Our Services

We issue a Certificate of Likely Compliance (CLC) to certify your proposed building work is likely to comply with the building regulations.

This is one of our chunkier services as we review all the design documents – the plans, certificates, specifications etc. – against all the building rules and standards to make sure the final product is likely to be safe, healthy and fit for purpose.

Most building work (other than minor changes and repairs) on most buildings will need a CLC. A summary of the building work that needs a CLC can be found here, with all the gory details here. And you can always give us a call to check.

Retrospective approvals are required for building work that’s been done without a building permit. You may have received a Building Notice or Building Order from your local council asking you to address unapproved work on your property. We can help.

Usually, we’ll do a site inspection (often with your building designer) to confirm the subject of the Building Order, and to help figure out what needs to be done.

Your designer will draw up the work needing approval, then we’ll assess it, issue a Certificate of Substantial Compliance and lodge it with the council. Once you get your Permit of Substantial Compliance the project proceeds as for a normal building project. The Notice or Order is lifted once the council issues a Certificate of Completion.

Our handy download explains the process in step by step detail, or you can call us for advice.

We do lots of site inspections.

Sometimes we might do a preliminary inspection to define the scope of a project or determine whether a building is safe.

Other times, we conduct inspections during construction to check that the building work is being completed according to the approved plans. A structural engineer may also do these inspections and will forward their inspection report to us.

And we need to inspect all building work that needs an Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Final Inspection. You can call us directly to book an inspection.

One of our primary functions is to certify that a building or structure is safe and suitable to be occupied according to its use.

We provide Temporary Occupancy Permits for buildings that need to be used for a different purpose for a short time, or for structures that are erected for a short time, e.g. a marquee for an event.

We also provide Occupancy Permits for new buildings, for existing buildings that need to be re-certified for a new use, or for existing buildings that have been modified or need retrospective approval.

A strata development describes a situation where a land parcel is subdivided into separate lots that are individually or commonly owned. Strata proposals apply to new buildings or existing buildings that are proposed for separate titles.

We advise whether, and how, the subdivision will have adequate fire separation and building safety. We usually inspect the property and review building records against the requirements of the Building Act 2016 and the National Construction Code.

We generally provide these services to councils to support strata title applications, but can also help developers who want to assess the feasibility of subdivision.

Building maintenance must be carried out to ensure its safety features continue to work reliably over time.

A Schedule of Maintenance lists the building items considered essential for occupant safety and wellbeing depending on the size and use of the building, and how often they need to be tested or inspected. All buildings other than a detached house or a non-habitable outbuilding need a Schedule of Maintenance. And a schedule can only be prepared by a building surveyor and must be reviewed annually, with any changes approved by the building surveyor.

We can prepare a Schedule of Maintenance if you don’t have one, if you’re selling or upgrading your building, or doing new building work.

Building work must comply with the National Construction Code (NCC), which is a performance-based code. So buildings must “perform” to community expectations of safety, accessibility and energy efficiency.

Performance can be achieved by following standardised building solutions, known as “deemed-to-satisfy solutions”. Alternatively, “performance solutions” using other construction methods or materials can be used so long as they can be demonstrated to perform as required.

We are experienced in both the development and assessment of performance solutions and can advise where, and how, they might be beneficial for your project.

We are experts in the legislation, regulations, codes and standards pertaining to buildings. And we specialise in a range of areas including residential, commercial, industrial, medical, aged care, educational and community sectors.

Each project is unique, so our interpretation and application of the regulations is tailored specifically to your project.

We provide consultancy services during the feasibility or design stage of your development to advise where your existing building may need upgrading or where design efficiencies can be made, to meet contemporary standards of building safety, amenity and accessibility.

We conduct independent compliance audits and reporting to help resolve building disputes and to inform damage and injury claims for insurance and legal purposes.

We have the experience and qualifications to provide scientific research and data analysis services for the construction industry.

We can investigate relationships between occupant safety and building performance and evaluate trends over time or across a region. And we apply scientific principles and statistical tools to analyse patterns for specific buildings, building uses, building products or building solutions.