Engineering Site Supervision and Quality Control.
Accredited site supervision is the practical check that what is built on site matches the approved drawings and the Saudi Building Code (SBC) — the national building code, whose 2024 edition has been mandatory since mid-2025. It protects the quality and safety of the building and the owner's investment.
Our engineers make specialist site visits to inspect each structural stage and pour and to check materials, and they record the mandatory supervision reports on Balady, the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing's e-services platform, until the completion certificate (شهادة إتمام البناء, also called the occupancy certificate) is issued.
Construction faults only show once they are covered: too little concrete cover, defective waterproofing under the tiles, or a roof that falls the wrong way. A visit at the right moment is the only chance to correct them at a reasonable cost. In a coastal climate like Al Khobar and Dammam, poor waterproofing and exposed reinforcement turn into problems faster than they do in dry inland areas.
How it runs
The stages.
- Assignment on Balady. The supervising office and the contractor are named in the building-permit application on Balady, the office accepts the assignment from its own account, and the supervision contract is signed stating the number of visits and the stages covered.
- Drawing review and visit schedule. We review the approved permit file and schedule the stage inspections with you and the contractor.
- Structural inspections and pours. We inspect reinforcement, formwork and concrete, and record technical approval before every pour.
- Waterproofing, finishes and tests. We supervise plumbing pressure tests, waterproofing and thermal insulation, and concrete cube tests.
- Final inspection and completion certificate. We carry out the final check and submit the completed reports on Balady, so the completion certificate can be issued and the power connected.
Deliverables
What you receive.
- Scheduled stage inspections. Engineering visits at each critical stage: excavation, footings, ground beams, columns, and slabs before the pour.
- Reinforcement and formwork checks. Inspection of bar diameters, numbers, spacing and laps, clean formwork and the concrete cover.
- Concrete tests and material approvals. Review of concrete cube test results, and approval of the waterproofing, plumbing and electrical materials delivered to site.
- A report after every visit. A photographed technical report after each inspection, recording the state of the work, quality issues and instructions to the contractor.
- Stage records on Balady. Recording and approving the mandatory supervision stages on Balady, in preparation for the completion certificate.
- Final completion report. A final full site inspection confirming the building is complete, for the completion certificate and the release of the power connection.
Before we start
What we need from you.
- The building-permit number, or the open permit application on Balady.
- The approved drawings in every discipline: architectural, structural and MEP.
- The soil investigation report and survey report approved with the permit.
- The contractor's contract and programme, and the contact details of the site manager.
- The latent-defects insurance policy the contractor takes out, where one is required.
- A commitment from the contractor to notify us early enough before every pour or critical stage for the inspection to be scheduled.
Fees
What sets the fee.
- The floor area of the building and the number of floors.
- The expected construction period; a longer programme means more visits.
- The number and frequency of visits agreed: at critical stages only, or with additional regular visits.
- The stages covered: the structure only, or through finishes to handover.
- The type and complexity of the project: private villa, apartment building or commercial building.
- The location of the site and its distance from our office in Al Khobar.
Frequently asked questions.
Is engineering supervision mandatory in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, on the building-permit route. A contract with a supervising engineering office and a contractor is one of the listed requirements of the building-permit service on Balady, and the completion certificate is not issued without documented supervision reports. Projects under other authorities, such as the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, follow that authority's own requirements and process.
How does site supervision prevent costly structural mistakes?
By checking the reinforcement, the pour levels and the waterproofing before they are covered with concrete, which prevents honeycombing, structural weakness and the cost of repairs later.
Do you supervise projects designed by another office?
Yes. We first review the approved drawings to make sure they are complete, then take on the site supervision and all the regulatory records.
Who chooses the supervising office — me or the contractor?
You do. The supervising office works for you and checks that the contractor follows the drawings and specifications, so it should not be nominated by the contractor or have a business relationship with it. The supervising office and the contractor are both named in the building-permit application, and the assignment is complete only when each has accepted it from its own Balady account.
How many supervision visits are there, and when?
The number of visits is set in the contract according to the size and duration of the project. They are concentrated on the stages that cannot be inspected once covered: excavation and footings, ground beams and waterproofing, columns, and the slabs before every pour, then the plumbing tests, waterproofing and finishes. Ask for the contract to state the number of visits and the stages covered explicitly, not just "regular visits".
How does supervision relate to latent-defects insurance?
Latent-defects insurance is a policy against hidden defects in the building, which the contractor applies for through Balady. It is a building-permit requirement for the buildings that need it, and the permit cannot be used until the premium is paid. Supervision is a separate role: checking at every stage that the work matches the drawings and the code, and recording that in written reports. The policy does not replace supervision, and supervision does not replace the policy.
How can I check that an engineering office is accredited?
Balady has an engineering-office inquiry service where you can look up any office before you sign with it. The professional accreditation of individual engineers is checked through the Saudi Council of Engineers, the body that accredits engineers in the Kingdom.
Official sources
- Issuing a building permit — Balady — Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
- Request for insurance against latent defects — Balady — Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
- Building occupancy certificate (building completion) — Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
- Inquiry about engineering offices — Balady — Ministry of Municipalities and Housing
Contact
Talk to an engineer.
Send us the plot location and what you want to build. We reply with the scope, the route through the permit, and a written quote.