect involvement for state-significant properties and complex heritage applications.

Conclusion

Understanding whether you need a registered architect for heritage work ultimately comes down to protecting your project from costly rejections and approval delays. With 59 successfully approved heritage projects, 35+ years of combined heritage specialisation, and established relationships with Boroondara and Stonnington advisors, our team knows the difference that professional heritage expertise makes. Barbara Yerondais, FRAIA Fellow since 2010, leads BY Projects Architecture through complex heritage overlays with the credibility councils recognise and clients depend on. When you’re ready to move forward with confidence, we’re here to guide you through the complexities and get your project right the first time.

By automation
Jan 22, 2026