Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to assess residential buildings for compliance with building legislation.

It includes the evaluation and interpretation of plans, progressive inspection of building work, preparation of reports and compliance with legislative requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency supports the attainment of the understanding and skills to apply building surveying procedures to residential buildings within the context of relevant legislation, the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and Australian standards.

Prerequisite units 

Nil

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

1. Evaluate documents submitted with an application for building approval.

1.1. Plans, specifications and structural drawings for residential buildings are evaluated  for compliance with building application process and building surveying procedures .

1.2. Application/proposal is evaluated against legislative requirements.

1.3. Components of the application requiring referral to other agencies or departments are identified and forwarded.

1.4. Common faults with application are identified, noted and reported to relevant parties.

1.5. Notice of decision, including approval, conditional approval or refusal, is drafted and processed according to workplace procedures.

2. Carry out inspections at various stages of building work.

2.1. Compliance of building work is checked according to schedule or at discretion, and reports are prepared promptly for appropriate parties.

2.2. Written notices for non-complying work with a full explanation and any remedial action specified, are prepared and processed according to workplace procedures.

2.3. Follow-up inspections are conducted at a suitable time to check rectified work without disruption to building progress.

2.4. Meetings are conducted with stakeholders, taking notes, preparing minutes and responding as required.

3. Prepare reports on various building types.

3.1. Analyses of residential buildings are prepared and advised.

3.2. Suitability of existing buildings are inspected and reported prior to purchase for proposed use and requirements.

3.3. Existing buildings are inspected for safety and reports are completed.

3.4. Outcome of construction work is inspected prior to occupancy and reported on.

4. Determine the compliance of building services with respect to building legislation.

4.1. Compliance of building services with building legislation is determined and reported on prior to occupancy.

4.2. Legislative requirements are interpreted and applied.

4.3. Common faults with building services are identified, researched and processed according to workplace procedures.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

Required skills for this unit are:

• ability to respond to change and contribute to workplace responsibilities, such as current work site environmental and sustainability frameworks or management systems
• communication skills to:

• enable clear and direct communication, using questioning to identify and confirm requirements, share information, listen and understand
• read and interpret:

• drawings
• legislation
• plans and specifications
• other relevant documentation

• report faults to other parties and conduct meetings with stakeholders
• use language and concepts appropriate to cultural differences
• use and interpret non-verbal communication
• written skills to:

• draft notices
• prepare reports
• take notes and minutes

• organisational and time management skills to arrange and conduct meetings to timelines
• planning and organisational skills to collect, organise and analyse information
• problem solving skills to identify faults and problems, to use and apply data for decision making and to review meeting feedback and take appropriate action
• teamwork skills to work with diverse individuals and groups
• technological skills to:

• complete documentation and calculations
• enable information gathering and analysis.

Required knowledge 

Required knowledge for this unit is:

• authorities and powers of a building surveyor
• nature of materials and effect on performance
• processes for the administration and preparation of documentation
• processes for the interpretation of reports, working drawings and specifications
• relevant federal, state or territory legislation, and local government policy and procedures
• research methods
• structural, design and construction principles of buildings
• terminology, definitions and hazard identification.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

This unit of competency could be assessed in the workplace or a close simulation of the workplace environment, provided that simulated or project-based assessment techniques fully replicate construction workplace conditions, materials, activities, responsibilities and procedures.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to:

• comply with OHS regulations applicable to workplace operations
• apply organisational management policies and procedures, including quality assurance requirements where applicable
• apply building surveying procedures to produce an accurate proposal outlining the status of approval, compliance with regulations, determination of safety procedures, laws abided with, survey findings, and recommendations and strategies for at least one residential building project
• provide reports to appropriate body/individual as determined by the project brief. and according to workplace procedures.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

This competency is to be assessed using standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints.

Assessment of essential underpinning knowledge will usually be conducted in an off-site context.

Assessment is to comply with relevant regulatory or Australian standards' requirements.

Resource implications for assessment include:

• an induction procedure and requirement
• realistic tasks or simulated tasks covering the mandatory task requirements
• relevant specifications and work instructions
• tools and equipment appropriate to applying safe work practices
• support materials appropriate to activity
• workplace instructions relating to safe work practices and addressing hazards and emergencies
• material safety data sheets
• research resources, including industry related systems information.

Reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities must be made to assessment processes where required. This could include access to modified equipment and other physical resources, and the provision of appropriate assessment support.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must:

• satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Construction, Plumbing and Services Training Package
• include direct observation of tasks in real or simulated work conditions, with questioning to confirm the ability to consistently identify and correctly interpret the essential underpinning knowledge required for practical application
• reinforce the integration of employability skills with workplace tasks and job roles
• confirm that competency is verified and able to be transferred to other circumstances and environments.

Validity and sufficiency of evidence requires that:

• competency will need to be demonstrated over a period of time reflecting the scope of the role and the practical requirements of the workplace
• where the assessment is part of a structured learning experience the evidence collected must relate to a number of performances assessed at different points in time and separated by further learning and practice, with a decision on competency only taken at the point when the assessor has complete confidence in the person's demonstrated ability and applied knowledge
• all assessment that is part of a structured learning experience must include a combination of direct, indirect and supplementary evidence.

Assessment processes and techniques should as far as is practical take into account the language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate in relation to the competency being assessed.

Supplementary evidence of competency may be obtained from relevant authenticated documentation from third parties, such as existing supervisors, team leaders or specialist training staff.

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Evaluated  includes:

• adherence to legislative requirements for BCA Class 1 and 10 buildings
• evaluation and interpretation of plans
• preparation of reports
• progressive inspection of building work.

Building surveying procedures  include:

• mechanical, structural and electrical and other services.

Unit sector 

Construction

Co-requisite units 

Nil

Functional area