Illawarra & Southern Highlands
Private building certifier in the Kiama Municipal Council area
CertifiBuild certifies houses, decks, pools and rural sheds across the Kiama area. On this hilly coast, slope is the key local issue. The council limits building on slopes above twenty per cent, so gradient is measured first.
Local plan
Kiama Local Environmental Plan 2011
Bushfire prone land
Most suburbs
Flood planning
Council mapping
Heritage areas
Some suburbs
Most building activity right now
The 9 busiest suburbs for building work in Kiama
Ranked by ABS building approvals for new homes, duplexes, townhouses and renovations over the 12 months to August 2026. Choose a suburb for its local guide.
Local rules
What shapes approvals here.
A measured slope rule
Kiama is a narrow coastal strip between the escarpment and the ocean, with little flat land. The Kiama development control plan (DCP) 2020 holds the council's detailed building rules. It limits building where the slope exceeds twenty per cent. The exception is a lot with an approved building envelope. On steeper land, you must justify the proposal in writing. Council may also want a geotechnical report on whether the ground is stable. Because the trigger is a measured number, the rules are clear from the start.
Flood and coastal levels
Flood-affected homes must have floors at the 1% flood level plus 0.5 metres. The 1% flood has a one in a hundred chance of happening each year. Coastal flood checks must also allow for sea level rise to 2050 and 2100. Werri Lagoon's entrance opens and shuts on its own, so nearby we look at flood and soil maps together.
Soils and bushfire
The Kiama Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2011 maps acid sulfate soils. These soils can cause problems when dug up, so they matter for footings and pools. Most suburbs also include bushfire prone land. On mapped lots, a bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment decides how the home must be built.
CDC or DA?
A complying development certificate (CDC) is a code-based approval a private certifier can issue. A flood control lot can still suit a CDC if the design satisfies the code's flood rules. Steep sites, high bushfire ratings or the zone may mean a development application (DA) to council. The 2021 Census counted 76.1% of homes here as separate houses. To begin, send us a survey with levels, your plans and the planning certificate so we can check gradient first.
Local know-how
Kiama, Jamberoo and Gerringong: local rules worth knowing
Jamberoo
Jamberoo began as a planned village in 1841, set in a narrow valley inland from Kiama. The DCP gives it a dedicated part with clear rules for houses. A front entry must have a covered verandah with a depth of 1.5 metres or more. The pitch of the principal roof must be 25 degrees or steeper. Cut and fill around the house may not exceed 900 millimetres, and dry stone is preferred for retaining walls.
The Golden Valley subdivision is bringing new homes. A heritage review is also under way, proposing seven new heritage items. A listing can prevent a code-based approval, so we look up its latest status.
Gerringong
Gerringong's DCP has separate parts for the town centre, the headland and Elambra Estate. Elambra's rules call for on-site rainwater retention and reuse. A later pool or garage should work around that system rather than remove it. The estate also limits excavation to 600 millimetres, which affects a sunken garage or pool. Headland lots follow their own master plan.
Kiama town
The town has far more attached homes and flats than its rural surrounds. In 2021, only 55.4% of homes were separate houses. Pheasant Point is one heritage conservation area and the town centre is another, and each comes with its own character guidance. For some external work in the town centre, a development application (DA) may need a 3D digital model.
Minnamurra and Gerroa
In these river mouth settlements, we also check the foreshore building line location. It is a mapped line near the water and differs from a normal rear setback. Where a line applies, you cannot tell its position from a fence or a mown lawn. We mark it on the survey drawing before placing any deck or pool.
Why Kiama owners and builders rely on CertifiBuild
CertifiBuild has worked through Kiama's detailed village and estate rules and knows how specific they can be. We pull up the right DCP part, heritage status and foreshore mapping for your lot at the start. That lets your designer work to known limits. We return calls and emails promptly and line up inspections with your builder's program. We only certify homes and Class 10 structures, so decks, pools, garages and sheds get our full attention.
Suburbs we cover
All 22 suburbs in Kiama
We certify homes and Class 10 structures in every suburb listed. Some suburbs cross council boundaries, so we always confirm the council on your planning certificate.
- Bombo
- Brogers Creek
- Broughton Village
- Carrington Falls
- Croom
- Curramore
- Foxground
- Gerringong
- Gerroa
- Jamberoo
- Jerrara
- Kiama
- Kiama Downs
- Kiama Heights
- Knights Hill
- Minnamurra
- Rose Valley
- Saddleback Mountain
- Toolijooa
- Werri Beach
- Willow Vale
- Yellow Rock
Nearby council areas
Neighbouring councils we cover.
Building near a council boundary, or planning another project close by? Each neighbouring council page explains its own local rules.
Our services
From approval to sign-off.
One certifier for the whole job, whichever council your lot is in.
Local questions
Questions we hear in this area.
No two lots are alike. Share your address and we will review the maps that cover it.
All council areasHow does Kiama’s slope rule work?
The Kiama development control plan (DCP) 2020 limits building on land with a slope above twenty per cent, unless the lot already has an approved building envelope. If your site is steeper, you need to justify the proposal in writing, and council may also want a geotechnical engineer to report on ground stability. Because the trigger is a measured gradient, it is clear from the outset whether these extra steps apply. Kiama has little flat land between the escarpment and the ocean, so this rule comes up often. Get a survey with levels done before your designer starts.
How high must a flood-affected floor be near Gerroa?
A flood-affected floor in Kiama must sit at the 1% flood level plus 0.5 metres. That flood has a one in a hundred chance each year. At a coastal spot like Gerroa, flood checks must also allow for sea level rise to 2050 and 2100. Gerroa is a river mouth settlement, so we also find where its foreshore building line falls ahead of siting a deck or swimming pool. The planning certificate will note if the land is a flood control lot, and a code-based approval can still work there when the design satisfies the flood rules.
Is a farm shed possible near Saddleback Mountain?
It can be, but the answer turns on four things: the measured slope, the bushfire rating, the zoning and whether a building envelope has been approved. Land around Saddleback Mountain is hilly, and the DCP restricts building on slopes over twenty per cent where no envelope exists. Most Kiama suburbs also include bushfire prone land, and a high bushfire attack level (BAL) can rule out a code-based approval. We review these points together, then advise whether a complying development certificate (CDC) or development application (DA) fits your shed. A survey with levels is the place to start.
Building in this area?
Send us the address first.
We check the local maps for your lot, confirm the approval path and quote in writing.