GC4I team, structural engineering firm in Montreal
Signed and sealed plans say what has to be built. Construction supervision checks that this is what was actually built, before the load-bearing elements are hidden behind concrete, drywall or backfill.
It also helps the contractor. Deviations and unforeseen conditions are settled on site, in writing, when they are cheapest to fix.
Supervision, municipal inspection, guarantee plan: three different things
| Intervention | Who | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Supervision | The engineer or architect retained | That the work conforms to the plans and specifications they prepared or are supervising. |
| Municipal inspection | The municipality | Compliance with the permit and municipal by-laws, according to its own procedures. |
| Guarantee plan | The plan administrator | Covered new residential buildings, under the plan’s rules. |
None of these replaces the others. On a structural project, the engineer’s supervision is the only one that deals directly with conformity to the structural plans.
The key stages of supervision
- Bottom of the excavationType of soil, level, presence of water, before the footings are poured.
- Reinforcing steel before the pourBar sizes, spacing, laps and concrete cover, before the pour.
- Framing before close-inBeams, columns, supports, connectors and bracing, before the drywall goes up.
- Shoring and underpinningTemporary supports and underpinning, during the most sensitive stages.
The number of visits and their timing are set in a supervision plan drawn up before the work. The contractor notifies the engineer in advance of each stage to be inspected.
A certificate only covers what was seen
An element poured or closed in before the scheduled visit can no longer be checked directly. That’s why the contractor’s advance notice and a realistic schedule matter.
What’s coming in Quebec
In November 2024, Quebec passed an Act mainly to improve the quality of construction and public safety. On May 13, 2026, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec published, for comment, a draft regulation on certificates of compliance for certain categories of buildings.
Under this draft, for residential buildings not covered by the guarantee plan for new residential buildings, the project owner would have to have the work inspected at certain key stages, according to an established supervision plan, and obtain a certificate of compliance. This is a draft: the final requirements and their effective date remain to be confirmed.
What you receive
- a supervision plan that specifies the stages to be inspected;
- a report after each visit: findings, photos, deviations and corrections requested;
- written opinions or directives when an unforeseen condition requires the plans to be adapted;
- at the end, when the assignment includes it, a certificate of compliance describing what was seen.
FAQ
How many visits should be planned?
It depends on the project: an opening in a load-bearing wall doesn’t call for the same follow-up as an addition on new foundations. The number of visits is set in the supervision plan and stated in the service proposal.
Who notifies the engineer before a stage to be inspected?
Usually the contractor, who knows how the site is progressing. The notice period is agreed at the start.
Does supervision replace the municipal inspection?
No. The municipality applies its own rules and procedures; the engineer’s supervision covers conformity to the structural plans and specifications.
Is supervision mandatory?
It can be required by the plans, by the project owner, by a lender or by regulation, depending on the type of project. A regulation on certificates of compliance is being prepared in Quebec.
Structural work coming up?
Send us the plans and the planned schedule: we’ll propose a suitable supervision plan and a written service proposal.
Scope of this guide. This content is general in nature. It does not replace a site visit or an engineer’s opinion on a specific building.
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