A building surveyor is a registered professional who assesses building plans and construction work for compliance with building codes, standards and legislation, and provides certification as required under the building approval process.
What Does a Building Surveyor Do?
A building surveyor assesses building work and documentation against applicable building requirements. Their role is concerned with determining whether proposed or completed building work complies with the requirements that apply to the project.
In Western Australia, building surveyors are required to be registered before carrying out building surveying work. Their work can include assessing building designs and building work and certifying compliance within the scope of their registration.
Building Surveyors and the Building Approval Process
Building surveying forms part of the building approval process in Western Australia.
A building surveyor may assess the design and supporting documentation for compliance and issue the relevant certificate of design compliance where required. The exact process depends on the type of building and the approval pathway being used.
The building surveyor’s role should not be confused with the role of the local government or other permit authority. Permit authorities are responsible for granting building approvals and enforcing applicable building requirements.
Building Surveyors in Western Australia
Building surveyors in Western Australia operate within the state’s building legislation and registration framework.
Registration is required for people carrying out building surveying work in Western Australia, and different registration levels have different scopes of permitted work.
For example, Western Australia’s registration framework distinguishes between building surveying practitioners and building surveying contractors, with the scope of work depending on the relevant registration level.
Building Surveyors and Building Documentation
Building surveyors work with building plans, specifications and other project documentation when assessing compliance.
This makes the quality and completeness of building documentation important to the approval process. Drawings and supporting information need to communicate the proposed work clearly enough for the relevant requirements to be assessed.
Kyle Standing’s Perspective on Building Surveyors
Kyle Standing’s work sits earlier in the building documentation process, where building design and drafting information is prepared for projects that may need to progress through building and planning approval processes.
Understanding the role of the building surveyor helps explain why building documentation needs to be clear, coordinated and appropriate for its intended approval or construction purpose.
Related Terms
Building surveying is closely connected with several terms used throughout the building and approval process: