Perth building surveyors fined for toilet trouble

BUILDING surveyors have received fines for signing off on a community facility that did not meet construction requirements.

The Building Services Board has fined Wangara building surveying contractor Constructive Building Consultants Pty Ltd $2500 and building surveyor Caillam Walter Bruyn $1000 after they signed off on a Toodyay community facility.

In 2016, the Shire of Toodyay received a certificate of construction compliance for the newly built facility, signed by Mr Bruyn on behalf of Constructive Building Consultants.

Through that certificate, a building surveyor would declare that building work was completed in accordance with approved plans and specifications, and that the finished building complied with the National Construction Code.

The Shire did not accept the first certificate, noting the project was incomplete because an accessible toilet block was yet to be built.

In 2017, the company submitted another certificate for all the work, including the completed toilet block.

Building and Energy (formerly the Building Commission) later inspected the site and identified 14 areas of non-compliance with building standards, particularly regarding access for people with disabilities.

According to the authority, some of these issues were still to be rectified.

“Building compliance documentation submitted to permit authorities is required to be valid, lawful and correct,” acting executive director Saj Abdoolakhan said.

“This case should remind registered building surveyors of their obligations when signing off on building compliance, particularly when this can impact on community safety and access.”

Visit www.commerce.wa.gov.au for more information on building complaints.