Many homeowners fancy themselves patio builders, particularly as this is a fairly easy way for you to improve your outdoor space. Not only will you have a sheltered area that is perfect for outdoor dining and entertaining, you’ll be increasing the value of your property. Before you jump into DIY pergola designs, however, it’s important to remember that you might need to get approval from your local council in order to build such a structure.Why do I need approval?Many patio builders wrongly assume that they can just start building and enjoying the structure. The reality, however, is that it is nowhere near that easy. As patios are defined as being significant building structures, you required to obtain permission for their construction from your local council.If you commence work without permission, you run the risk of receiving a ‘please explain’ letter from the council and a fine or even being forced to demolish the structure. On top of this, if you don’t have approval and you try to sell your property, buyers might be reluctant to go ahead.The Approvals ProcessYour DIY pergola design cannot be built until you’ve received a building license. The process for obtaining this license will depend on your local council; as each has their own policies and procedures, there is no fixed process or time frame for obtaining one. In general, however, the wait time is around 4 weeks.In order to obtain a building license, you will need to provide the council with a site plan. This shows the entirety of your property, including where the boundaries are and the location of your house in regards to them. They need to be in the scale of 1:200, otherwise they might be rejected.On top of this, you will also need letters of consent from your neighbours (if your proposed pergola is close to the fence line) and a planning application form (that you, as the property owner, have signed). The council will go through all of these documents and base their approval on the information provided.Who should get approval?If you are confident in dealing with your local council, you can actually go through the approvals process yourself. Be sure you are comfortable with this, as any mistakes are your responsibility. However, it is far more common (and preferred) to have a patio builder go through the process for you.This is because a builder will have much more experience with the approvals process, as well as the documentation that is required. They will also know what to do if any problems or queries arise. This can ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible, which is always a bonus.We hope that the information provided in this article has given you a much better understanding of why approval is so important for DIY pergola designs and how you can go about obtaining it. If you run into any difficulties or have any questions, ensure that you speak with your local council or even contact a professional patio builder – they will be able to steer you in the right direction, and you might even decide to just get a professional job.http://www.lightandspace.com.au/pergolas