At Porter Consulting, we can organise both a Form 15 and a Form 12 (formerly Form 16) during either a residential or commercial building certification. These are required as a step in the building approval process. If you’re unsure which you need, we look at each in more detail below. If you already know or are looking for a building certifier in the Gold Coast or Brisbane area, contact us now.
Porter Consulting is a well-established consultancy specialising in building code compliance and consulting. The company was established in 2015, but its founder, Justin Porter, has a deep-rooted foundation in building surveying stretching back for over 20 years.
Now let’s look at both Form 15 and Form 12 more closely.
Form 15 (Compliance Certificate for Building Design or Specification)
A Form 15 for structural certification is issued by an appointed competent person to affirm whether or not an aspect of building work – if performed as outlined – will comply with building assessment provisions as per section 10 of the Building Act 1975 and sections 73 and 77 of the Building Regulation 2021. A competent person in this case is usually a structural engineer.
Essentially, this means that the appointed person will look at a proposed component or facet of a construction project (e.g., the structural aspects of steel roof beams) and confirm whether or not it will meet current regulations if all goes to plan.
During the completion of the certificate, the appointed competent person will:
- Describe the property
- Describe the aspect/s to be certified
- Communicate the basis for certification (what tests, rules, specifications, standards or codes of practice were relied upon)
- Relay any referencing documentation
- Provide the building certifier’s reference and building application development numbers
- Provide their details
- They will then sign the certificate, provided they are satisfied the work will comply with current regulations
Upon completing a Form 15, the appointed person will provide the certificate to the building certifier (us), who will then use it as documentation in the building approval process.
Form 12 (Aspect Inspection Certificate), Formerly Form 16
A Form 12 Certificate is also issued by an appointed competent person. Unlike Form 15, however, it is provided after an aspect has been completed and confirms whether it abides by sections 74 and 77 of the Building Regulation 2021.
Form 12 was formerly a part of Form 16, but after the amendments of the Building Regulation 2021, Form 16 was split into three: Form 12, 16, and 43:
- Form 12s are aspect inspections done by appointed competent persons;
- Form 43s are aspect inspections that only QBCC licensees can complete;
- Form 16s are stage inspections conducted by the building certifier ourselves (stages are made up of several aspects).
During the completion of a Form 12, the appointed competent person will:
- Outline the aspect of the building work (waterproofing, tiling, glazing, etc.)
- Describe the property itself (including address, lot and plan details, and local government area information)
- Describe the building/structure
- Describe the extent of the aspect/s certified (such as what floors the work was on, parts of a room)
- Detail the basis for certification (the tests, rules, specifications, standards, codes of practice etc., that were relied upon)
- Provide reference documentation, e.g. engineering plans
- Provide the building certifier’s reference and building application development numbers
- Provide their own details
- They will then sign the certificate, provided they are satisfied the work complies with current regulations
Again, upon completion, the appointed competent person will then provide the certificate to the building certifier.
Retrospective Certificates of Structural Adequacy
If a building or structure has already undergone construction but requires a retrospective certification for whatever reason, we can help. Unapproved constructions can be liabilities when it comes time to sell a property. We can provide a retrospective building certification, allowing for a stress-free sales process.
Our services spread throughout Queensland and NSW, focusing on different types of building approvals; residential and commercial.
So contact us today if you’re looking for a building certifier in the Gold Coast or Brisbane area that can arrange either Forms 12 or 15, or retrospective building approval.
