Site Inspections

A structural site inspection is an engineer's independent check of structural work at a critical stage: before the concrete pour, before the framing is lined, before anything is buried or covered. We carry out inspections across Auckland and New Zealand-wide, with written reports and PS4 documentation councils accept.

GV Reviewed by Gajanthan Vethanathan, CPEng #1030007 · Director, Stable Structure Updated 13 August 2026

Which stages need a structural inspection?

Foundation excavations: confirming bearing before footings are poured
Reinforcing steel: placement, cover and laps checked against the drawings
Structural framing, beams and connections before linings close them in
Retaining wall construction and drainage before backfill
Remedial and pre-purchase structural assessments

What is a PS4 construction review?

A PS4 (Producer Statement, Construction Review) is the engineer's formal statement that the structural work has been built in accordance with the consented design. Council requires it before issuing your Code Compliance Certificate whenever the project involved specific engineering design. A PS4 can only responsibly be issued by an engineer who actually inspected the critical stages, which is why booking inspections early matters: an engineer cannot review work that is already buried.

What does a site inspection cost?

A single inspection with a written report is priced by location and scope, quoted fixed when you book, with PS4 documentation priced within a monitoring package rather than per visit. For projects outside Auckland we quote travel transparently, and for construction monitoring across a whole build our construction supervision service is usually the better-value structure.

How an inspection visit works

Your builder (or you) books the inspection a day or two ahead, telling us the stage and what is being covered up. On site, the engineer checks the work against the consented drawings: dimensions, materials, reinforcing placement and cover, fixings and connections, drainage falls. Anything that does not match is identified immediately and a fix agreed, usually while everyone is still standing next to it. You receive a written report the same day recording what was inspected, what was found and what, if anything, must change before the stage proceeds.

What the written report gives you

Each report states the date, stage, drawings referenced, observations and outcome, which builds the evidence chain behind the final PS4. That paper trail matters beyond council: it is what a future buyer's lawyer, an insurer or a dispute resolver will ask for when questions arise years later. Owners who keep our inspection reports with their property records are consistently glad they did.

Inspections anywhere in New Zealand

Most of our inspection work is in Auckland, but engineered builds happen everywhere, and regional projects from Waikato to Queenstown regularly need independent PS4 construction review. We support remote projects with planned inspection visits scheduled around your critical stages, so distance never becomes a compliance gap.

Common questions

The builder says council inspects anyway. Why add an engineer?

Council inspectors check Code minimums; they do not verify specific engineering design, and they will ask for the engineer’s PS4 on engineered elements. The two inspections do different jobs.

Can I book a one-off inspection?

Yes. Single inspections with a written report are common for retaining walls, decks and remedial questions. If a PS4 is needed across multiple stages, we will say so up front.

How much notice do you need?

For Auckland sites, a day or two is usually enough. Booking the sequence of hold points at the start of the build is even better.

Can you inspect a problem in an existing house?

Yes. We assess cracking, sagging, leaks with structural implications and other concerns, and report with clear next steps.

Beyond new builds: assessments of existing structures

Inspections are not only for construction. We assess existing houses and structures for buyers before purchase, for owners worried about cracking or movement, and for insurers and lawyers who need an engineer's written opinion. The output is the same discipline applied to an existing building: a clear report stating what we observed, what it means structurally, and what to do about it, with costs and urgency ranked honestly.

Independent eyes at the moments that matter

Structural problems are cheap to fix at inspection and expensive to fix at discovery. An hour of engineering eyes at the right stage is the best money on the whole build programme.