The engineer's report has landed. Maybe it's a condition assessment you commissioned after noticing concrete cracks in the carpark. Maybe it's a Section 106 inspection report for a building under ten years old. Maybe it's the structural assessment your strata manager organised after water started coming through the podium deck.

However it arrived, the report says the same thing: your building has defects, and they need to be fixed.

The committee looks at each other. The report is 40 pages of engineering language, priority ratings, and cost estimates. The chair asks the question everyone's thinking: "So… what do we actually do now?"

This guide answers that question. It walks through the seven stages from "engineer's report received" to "remedial works complete" — with the practical decisions, compliance requirements, and realistic timeframes that your committee needs to navigate each stage.

Stage 1: Understand What the Report Is Telling You

Before you do anything else, make sure your committee actually understands the report. This sounds obvious. It isn't. Engineering reports are written for engineers. The terminology, priority classifications, and repair recommendations assume technical knowledge that most committee members don't have.

Priority ratings. Most engineer reports classify defects on a priority scale. Typically: Priority 1 (urgent/safety) means the defect poses an immediate safety risk or is causing active damage that worsens daily. Priority 2 (high) means the defect needs attention within 6–12 months to prevent escalation. Priority 3 (medium) means it should be addressed within the next capital works cycle. Priority 4 (low/monitor) means it's cosmetic or stable and can be monitored at annual inspections. The most common mistake committees make is treating all defects as equally urgent — or equally deferrable. They're not. A Priority 1 structural crack in a load-bearing column requires immediate action. A Priority 4 hairline crack in a partition wall can wait years.

Scope and location. The report should tell you what's failing, where it's failing, and how extensively. A waterproofing failure on one balcony is a different project from waterproofing failure across 30 balconies. The scope determines the budget, the program duration, and the type of contractor you need.

Root cause. A good report doesn't just describe symptoms — it identifies why the defect occurred. The repair methodology must address the cause, not just the visible damage. Patching spalling concrete without addressing the waterproofing failure above it means you'll be patching again in three years.

Cost estimates. Many reports include indicative cost ranges. These are estimates, not quotes. They give the committee a budget order-of-magnitude for planning purposes. Actual costs come from contractor quotes against a detailed specification. If the report is unclear, ask the engineer to present it at a committee meeting. Most consulting engineers will attend to walk through the findings, explain the priority ratings, and answer questions. This meeting ensures every committee member understands what they're voting on when it comes time to approve works.

Stage 2: Get Legal Advice Early (Not Later)

This is the stage most committees skip. They go straight from "report received" to "get quotes." That's a mistake for buildings with defects potentially caused by the original builder or developer.

If your building is under six years old (for major defects) or two years old (for minor defects), you may have claims against the original builder or developer under the Home Building Act. The way you handle the investigation and repair can affect whether those claims succeed.

A strata and construction lawyer can advise on whether privilege should protect the engineer's report, what evidence to preserve before repairs begin, whether to notify the builder/developer of the defects before commencing rectification, and what documentation standard is needed if the matter proceeds to NCAT.

For buildings over six years old, legal advice is less critical at this stage but still valuable. The lawyer can confirm the owners corporation's obligations under the Strata Schemes Management Act and advise on the funding mechanism.

Cost of legal advice at this stage is typically $2,000–$5,000 for an initial review. This is a fraction of the remedial works cost and can save significant money if a defect claim is viable.

Stage 3: Develop the Remedial Specification

The engineer's report describes the problem. The remedial specification describes the solution. These are different documents, usually prepared by different people.

Typically the consulting engineer who wrote the defect report (or a specialist remedial engineer) prepares the specification. It converts the engineer's findings into detailed repair instructions that contractors can quote against.

The specification should include detailed repair methodology for each defect type, material specifications, quality assurance requirements (hold-point inspections, test frequencies, acceptance criteria), access requirements, staging requirements, and compliance requirements under the Design and Building Practitioners Act.

Without a specification, you're asking contractors to quote on the engineer's report directly. This produces incomparable quotes — each contractor interprets the scope differently. A specification creates a level playing field. Price differences then reflect genuine efficiency and margin differences, not scope interpretation differences.

Timeframe is 2–4 weeks for the engineer to prepare the specification. Cost is $5,000–$20,000 depending on building size and defect scope.

Stage 4: Tender the Works

With a specification in hand, you can now invite contractors to quote. Since April 2026, NSW strata law requires owners corporations to obtain at least two independent quotes for any work valued at $30,000 or more. For remedial works on a multi-storey strata building, you'll almost certainly exceed this threshold.

For a detailed guide on comparing quotes, see our guide on how to get accurate quotes for strata remedial works.

Three quotes is standard practice. You need contractors who specialise in remedial construction — not new-build, not residential renovations. For buildings subject to the DBP Act, the contractor must hold current building practitioner registration. Ask your engineer for recommendations.

Provide tenderers with the remedial specification (not the raw engineer's report), site access arrangements, building plans, strata-specific constraints, and the expected program commencement window.

Don't select on price alone. Evaluate against compliance with the specification, methodology, program, experience with similar buildings, insurance and registration currency, and resident management plan.

Allow 3–4 weeks for contractors to inspect the site, prepare their quotes, and submit.

Stage 5: Fund and Approve the Works

This is where strata governance intersects with construction. The works need to be funded and authorised through the correct strata process.

Capital works fund. If your building has a properly maintained 10-year capital works plan, remedial works should already have provisional budget allocations. The plan may need updating to reflect the engineer's actual cost findings.

Special levy. For works not covered by the capital works fund, the owners corporation can raise a special levy. This requires a resolution at a general meeting.

