Alteration Type 2-self certification by architect/engineer

DOB plan examiners have long said they hate dealing with pro-cert applications because modifying them is a pain, as there is no plan examiner assigned to the job, and most jobs get modified at some point.

They’ve also recently made it mandatory to self certify the final inspection (D-14), instead of having a DOB inspection on most Alt-2 applications. This means that if you pro-cert the plans and D-14 you have little to no DOB review of construction.

A number of years ago, the DOB started auditing nearly all jobs filed this way because they realized certain people were repeatedly abusing the system (buildings with extra floors, etc). So what does that mean now? It means that if the DOB continues to audit most or all pro-cert D-14 jobs, they will create a giant backlog of small jobs getting audited.

jimhillra

in General Discussion 6 years and 1 month ago

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jakesprague | 6 years and 1 month ago

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I am hearing mixed information regarding this? My understanding is that you can do the self certification which will allow you to quickly begin a project…is this still being done? thoughts?

jcarch | 6 years and 1 month ago

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Yes, your arch/eng can pro-cert their filing. The advantage is that no one at DOB looks at the filing, and it’s approved immediately. The potential downside is that DOB audits 20% of pro-cert filings. And they may audit months later, when you’re well into, or even finished with, construction. What happens when a DOB auditor decides that he doesn’t like something on the plans, and that something is already built? That can get expensive very quickly.

Lurker | 6 years and 1 month ago

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We went to homeowners night at DOB and had a meeting with the head of inspections and he said—insanely unprofessinally, mind you—that if he were us, he’d rather put a gun to his head than file a self-cert. And then he said it again. Of course they get filed all the time, and many must work out just fine, but since the DOB is spiraling ever more into a nightmare for complicated jobs, Alt 1s and so on, self cert adds a risk.