Civil & Structural Engineering, Design & Certification

1. When do I need an engineering certificate?
An engineering certificate is required if you need to obtain a Building Approval (BA).

 

2. When do I need a Building Approval (BA)?
You need a BA when constructing a new building or making any structural modifications to an existing one. This includes obtaining permission from your local council.

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3. What is an engineering certificate?
An engineering certificate confirms that structural design drawings comply with Australian standards. The name of this certificate varies by state—for example, it’s called Form 15 in Queensland and Form 126 in Victoria. We recommend consulting your local government, private certifier, or building surveyor to ensure you get the appropriate certificate for your project.

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4. What is considered a structural change?
Structural changes include:
- Adding or removing walls
- Modifying floors or decks
- Extending a house
- Building a secondary dwelling, pool house, swimming pool, stairs, or new footings and concrete slabs

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5. Where should I start?
The first step is to engage an architect or building designer to create a concept design. Once it’s ready, contact us for a free quote on the structural engineering design.

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6. Can CASEDC Engineers handle my architectural or building design?
Yes and no. We can assist with minor changes, such as removing walls or enclosing a balcony. For new homes or major extensions, we recommend consulting a QBCC building designer or architect.

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7. Who should I engage for Building Approval (BA)?
You can either engage a private certifier to lodge an application on your behalf or submit the concept design directly to your local council.

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8. When should I engage a building certifier?
We recommend engaging a building certifier from the beginning to provide a checklist of documents and tasks needed to obtain Building Approval (BA) and a final certificate.

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9. What other certificates might I need from an engineering company?
The construction certificate, which has various names depending on the state (e.g., Form 12 in Queensland), is another certificate we can provide.

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10. What is Form 16?
Before September 2021, engineers provided a Form 16 instead of a Form 12. Form 16, a framing stage certificate, covers areas beyond the structure and is issued by certifiers or approved personnel.

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11. Do you need to inspect an existing building to provide engineering design for a renovation?
Yes and no. If clear, detailed concept drawings are provided, we may not need an inspection. However, if details are lacking, we may need to inspect the existing structure on-site.

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12. Do I need a soil test report?
If your project involves footings, slabs, or retaining walls, a soil test report is required before design work can begin.

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13. Does CASEDC provide soil test reports?
Yes, you can book your soil test or site classification report with us.

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14. Can you recommend a building designer or architect?
Yes, please contact us for referrals from our trusted network.

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15. Can you recommend a building surveyor or certifier?
Yes, please contact us for referrals from our trusted network.

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16. Do you need to attend a pre-design inspection for a retaining wall?
If you're replacing an existing wall with no adjacent walls and the ground slope is less than 1 in 4, an inspection is not necessary. However, a soil test report is still required for the design.

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17. Do you provide pre-purchase inspections and reports?
Yes, if a building and pest report highlights structural concerns, we’ll inspect the flagged issues and provide a report with our findings and solutions.

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18. Do you offer generic designs?
Depending on your product, we can provide a design and certificate for either the entire product or specific parts. For example, we can provide a design for a demountable house covering wind rating tolerance, though footing or slab design depends on site conditions. Examples of generic designs include:
- Demountable buildings
- Containers
- Retaining walls
- Garden sheds
- Rural and barn sheds
- Carports
- Insulated panels (walls/roofs)
- DIY decks, pergolas, sheds
- Shade sails
- Prefabricated wall panels and swimming pools

 

19. What’s your recommendation to streamline the process?

- Engage a building certifier to outline requirements
- Obtain a Building Design Concept from a building designer or architect
- Arrange a soil test if footings or slab designs are needed
- Submit your building design to us for an engineering quote
- Once engaged, we typically deliver engineering drawings within two weeks for major renovations or new builds