Strata loan. An alternative to large special levies. The loan sits with the owners corporation and is repaid through quarterly levies over 5–10 years. This avoids the shock of a six-figure special levy but adds interest costs. For works under $30,000 per lot, the strata committee can generally approve without a general meeting (check your by-laws). For larger projects, you'll need an ordinary or special general meeting to present the quotes, explain the scope, and obtain a resolution.

Timeframe is 4–8 weeks to organise and hold a general meeting (14-day notice period required, plus preparation time).

Stage 6: Execute the Works

The resolution is passed, the contractor is engaged, and the works begin. The committee's role shifts from decision-making to oversight.

Before work starts, confirm the contractor's insurance is current for the entire project duration, DBP registration is current and covers the work type, the contract includes the specification and payment schedule and variation process and defects liability period, a pre-start meeting has been held, and residents have been notified.

During the works, hold-point inspections are critical quality checkpoints where the engineer inspects the work before the contractor proceeds. Common hold points include after concrete removal, after steel treatment and before repair mortar, and after waterproofing membrane installation and before tiling. Don't allow hold points to be skipped for program convenience — some work cannot be verified once the next layer goes over it.

Variations are normal in remedial work — opening up a building often uncovers additional defects. The contract should require the contractor to notify the engineer and client before proceeding, the engineer to assess the variation, and the client to approve the variation cost in writing. Expect regular written progress reports — typically weekly or fortnightly.

Stage 7: Practical Completion and Beyond

The contractor notifies practical completion. The engineer conducts a final inspection. A defects list is issued. The contractor rectifies the items. Final completion is certified.

Key documents you should receive: a compliance declaration lodged on the NSW Planning Portal (for DBP-regulated work), as-built documentation, material certifications, hold-point inspection records, warranty documentation, a maintenance schedule, and photographs documenting each stage.

Most remedial contracts include a defects liability period (DLP) of 6–12 months after practical completion. During this period the contractor must return and fix any defects in the remedial work at no additional cost. Schedule a formal inspection at the DLP endpoint before releasing the final retention payment.

Remedial work addresses existing damage. Maintenance prevents recurrence. Build maintenance requirements into your building's 10-year capital works plan. The most common cause of repeat remedial work is deferred maintenance after the first repair.

Realistic Timeframes: How Long Does This Actually Take?

Committees are often surprised by how long the full process takes.

Stage	Duration	Cumulative
1. Understand the report	1–2 weeks	1–2 weeks
2. Legal advice	2–4 weeks	3–6 weeks
3. Specification development	2–4 weeks	5–10 weeks
4. Tender and quote evaluation	3–4 weeks	8–14 weeks
5. Funding approval (SGM/OGM)	4–8 weeks	12–22 weeks
6. Construction	8–26 weeks	20–48 weeks
7. Completion + DLP	26–52 weeks	46–100 weeks

Total from report to works-complete is 5–12 months (excluding DLP). Total from report to final release is 12–24 months (including DLP). The most common time traps are Stage 3 (waiting for the specification) and Stage 5 (organising the general meeting). Committees that start the legal and specification stages in parallel can compress the pre-construction timeline by 4–6 weeks.

The April 2026 Changes That Affect This Process

Two NSW legislative changes in 2026 directly impact how your committee runs this process.

Mandatory independent quotes for work over $30,000. Any remedial work valued at $30,000 or more now requires at least two independent quotes. This is a statutory minimum. For detailed guidance, see our guide on how to get accurate quotes.

DBP Act Class 3/9c expansion (effective July 2026). From 1 July 2026, the Design and Building Practitioners Act extends to Class 3 and Class 9c buildings. If your engineer's report covers a boarding house, hostel, or aged care facility, the contractor requirements and compliance documentation steps become mandatory. See our guide on how to choose a DBP-registered contractor.

How Atomic Projects Supports Each Stage

We work with strata committees at every stage of this process. At Stage 1, our team can attend committee meetings to help interpret the engineer's findings in plain language. At Stage 3, we work directly with consulting engineers to inform buildable, practical specifications. At Stage 4, we provide detailed tender responses with methodology, program, and compliance documentation. At Stages 6–7, we deliver the works with documented hold points, progress reporting, and full DBP compliance.

Our building investigation and reporting service also covers earlier stages. Our remedial building services and defect rectification pages detail the full scope of work types we deliver.

If your committee has received an engineer's report and needs guidance on what comes next, discuss your engineer's report with our team.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the full remedial works process cost from report to completion? For a typical mid-rise strata building (4–8 storeys) with moderate defects, expect $150,000–$500,000 for the construction works, plus $15,000–$40,000 for engineering, specification, and project management. For a detailed cost breakdown by work type, see our remedial works cost guide.

Can the strata committee manage the process without a strata manager? Legally, yes. Practically, it's difficult for larger schemes. The strata manager coordinates meeting notices, handles levy collection, manages contractor correspondence, and administers the contract. Self-managed schemes can do this, but committee members need to understand their statutory obligations.

What if the committee can't agree on the recommended repairs? The owners corporation has a statutory duty to maintain and repair common property. If the committee fails to act on known defects, individual lot owners can apply to NCAT for an order compelling the owners corporation to carry out repairs. Committee members may also face personal liability for unreasonable failure to maintain common property.

Does the engineer supervise the remedial works? In a "construct only" arrangement (more common for strata remedial works), the engineer provides the specification and typically performs hold-point inspections during construction. The owners corporation engages the engineer separately from the contractor to maintain independence.

What happens if more defects are found during the works? This is common in remedial construction. The contract's variation clause governs how additional work is scoped, priced, and approved. A well-drafted contract requires written approval from the client before any variation work proceeds. Budget a contingency of 10–20% above the contract sum.