The drawing set most landlords expect for office partition installation approval in a leased NSW commercial tenancy is reasonably consistent: a plan of the existing layout, a plan of the proposed layout, partition sections and details, a services-coordination overlay, contractor and insurance documentation, and a program of works with proposed hours. Tenants who arrive at submission with a complete set commonly see approval inside 2 to 4 weeks. Tenants who arrive with partial documentation usually spend the next 4 to 8 weeks responding to information requests.
Treating the package as a single complete deliverable submitted once tends to land better than treating it as a draft expecting iterative feedback. Each round of information request adds a week, and complete first-time submissions usually approve faster than slightly-better partial submissions. The cost of getting the drawings right up front is meaningfully less than the cost of program delay from approval drag. The sections below cover what each drawing should carry and where landlords most commonly find gaps.
Standard Drawing Sets Required By Landlords
The plan of the existing layout shows the tenancy in its current state, with dimensions, room labels, services positions where visible, and any existing partitions that will remain or be modified. It is the baseline the proposed alteration is being measured against. Where the tenancy is already fitted out and the existing layout is documented, the plan is usually extracted from the original fitout documentation. Where the tenancy is new or the original documentation is incomplete, a site survey may be needed to produce it.
The plan of the proposed layout shows the new partition positions, the resulting rooms, the door positions and swing directions, and the relationship to existing services. It should be at a usable scale (1:50 or 1:100 is common for office fitout work), with dimensions sufficient for the landlord to check the proposal against the building’s structural and services constraints.
Partition sections and details show the build-up of the proposed partitions: framing system, sheet specification, finish level, head detail at ceiling or slab, sill detail at floor, junction details at adjacent walls, and door details. The sections demonstrate that the partition is engineered for the application and that the build-up is compatible with the building. Generic section details from a manufacturer’s catalogue usually satisfy most landlords; bespoke detailing is sometimes needed for unusual conditions.
The services-coordination overlay shows how the new partitions relate to existing lighting circuits, sprinkler positions, A/C diffusers, smoke detectors, data and electrical points, and any cabling runs. The overlay identifies any services that need to be modified, repositioned, or extended to suit the new room layout. Where the modifications are significant, separate services drawings may be required alongside the partition drawings.
Contractor documentation usually sits beside the drawings: company details, ABN, public liability and contract works insurance, workers compensation cover, and any licences relevant to the proposed work. When fitouts in NSW require building approval beyond landlord consent affects whether additional documentation (engineering certificates, fire engineering reports, certifier sign-offs) joins the package.
Documentation Variations By Partition Type
Glass partition submissions typically attract closer landlord scrutiny because of the structural connection at floor and ceiling, the safety glass requirements, and the visual impact on the tenancy’s appearance. Drawings often need to include the framing system manufacturer and model, the glass specification (toughened, laminated, thickness), the door hardware schedule, and any structural certification for the framing at the proposed heights. Glass partition systems from major proprietary manufacturers carry the certification packages and standard details landlords expect to see; bespoke glass installations require the engineering work to be produced and submitted.
Plasterboard partition submissions are usually the most straightforward because the build-up is standard and the structural impact is minimal. Drawings normally need the framing system (stud size, spacing, fixing), the sheet specification (standard, fire-rated, moisture-resistant, acoustic depending on the application), the finish level, and the perimeter conditions. Standard plasterboard partition submissions often approve faster than equivalent glass submissions.
Demountable partition system submissions sometimes attract additional landlord interest because of the unusual installation method. Drawings should clearly indicate that the system is demountable, the proposed connection details, and any provisions for clean removal at lease end. Some landlords prefer demountable systems because reinstatement is cleaner; others scrutinise them more closely because the structural integrity at year five depends on the system holding its specification.
Mixed partition packages (glass and plasterboard combined in the same fitout) are usually submitted as a single drawing set covering both, with the materials and details called out per partition rather than across the package. The landlord considers the package as a whole rather than the partition types in isolation.
Importance Of Detailed Head Termination Drawings
The head detail at the top of the partition (where it meets the ceiling, the slab, or the structure above) is the detail most often scrutinised in approval. Partitions that fix into the building’s structure require certification that the fixings are appropriate; partitions that fix to the suspended ceiling require detailing that the ceiling can support the partition load; partitions that run to slab require attention to the connection method and any movement provision.
For plasterboard partitions, the deflection head detail handles the building’s structural movement across the year. A partition fixed rigidly to a deflecting slab cracks at the head joint within a year as the slab moves. A properly detailed deflection head accommodates the movement and the finish stays intact. The framing and fixing sequence behind how plasterboard partitions are built includes the head connection as a load-bearing detail; the drawing set should show the deflection head explicitly rather than leaving it implicit.
