Should one firm design a building repair and assess the claims that follow? CARAS explains why it recommends a separate Superintendent and remedial engineer.
When a building needs remediation, owners often ask whether the Superintendent and the remedial engineer should be the same company.
At CARAS, our recommendation is to appoint two separate companies.
The roles require close collaboration, but they have different responsibilities. The remedial engineer investigates the problem and designs the repair. The Superintendent administers the construction contract, including directions, progress claims, variations and extensions of time.
Keeping these responsibilities separate creates clearer accountability and helps owners have confidence in the decisions being made throughout their project.
The remedial engineer focuses on the technical aspects of the building’s defects and their repair.
Depending on their engagement, their responsibilities typically include:
Their central question is: What repair does the building need, and has that repair been carried out correctly?
The scope of investigations and inspections should be clearly agreed at the outset, so owners understand what the engineer will assess and report on.
The Superintendent administers the contract between the owner, usually referred to as the Principal, and the contractor.
Their responsibilities depend on the contract but commonly include issuing formal directions, assessing progress claims, valuing variations, determining extensions of time and assessing practical completion.
The Superintendent draws on technical advice from the engineer while applying the contract’s requirements to decisions about payment, time and the contractor’s obligations.
Their central question is: What does the contract require, and what is each party entitled or obliged to do?
Although appointed by the owner, the Superintendent’s role can include both representing the owner in administrative matters and exercising impartial judgement in assessment and certification functions. The precise duties depend on the contract and any amendments. Australian Government Solicitor guidance highlights the importance of clearly defining these functions and the obligations associated with them.
Remediation projects often involve uncertainty. Some conditions only become visible once finishes are removed, access is established or repairs begin.
Those discoveries can lead to revised repair details, additional work and claims for more money or time.
When the same company provides the repair design and administers the contract, it may need to assess claims that relate to its own design decisions or documentation. This creates a potential conflict of interest, or a perception of one.
For example, imagine a façade repair project where the contractor claims additional payment because a repair detail needs to change.
The engineer must explain the technical reason for the change. The Superintendent must then assess whether the contractor has a contractual entitlement to additional payment and, if so, how that work should be valued.
If both roles sit within the same company, that assessment may involve scrutinising the company’s own work.
This does not mean a combined appointment will necessarily lead to an unfair decision. It does mean the owner should consider how competing responsibilities will be managed.
Separate appointments make it easier to distinguish technical advice from contractual decisions.
The engineer explains what work is required and why. The Superintendent assesses the contractual implications, using that advice alongside the contract, project records and contractor’s submissions.
An independently appointed Superintendent can assess a design-related claim without also being responsible for producing the design being questioned.
Separation does not eliminate variations or guarantee lower costs. It provides a clearer basis for reviewing entitlement, supporting evidence and valuation.
The engineer can identify work that does not meet the repair specification. The Superintendent can then address the contractual consequences, including directions and payment assessments where the contract permits.
Both roles still require professional judgement, but their respective responsibilities remain visible.
Owners and strata committees need to understand why the scope, cost or programme has changed.
Separating the roles supports a documented explanation of the technical issue, the proposed solution and the resulting contractual assessment.
Independence should not create a communication gap.
The engineer and Superintendent need agreed processes for inspections, technical queries, design changes and reporting. Technical advice should reach the Superintendent promptly, and formal contractual directions should follow the authority and procedures established by the contract.
Before work begins, owners should confirm:
Separate company names alone are not enough. Clear appointments, appropriate expertise and consistent communication are what make the arrangement effective.
At CARAS, we believe building owners benefit from keeping repair design and contract administration with separate companies.
Our Superintendent services provide independent contract administration, including the assessment of progress claims, variations and time-related matters, alongside the project’s technical consultants.
If you are planning a façade remediation or strata building remediation project, get in touch with the CARAS team to discuss the right structure for your project.
Sydney Office
Level 2 / 63 Foveaux Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Adelaide Office
335 Carrington Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Phone: (02) 9929 2362
