Your Role During Construction: Navigating Construction in Victoria

_Understand the critical difference between an architect's contract administration and a builder's site supervision to protect your project in Victoria's challenging construction climate._ You've signed the building contract, the builder's about to break ground, and you assume your architect will be on site every day making sure everything's perfect. Then you discover they're planning maybe six site visits over the entire build. Suddenly you're wondering who's actually watching over your $800,000 investment while you're at work. This gap between what you expect and what actually happens during construction causes more architect-client conflicts than almost any other issue in the building process. Here's what makes this particularly nerve-wracking in Victoria right now: 3,217 construction companies collapsed in 2024 alone, a 26% increase from the previous year. Your builder might be financially stable today and insolvent next month. Material costs have risen significantly since the pandemic began, squeezing builders who are locked into fixed-price contracts. The new Building and Plumbing Commission, established in July 2025 to provide stronger consumer protection, is still embedding its new compliance requirements. Against this backdrop, understanding exactly what your architect will and won't do during construction isn't just helpful, it's essential for protecting your project. The distinction between **construction administration** and **construction supervision** might seem like architectural semantics, but it fundamentally shapes your project's success. Your architect _administers_ the contract, ensuring the builder delivers what you've paid for. But they don't _supervise_ the actual building work, that's the builder's job, backed by independent building surveyors who verify compliance at critical stages. Understanding this division of responsibility helps you know when to call your architect, when to contact your builder, and when you might need to step in yourself. ## The Reality of Modern Construction Administration  _Understanding your architect's role during construction_ Your architect's role during construction revolves around protecting the design intent and your interests under the contract, not managing day-to-day building operations. Think of them as translators and mediators rather than supervisors. Under the standard ABIC (Australian Building Industry Contracts) commonly used by Victorian architects, construction administration typically includes six to eight site visits at critical stages. Your architect will likely inspect the slab before concrete pours, check the frame before lining begins, review critical junctions, and conduct practical completion and defects inspections. Between these visits, they're responding to dozens, or even hundreds, of Requests for Information (RFIs) from your builder. These RFIs reveal construction's hidden complexity. A simple question about window head heights might require your architect to coordinate with the structural engineer, check compliance with seven-star energy ratings, verify bushfire attack level (BAL) requirements, and ensure the solution doesn't compromise the natural ventilation strategy. What looks like a five-minute question often requires hours of investigation. Financially, your architect assesses progress claims from your builder. They're not quantity surveyors, but they verify that claimed work aligns reasonably with observed progress. If your builder claims 80% of frame carpentry is complete but your architect observed only 60% during their last visit, they'll qualify their payment recommendation to you accordingly. ## What Your Architect Won't Do (and Why) Your architect won't supervise your builder's work methods, safety procedures, or daily quality control. This isn't negligence; it's a legal and practical reality. Supervision implies a level of control and responsibility that would require your architect to be on site continuously, dramatically increasing your costs and creating liability confusion. Professional indemnity insurance, mandatory for all Victorian architects, specifically excludes many supervision activities. If your architect starts directing _how_ work should be performed rather than _what_ should be achieved, they step outside their insurance coverage. The _Building Act 1993_ and _Building Regulations 2018_ place supervision responsibility squarely on builders. Independent building surveyors, not architects, verify this compliance at mandatory notification stages. Your architect also won't approve variations without your explicit consent, usually in writing. That request to move a window 200mm might seem trivial, but it could affect light, ventilation, and views. This process feels bureaucratic, but it protects you from cost blowouts and ensures the final building is the one you agreed to. ## Navigating Victoria's Current Construction Crisis The builder insolvency crisis fundamentally changes how you should approach construction. With thousands of construction companies entering administration, your project faces real risks. Your architect becomes a crucial independent voice monitoring project health. Watch for warning signs your architect might notice: sudden substitution of specified materials with cheaper alternatives, key subcontractors disappearing from site, or requests for payment ahead of schedule. While they can't provide financial advice on your builder's stability, they can document everything meticulously. If your builder does collapse, this documentation of site instructions, variations, and concerns is invaluable for Domestic Building Insurance (DBI) claims or engaging a new builder. The new Building and Plumbing Commission has stronger powers to issue rectification orders even after you've moved in, but only with proper documentation of defects and non-compliance. ## Managing Regenerative & Cultural Elements For regenerative projects, administration requires particular attention. Your living systems, rainwater harvesting, greywater treatment, solar generation, natural ventilation, are interconnected. When a plumber suggests relocating a greywater system to save money, your architect evaluates the impact on gravity feeds, maintenance access, and landscape integration. If your project involves Country-centred design, administration takes on additional dimensions. Your architect may coordinate with Traditional Owners for Welcome to Country or smoking ceremonies. They help ensure builders understand the significance of these cultural elements and schedule work appropriately. When incorporating Indigenous plants, your architect might coordinate planting with the six seasons of the Kulin nations' calendar, rather than conventional schedules, to ensure the landscape thrives. ## Your Active Role in Construction Success  _How your participation ensures better outcomes_ While your architect administers the contract, your involvement significantly influences the outcome. - **Visit the Site:** Regular site visits, weekly if possible, help you understand progress and spot issues early. A tile layout that looked perfect on paper might feel wrong in reality. - **Stay Engaged:** Builders and trades often take more care when they know you are an engaged and observant client. You become an ally for your architect, noticing things between their formal inspections. - **Document Everything:** Take your own weekly photos from consistent positions. Keep notes of conversations and samples of materials installed. This personal record supplements your architect's formal documentation. - **Scrutinise Payments:** Your architect's assessment of progress claims is a crucial protection. Don't automatically pay what's recommended. Question discrepancies and ensure materials paid for are secured on site. The standard 5% retention held until after completion is there for a reason, recent collapses show why these protections are vital. --- ## Key Summary: Protecting Your Vision and Investment In Victoria's high-risk construction environment, understanding your architect's role is your best defence. They are your agent administering the building contract, not a supervisor watching every nail. Expect 6-8 key site visits, with most of their work happening off-site, responding to builder queries and coordinating with engineers to protect your design's integrity. This professional standard keeps responsibilities clear and costs manageable. The ongoing wave of builder insolvencies makes your architect's role in financial oversight and documentation more critical than ever. They assess builder's monthly claims against actual progress and meticulously record every instruction, variation, and defect. This written and photographic record is your primary evidence for an insurance claim or a dispute through the new Building and Plumbing Commission if your builder collapses. Your active participation is non-negotiable for a successful outcome. By visiting the site weekly, asking questions, and keeping your own records, you become an essential part of the quality control process. You will spot issues your architect can't see between visits and your engagement ensures a higher level of care from the construction team. This partnership, where your architect provides contractual oversight, the builder manages construction, and you provide owner insight, is the key to navigating the project successfully. For regenerative and culturally significant projects, this oversight is even more vital. Your architect ensures that interconnected systems like water and energy are installed correctly for long-term performance and that cultural protocols are respected. They are the guardian of the project's deeper purpose, ensuring the final building is not just built to code, but is truly the living, breathing system you set out to create. ## Chapter Resources [**Consumer Affairs Victoria - Building and Renovating →**](https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/building-and-renovating) _Comprehensive government guide providing checklists, information on contracts and insurance, and details on your rights and responsibilities when undertaking a domestic building project in Victoria. Includes the Domestic Building Consumer Guide and free advice through their Building Information Line._