Why people ask for a review
- Your building surveyor or client requires an independent check or a certificate of compliance for a design.
- You've received engineering from a supplier, an overseas designer or another party and want it checked against Victorian requirements and Australian Standards before you build.
- You're a designer who wants a peer review before issuing documents on a complex or unusual job.
- Something about a design doesn't look right and you want an independent opinion before you commit.
A review is not automatic approval
Certification is the outcome of a satisfactory review. It doesn't come with the fee. If the review finds errors, missing load cases or details that won't work, we say so plainly in written comments, ranked by significance so the important items aren't lost among minor ones.
The original designer can then respond and revise, and we review the changes. If the design can't be made to work, or the original designer isn't available to update it, redesign is a separate scope of work that we can quote for.
Certificates of compliance in Victoria
In Victoria, a building surveyor may ask for a certificate of compliance for the design of building work from a registered professional engineer who is endorsed to work in the building industry. The certificate must be in the approved form. We'll confirm with your surveyor exactly what they need at the proposal stage.
We certify only within MEG's registered area of engineering and for the scope we have actually reviewed. We don't certify other disciplines, such as electrical, mechanical or fire safety engineering.
When information is missing
A review can only check what exists. Before we start, we list any documents we need. If calculations were never prepared — which happens with some proprietary and imported products — the options are to obtain them from the designer, or for us to carry out an independent design check. That check is a larger piece of work, and we'll scope and price it separately.
What the review covers
- Design basis: loads, actions, load combinations and the standards used
- Calculations, checked in full or by targeting the critical elements, as agreed
- Drawings: consistency with the calculations, completeness and buildability
- Load paths and connections, from the structure down to the foundation
- Foundation design checked against the geotechnical information
- Written comments, classified by significance
- Review of the revised design in response to comments
- Certificate of compliance for design, within scope, where the review supports it
What you receive
- Review commentsA numbered list of comments that the designer can respond to item by item.
- Review letter or reportA summary of the scope reviewed, the method, the outcome and any conditions.
- CertificateIssued only when the reviewed design satisfies the review, and only within scope.
- Close-outConfirmation that each comment has been resolved, for your project records.
What we need from you
- The full set of structural and foundation drawings, at the current revision
- Design calculations, or software output together with the input data
- The geotechnical report, where foundations are in scope
- Architectural drawings, for context
- Details of any certificate your building surveyor requires
- The designer's contact details, so we can resolve queries directly (with your permission)
Don't have everything yet? Send what you have. We'll tell you what's missing and whether it affects the proposal.
How it works
- Send the documentsWe check what's there, list what's missing and confirm the review scope.
- ProposalYou receive a fee proposal that defines exactly what will and won't be reviewed.
- Review and commentsWe carry out the review and issue written comments.
- ResolutionThe designer responds or revises. We review the changes and, if satisfied, issue the letter or certificate.
Who does what
MEG provides
- Independent review of structural and foundation engineering within MEG's registered area
- Written comments and a review outcome
- Certification within the reviewed scope, where the review supports it
Not included, or by others
- Certification of electrical, mechanical, fire safety or other disciplines
- Certification of work or documents we haven't reviewed
- Taking over the design engineer's responsibility for their design
- Redesign — available, but scoped separately
Questions
Will you definitely issue a certificate?
No, and you should be wary of anyone who promises one before seeing the design. We issue a certificate when the design satisfies the review. Most designs need some clarification or revision along the way. That's normal, and we'll work through it with the designer.
Can you review a design prepared interstate or overseas?
Yes, for use on a Victorian project. We check it against Victorian requirements and the relevant Australian Standards. Designs prepared to overseas codes often need their design basis restated in Australian terms, which can add to the scope. We'll tell you at the proposal stage.
How long does a review take?
It depends on the size of the design, the quality of the documents and how quickly queries are answered. We'll give you a programme in the proposal, based on the documents you send.
Will you talk to the original designer?
With your permission, yes. It's usually the fastest way to resolve questions and avoids comments bouncing back and forth.
Can you certify a product rather than a project design?
Product assessments work a little differently. See product capacity and connection assessments.