Role Purpose
Assist the Senior Building Surveyor in the day to day management of an area of the Borough and to deputise for the Principal Building Surveyor during absences.
The processing and scrutiny of Building Regulation applications
Inspection of building works
The provision of general building control advice.
Marketing of the Service to secure new business and income streams
Responsibilities
To work with the Senior Building Control Surveyor in the day-to-day management of the Area and to deputise for the Senior Building Control Surveyor during absences.
The Scrutiny of Full Plans applications, Building Notices, and Regularisation Applications for compliance with the Building Regulations, the Building Act and other relevant legislation including examination of structure details and calculations. To carry out investigation of existing site conditions where appropriate.
To advise applicants of the amendments required in those cases that do not comply with the Building Regulations and Building Acts, negotiating with those applicants and arrange for the necessary amendments to be made.
To recommend to the Building Control Manager/ Principal Surveyor a decision on Full Plans applications within statutory time limits, including where necessary the drafting of decision notices.
To carry out unsupervised statutory and intermediate site inspection of works in progress to ensure conformity with the Building Regulations and other relevant legislation, negotiating as necessary with builders and developers. Responsibility for decisions made at these inspections lies entirely with the Postholder and except, in exceptional circumstances without reference to the Supervisor.
To take charge, as directed, of larger and more complex building projects within an area, guiding and supervising Building Surveyors involved with the projects.
To prepare and record Building Regulation fee quotes when requested by clients or senior staff.
Assistance in the registration of new applications for complex projects including checking estimates and building costs and assessing plan and inspection charges.
To notify and/or confirm by letter/email to the responsible person details of irregularities, contravention's and other matters regarding works in progress and liaise, where necessary, with other Departments of the Council negotiating as necessary with builders and developers on these matters.
To report serious contraventions of the Building Regulations and allied legislation to the Building Control Manager for guidance upon necessary action.
To provide pre-application specialist advice on all aspects of the Building Regulations and allied legislation for more complex projects.
To keep detailed records of all works inspected on site for future reference and in sufficient detail.
To complete site inspection records for incorporating into the computer records within specified timelines within office policy.
To ensure compliance with your responsibilities as laid out in the council’s equal opportunity policy and take an active role in promoting and enabling equality of opportunity, promoting the diverse needs and aspirations of Harrow’s community, ensuring equality and diversity is mainstreamed in all service/directorate activities.
To ensure compliance with your responsibilities as laid out in the council’s health and safety policy and take an active role in promoting a positive health and safety culture.
To promote and participate in the council’s investors in people (IIP) and individual performance appraisal and development (IPAD) initiatives and information management best practice.
To ensure compliance with the council’s information security policies and maintain confidentiality.
Requirements
CABE/RICS or directly relevant degree or B-TEC Higher (with comprehensive BC experience).
An understanding of the Council's Equal Opportunity policy in relation to employment, and an awareness of the implications of that policy for this job.
A detailed working knowledge of current Building Control practice procedures and legislation.
A detailed working knowledge of more complex construction techniques.
Ability to organise workload, to establish priorities for action, and to delegate duties in order to carry out the necessary work within statutory deadlines.
Ability to prepare accurate and detailed reports on site inspections
Ability to negotiate with applicants and developers in order to achieve compliance with statutory requirements
Ability to present information, verbally and in writing on Building Regulations applications, and other matters in a manner which clearly demonstrates a thorough structured, logical, and orderly approach.
Able to demonstrate sufficient experience from working in a Building Control office, commensurate with this grade, to competently check applications and carrying out site inspections, and preferably with supervisory experience. Alternatively, if degree not directly related to Building Control, able to demonstrate comprehensive experience from working in a Building Control office