Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 6Feb 18, 2014 1:03 pm 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 8Feb 18, 2014 1:44 pm I was thinking along the lines of the recommendation. I thought that you would have checked but I had to make sure. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 9Feb 18, 2014 1:52 pm SaveH2O Working for such a low cut rate would have had my alarm bells ringing. No, it was the council building surveyor (we didn't use) who would have charged $700. The people we did use (chosen by the building designer) charged $2,000. Or is even that considered a low-cut rate? Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 10Feb 18, 2014 4:25 pm Sorry Liliana, I got the rates crossed when I scanned the posts. I had in my mind that your designer persuaded you to use their recommended (I thought) cheaper surveyor. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 11Feb 18, 2014 4:47 pm Also, just to avoid any other confusion, by building surveyor I mean the person who issues the building permit and occupancy certificate, not the land surveyor. Hope all is now clear! Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 12Feb 19, 2014 6:05 am Liliana wrote "Yes I have checked. This appears to be a reputable and experienced company. That is why I'm just thrown for a loop. Mind you, none of the actual surveyors visited the site. They use their building inspector for visits but the surveyors would have approved the documents surely." Yes reputation is a wonderful thing but it also can be deceptive and give you a false sense of security leading to blind trust. A train called blind trust could take you over the cliff. I have learned to be sceptical about reputation because I mostly deal with disreputable things done by reputable builders. In fact I no longer believe it, I just think you are only as good as your last job. Reputation can also be very dangerous because it is a mother of vanity feeding own egos and false beliefs they are better than they actually are. "Trust me I know best" Really? Reputation is essential first stop, after that catch a train to project control. Foremost Building Expert in Australia,assisting with building problems/disputes, building stage inspections,pre-contract review advice for peace of mind 200 blogs http://www.buildingexpert.net.au/blog Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 13Jun 17, 2016 8:18 am Just to update this thread - I lodged a complaint against my Building Surveyor with the VBA not long after I started this thread. The final result of the investigation is still pending though I do know my surveyor has been found guilty of issuing a permit when he could not have been satisfied that the building work could comply with the Act. However, it appears that the VBA has now changed the rules regarding the process to be followed by Building Surveyors when issuing a building permit in the state of Victoria. They are now obliged to use a VBA approved checklist when approving building permits, as well as when making changes to building permits. See links below: http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/2016-changes- ... -surveyors http://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets ... 160616.pdf I wonder whether 8(ii) in the checklist would have made a difference to our situation? Would "a survey plan of existing site conditions" include a contour survey? Re: Building surveyors – what they won’t do 14Jun 17, 2016 11:20 am Yes, going by your problems with site drainage in the past. The first thing I insist on when a client engages me to draw plans is to get a contour survey done of the property in question. This will give you all the features necessary for an accurate site plan. These will usually include - contours at 500mm increments - any features like trees , their species, height , spread of canopy etc - outcrops of rock - all boundary fences, retaining walls etc - any services on site like underground cables, mains sewers etc - easements - floor levels of the existing dwelling ( if any ) and neighbouring properties - outline of neighbouring dwellings that face the property including roof lines and slopes, eaves heights, ridge heights etc - window sill heights, location and levels of neighbouring dwellings ( these are especially useful when I do the relevant shadow diagrams to show how the new house/addition will affect their solar access) - spot levels around the property every 3m or so - all to AHD and a benchmark on the kerb - boundaries pegged on at least one side so you know exactly where to build to ( fences are notoriously out and should not be relied upon as an accurate reflection of where the boundary actually is ) - Any other predominant geographical feature etc etc Our local councils will not even look at a DA unless an extensive contour survey has been done. It makes it very hard for a builder/concreter/landscaper/drainage plumber to get it wrong when all this info is readily at hand although amazingly some still do! Stewie Ask the council if there is a chance of getting build over easement exemption. Sometimes easements are unused and 24cm is not all that much. Good luck. And yes any builder… 2 14136 |