For glass partitions, the head detail shows the framing connection at the top, the seal between framing and ceiling or slab, and any acoustic flanking treatment. Glass partitions running to suspended ceiling typically need acoustic flanking treatment in the void above for any acoustic-rated room; the treatment should appear on the drawings as part of the acoustic specification.
Integrated Services Coordination Drawings
Services coordination drawings show how the proposed partitions interact with existing lighting, sprinklers, A/C, smoke detection, data, and power. They identify any services that need to move (existing fittings that fall in a new room when they were designed for a previously larger space, sprinklers that need repositioning to match the new room layout, lighting circuits that need rerouting around new walls) and any services that need to be added (new lighting in newly enclosed rooms, new data and power points for the new room layout).
Under-coordinated submissions commonly show the partition drawings with the proposed layout but the services drawings with only the existing services. The landlord usually identifies the gap (lighting fixtures left in the wrong positions, sprinklers not relocated to suit the new rooms) and requests a coordinated submission. The fix is to produce the services overlay alongside the partition drawings rather than as a separate later document.
Where the services modifications are significant (new lighting circuits, new sprinkler installations, new mechanical work, fire-engineering changes), separate certified drawings may be required from the relevant trade disciplines. A building certifier or the landlord’s building engineer may need to review and approve these. The lead time can extend the approval cycle by several weeks.
Project Program And Proposed Working Hours
Most landlords expect the program of works to be included in the submission, showing when the work will start, how long it will take, what hours it will run, and any phasing across the program. The program demonstrates that the contractor has thought through the work and can deliver within the building’s operating constraints.
Proposed hours are the part most landlords scrutinise. Buildings with sensitive tenants (medical, finance, executive tenancies) often restrict noisy or dust-generating work to outside business hours, with the program reflecting after-hours scheduling. Buildings with more flexible after-hours rules may permit daytime work for non-disruptive trades. The program should align with the building’s known after-hours rules rather than assume daytime scheduling.
For larger partition packages, the program should include the staging: when each room or zone will be worked on, when the work will be complete, and any sequencing dependencies between partition work and other trades (services, ceiling, finishes). The landlord usually wants visibility on the overall program even when the partition work is only one element of a larger fitout.
Contractor Insurance And Compliance Documentation
The contractor’s insurance documentation usually has specific requirements: public liability insurance with minimum cover (commonly $20 million for major commercial buildings, $10 million for smaller), contract works insurance covering the specific project, workers compensation cover, and any specialist licences relevant to the work (electrical, plumbing, glazing depending on scope).
Insurance certificates should show the policy is current and the cover is adequate for the building’s requirements. Expired certificates or insufficient cover are common reasons a landlord may pause the approval pending corrected documentation.
The contractor’s company details should include the company name, ABN, contact information, and any relevant trade licences. Some landlords maintain pre-approved contractor lists for their buildings; tenants whose chosen contractor is not on the list may need to go through an approval process for the contractor specifically, which can add time to the overall approval cycle.
Post Submission Review And Approval Processes
The landlord’s review of the submission usually takes 1 to 3 weeks for straightforward partition work in well-managed buildings, longer for unusual scopes or larger projects. The review identifies any gaps in the documentation, any concerns about the partition design or the services coordination, and any conditions the landlord wants to attach to the approval.
Common conditions include specific work hours (often after-hours for noisy trades), specific access arrangements (use of designated lifts, specific entry points, building management notification), specific finish requirements (matching existing finishes at junctions, specific paint colours or materials), and specific reinstatement obligations at lease end.
Where the landlord identifies gaps, the response process usually involves a written information request, the tenant or contractor providing the additional documentation, and the landlord re-reviewing. Each round can add a week or more to the timeline. Submissions that go through multiple rounds usually push the total approval cycle past 6 weeks; submissions that approve in one round usually complete in 2 to 4 weeks.
Building Certifier And Council Approval Pathways
Beyond landlord approval, some partition work requires building certifier or council approval. The triggers vary but commonly include structural alterations, change of use, fire compartmentation changes, and work that affects external building elements. For most internal non-structural partition work in an established commercial tenancy, certifier or council approval is not required and the landlord’s consent is sufficient.
Where certifier or council approval is required, the drawing set usually needs to include additional information: structural certification, fire engineering reports, compliance statements against the relevant building code provisions, and certifier sign-off at completion. The lead time adds to the overall timeline; building certifier approval typically runs 2 to 4 weeks for straightforward work, council approval typically runs 6 to 12 weeks where it is needed.
If the drawing set needs to land at the level the landlord and any required certifier will accept first time, happy to produce the documentation alongside the partition design, with the head details, services coordination, and contractor package built to the standard the building expects.
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