Setting up a construction site in Brisbane involves more moving parts than most people realise. Miss one item and you risk council stop-work orders, WHS fines, project delays, or worse. This checklist covers everything you need to have in place before the first trade sets foot on your site.
Whether you're a volume builder setting up your hundredth site or an owner-builder tackling your first project, use this as your pre-construction checklist to make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
1. Permits, Approvals, and Insurance
Before anything physical happens on site, your paperwork needs to be in order:
Development Approval (DA) or Building Approval: Confirmed and current. Your building certifier should have issued the approval before any construction commences. Display the approval notice on site as required by Queensland building legislation.
Home Warranty Insurance (QBCC): Required for all residential building work over $3,300 in Queensland. Your licensed builder must have this in place before starting work.
Public Liability Insurance: All contractors on site should carry public liability insurance (typically $10-20 million). As the site manager or builder, verify this before allowing any trade to commence work.
Workers' Compensation: All employees on site must be covered by WorkCover Queensland. Subcontractors should carry their own workers' compensation insurance.
Dial Before You Dig (DBYD): Lodge a DBYD request to identify underground services (water, sewer, gas, electricity, telecommunications) before any excavation. This is free, legally required, and takes 2 business days. Do it early — it's one of the most common items builders forget.
2. Temporary Power
Your site needs electricity from day one. Every trade — from concreters to carpenters to sparkies — relies on power for tools, lights, and equipment. You have four main options:
Standard Single-Phase Power Pole (Most Common)
The standard choice for residential builds. A timber pole installed on your property boundary, connected to the Energex overhead network. Our single-phase power pole hire starts from $860+GST — a flat rate covering delivery, installation, free Energex Form 2 submission, and collection. Provides 63A single-phase supply, which is more than enough for standard residential construction.
Three-Phase Power Pole
Required for commercial builds, large residential projects, or sites running heavy three-phase equipment (large compressors, welders, concrete pumps). Priced higher than single-phase due to the additional hardware and Energex requirements. Talk to us if you're unsure which you need — your electrician can confirm.
Power Pole with Traffic Control
If your pole needs to be installed on a road verge adjacent to a busy road or state-controlled road, traffic management is required. We arrange this as part of our service. Adds $300-2,000+ depending on the road classification and required traffic management plan.
Generator (Short-Term Only)
Only recommended for jobs lasting less than 2 weeks or remote sites without Energex overhead lines. Generators cost $50-100+/day in fuel and hire, are noisy (65-80dB), and require daily refuelling. For anything longer than a fortnight, a power pole is significantly cheaper.
Pro tip: Order your power pole 2 weeks before you need power. Pole installation takes 1-3 days, but Energex needs 3-5 business days to process the Form 2 and connect the service line.
3. Portable Toilets (WHS Requirement)
Under Queensland Work Health and Safety regulations, every construction site must provide adequate toilet facilities for workers. This isn't optional — it's a legal requirement, and SafeWork Queensland inspectors check for it.
Our construction portaloo hire starts from $7.50 per day (ex GST) with weekly servicing included. For most residential builds, a single standard portaloo is sufficient. Larger sites with 10+ workers should consider two units.
If you're hiring both a power pole and a portaloo from us, we deliver them together where possible — saving you a separate delivery fee. Ask about our site setup bundles when ordering.
4. Security Cameras
Construction site theft is a major problem in Brisbane, particularly in new estates and suburban areas where sites are left unattended overnight and on weekends. Tools, copper pipe, appliances, and building materials are common targets.
Our 4G solar security cameras provide 24/7 monitoring without needing mains power or WiFi. They run on solar, connect via 4G, and send motion-triggered alerts direct to your phone. At approximately $15-20 per day per camera, they're a fraction of the cost of security guards ($30-50/hr) and far more reliable.
Most residential sites need 2-4 cameras to cover entry points and high-value storage areas. We can advise on optimal camera placement when we visit for pole installation.
5. Site Fencing and Signage
Temporary fencing: Required on all construction sites to prevent unauthorised access. Standard 2.4m temporary fencing panels are available from fencing hire companies across Brisbane. Council may have specific requirements for fencing height and type depending on your location and the nature of the work.
Site signage: Queensland building regulations require specific signage on construction sites, including the builder's licence number, building certifier details, and approved building plans reference. Your building certifier will advise on exact signage requirements for your project.
Safety signage: Hard hat area, safety boots required, no unauthorised entry, and emergency contact signs should be displayed at the site entrance. These are cheap, readily available from hardware stores, and expected by WHS inspectors.
6. Waste Management
Skip bin: Most residential builds need at least one skip bin on site for general construction waste. Common sizes are 4m3 for smaller projects and 6-8m3 for standard residential builds. Many builders arrange a standing order with their skip bin provider for regular changeovers throughout the build.
Waste sorting: Brisbane City Council encourages (and some councils require) separation of construction waste — timber, metal, concrete, and general waste in separate bins. This can reduce tip fees and is increasingly becoming a condition of development approvals.
Sediment and erosion control: Brisbane council requires sediment control measures on all construction sites to prevent soil runoff into stormwater drains. Silt fences, sediment traps, and stabilised site entrances are common requirements. Failure to implement these can result in significant council fines.
7. Site Access and Parking
Vehicle access: Ensure your site has adequate vehicle access for delivery trucks, concrete trucks, and crane trucks. A standard residential site needs at least 3m clear width for vehicle access. For tight sites, discuss access requirements with your builder and delivery providers (including us) before work starts.
Crossover/driveway layback: If the site doesn't have an existing driveway crossover, you may need a temporary crossover for construction vehicle access. Check with Brisbane City Council for requirements and approval.
Neighbouring property access: If your build requires access to or across neighbouring property (scaffolding on boundaries, crane swings, etc.), arrange written agreements with neighbours before construction begins. This avoids disputes and potential legal issues mid-build.
8. First Aid and Emergency Planning
First aid kit: A stocked first aid kit must be on site and accessible to all workers. The contents should comply with the Queensland Code of Practice for First Aid in the Workplace.
Emergency plan: Display emergency contact numbers (ambulance, fire, police, site manager) at the site entrance. For larger sites, a written emergency plan outlining evacuation procedures and assembly points is required.
Fire extinguisher: At least one fire extinguisher should be on site, particularly during hot work (welding, grinding) and when working near combustible materials.
9. The Complete Setup Timeline
Here's a realistic timeline for getting everything set up, working backwards from your construction start date:
4 weeks before: Confirm building approval, lodge DBYD request, arrange insurance, order temporary power pole, book portaloo and security cameras.
2 weeks before: Install temporary fencing, arrange skip bin delivery, confirm electrician for meter board install, set up sediment controls.
1 week before: Power pole installed, electrician installs meter board, Form 2 submitted to Energex, portaloo delivered, security cameras installed, site signage erected.
Day 1: Energex connects service line (if processing is complete), live power on site, trades begin work. First aid kit on site, emergency contacts displayed.
Get Your Site Set Up With One Call
We supply three of the most critical items on this checklist — temporary power poles, portable toilets, and security cameras. Order through our online form for an instant quote, or call us on (07) 3367 2237 to discuss your site setup needs. When you bundle multiple products, we can often coordinate delivery to save you time and money. For a more detailed guide, see our Brisbane builders site setup guide.
