Frequently asked questions
What happens if the ground conditions differ from the report?
Ground investigation samples a small fraction of a site, so variation is normal and is one of the reasons construction monitoring exists. If conditions exposed during the works differ materially from the ground model, the designer needs to be notified before work proceeds, so the design can be confirmed or amended and the change recorded. Continuing on the original design without that review is what turns a ground variation into a defect or a delayed code compliance certificate.
Can an engineer be engaged partway through construction?
Yes, but there are limits. An engineer can assess and advise on work at any stage, and can design a remedy for work already built. What an engineer cannot do is certify work they never observed, so covered work may need to be exposed, tested or otherwise verified before any producer statement can be issued. Engaging the reviewing engineer before the first hold point avoids that cost.
What is a request for further information and how are they avoided?
A request for further information, or RFI, is issued by a council when the consent application does not contain enough information to assess compliance. The frequent causes are an investigation scope that does not cover the design, missing calculations or drawings, a geotechnical and structural design that do not agree on parameters, and unclear producer statement scope. Most are avoidable by confirming the required scope with the council before lodging and by co-ordinating the disciplines before the application is assembled.