New Inspection Forms 12, 16 and 43

Compliance Certificate Changes

We have all being hearing about industry reforms coming to strengthen the public’s confidence in the building industry and the final product on the ground.

Today (1 September 2021) Queensland has updated the Building Regulation 2006 to the Building Regulation 2021 and it has introduced significant changes in the required inspection forms and processes. There are now 3 forms (Form 12, 16 and 43) for inspection certification that we will be requesting depending on the class of the building, who is providing the certificate and what they are certifying.

 

For Class 1a (Single Detached Dwellings) and 10 buildings 

Inspection Stages and Inspection Aspects

The first thing to understand is that for Class 1a (single detached dwellings) and 10 buildings each inspection is at a Stage of construction (Foundation, Slab, Bond Beam, Frame and Final).  At each Stage inspection there are Aspects of construction that have to be checked. For example an Aspect of the Foundation Stage inspection is checking the siting from property boundaries. (For complete details of the Aspects of each inspection see the Guidelines-for-Inspection-of-Class-1-10-Buildings).

Who can issue a Stage Certificate

Form 16 – Form_16_Inspection_Stage_Certificate

The building certifier is the only person who can issue a Stage Certificate (Form 16) for the following Mandatory Inspections.

• Foundation
• Slab
• Final

The building certifier or person deemed competent by the Building Certifier can issue a Stage Certificate (Form 16) for the following Mandatory Inspections

• Bond Beam
• Floor, Wall and Roof Frame

Who can issue an Aspect Certificate

Aspect certificates are now separated into 2 forms being a Form 12 and a Form 43. We will deal with the Form 43 first.

Form 43 – Form_43_Aspect_Certificate_QBCC_Licensee

A QBCC Licensee can issue a Form 43 for an Aspect of building works that is covered by their QBCC license.

A Form 43 is only to be used by a QBCC Licensee when certifying a aspect of building works on a class 1a (single detached dwellings) or 10 building.   A Form 43 is not used by a QBCC Licensee on class 1a (attached dwellings), 1b, or class 2 to 9 buildings.

Form 12 – Form_12_Aspect_Inspection_Certificate_Appointed_Competent_Person

A Form 12 will be used by a competent person when they are certifying an Aspect of building work.  A competent person has to be deemed competent by the building certifier (under the Guideline-for-Competent-Persons) before they provide any inspection help to the building certifier. For example, if a Registered Professional Engineer Queensland (RPEQ) is deemed competent by the building certifier they can carry out an inspection the following Aspects required for the Foundation Stage of building work and will be required to now issue a Form 12.

1. Excavation of foundation material
   1. Dimensions of excavations
   2. Profile of soil excavated.
   3. Bearing surfaces of excavations
   4. Compaction of fill material
      1. Level of compaction
      2. Retention of compacted fill
2. Cut and fill batters.
   1. Location of cut and fill batters (required as part of the footing and slab system)
   2. Construction and location of retaining walls (required as part of the footing and slab system)
   3. Provisions for drainage of cut and fill batters and retaining walls.
   4. Falls to external finished areas.
3. Piers through fill
   1. Location of piers through compacted fill
   2. Depth and bedding of piers through compacted fill to natural ground or in accordance with the approved design requirements
4. Reinforcement of slab and footing system
   1. Type and placement of steel reinforcing
   2. Size and gauge of reinforcing steel
   3. Location and dimension of laps to reinforcement steel
   4. Type of connection to reinforcement steel
5. Vapour Barrier
   1. Type and location of vapour barrier
   2. Type and location of joint overlaps to vapour barrier
   3. Treatment of penetration through vapour barrier

This change clears up the confusion in the industry that an RPEQ engineer can issue a Form 16 inspection Stage certificate for a Foundation and Slab inspection for a class 1a (single detached dwellings) or 10 building.  They cannot.  They can only issue a Aspect Certificate (Form 12) for the Aspects listed above.

Example – Process for Foundation/Slab Inspection not carried out by the Building Certifier

Where the Building Certifier does not carry out the inspection of these stages they still must issue the Form 16 for these stages before work proceeds based on the Aspect certificates (Form 12 or 43) from the following 3 people.

1. The RPEQ for the Aspects listed above of the Stage (Form 12)
2. Registered Surveyor for the siting Aspects of the Stage (Form 12)
3. QBCC Licensed Termite Management Contractor for the termite management Aspects of the Stage (Form 43)

Class 1a (attached dwellings), 1b and Class 2 to 9 Buildings.

The people issuing the inspection certificates will be either Competent Person or a Building Certifier.

A QBCC Licensee can be deemed a competent person by the building certifier.

This means that the QBCC Licensee must also be deemed a competent person by the building certifier and will issue a Form 12 instead of the Form 43 when certifying aspects of a class 2 to 9 building.

Form 12

Again, a Form 12 will be used by a competent person when they are certifying an aspect of building work.

Form 16

A Form 16 will be issued by the building certifier for relevant stages of building works.