You may have discovered that you need to hire a building surveyor for your planned home extension. Here are some pointers to help you work out how these professionals fit into the overall scheme of things.

They Work With Numerous Experts

When building an extension, you need various experts, such as builders, engineers and architects. You'll also require other specialists that you may not be as familiar with, such as land and building surveyors. So, where does the building surveyor fit in? The building surveyor is responsible for ensuring that the building follows all the relevant regulations regarding its safety, accessibility and energy efficiency.

The surveyor will work with architects, engineers and builders to ensure that the final structure is compliant and fits its purpose. Their role is different from that of the land surveyor. The land surveyor is also involved in the overall process, but their work typically begins earlier. They survey the land's topography and boundary and check that the renovation you're proposing is allowed on your plot of land, in accordance with local council regulations.

They’re Different From a Project Supervisor

The building surveyor is not the project supervisor, who is someone you'll probably deal with more often. Instead, the building surveyor will most often liaise with the other experts and conduct inspections at different stages of the construction. They may hire inspectors to examine the dwelling on their behalf. The building surveyor will issue the final occupancy certificate to certify that people can move in and use the new space, which is the final go-ahead.

Safety, Accessibility and Energy Efficiency

You may wonder more specifically what aspects the building surveyor is concerned with. They'll ensure that the different parts of the renovation comply with safety regulations. For example, say you're building a second storey for your home and constructing a staircase. Rules govern many parts of stairs: how high and broad each step should be, for example, and how tall the balustrades need to be. A building inspection will ensure the railings are built at the approved height for safety, for instance.

Building regulations also specify that buildings must be of a certain energy efficiency, which may be achieved through aspects such as wall cladding, window glazing and insulation. Thus, the building surveyor's inspection will analyse these aspects to ensure the structure follows the regulations on efficiency set by the government. They also check the building's access in terms of ramps or possible exits during an emergency. The access requirements differ depending on a building's purpose and whether it is private or public.