Exempt, complying or development application
Exempt development needs no approval but has strict limits. Complying development is a fast-track approval issued by a certifier when the wall meets the code. Anything else goes to council as a development application. The height, the location relative to boundaries and buildings, and what the wall supports decide which path applies. Always check the current code text and your council's requirements; the limits are specific and they are enforced.
What the engineer does
The engineer designs the wall for the soil, the height and the surcharge: section, footing, drainage, geogrid or steel. At the end they inspect and certify that the wall was built to the design. That certificate is what the council or certifier wants, and it is what protects the owner if the ground ever moves.
Have this ready before you build
A survey or site plan showing boundaries and levels, a geotechnical report if the wall is significant, and a clear statement of what will sit above and below the wall. With those we can design, price and programme the wall in one pass.
