They are two separate controls that Law 1796 of 2016 requires when the lot allows more than 2,000 m² to be built. The revisión independiente (independent structural design review / peer review) happens before the permit and checks the paper: the model, the calculations and the structural drawings. The supervisión técnica independiente (independent technical supervision required by Law 1796 of 2016) happens during construction and checks what is built: that the steel, the concrete and the dimensions match those drawings. Both are done by independent professionals: the reviewer is independent of the designer; the supervisor, of the contractor.
The independent review, before the permit
An engineer other than the designer reviews the structural design against the NSR-10: loads, structural system, irregularities, drifts and the design of the critical members. The reviewer issues comments, the designer resolves them and, once everything complies, the reviewer signs the review statement the curaduría urbana (the building-permit authority) requires to issue the building permit.
Technical supervision, during construction
A professional independent of the contractor checks on site that what was designed is what gets built: releases the steel before every pour, controls the materials testing, checks the dimensions and records everything. At the end, the supervisor signs the Certificado Técnico de Ocupación (CTO), without which the building cannot be occupied.
The differences, in brief
When: the review, before filing for the permit; the supervision, from the foundation to the end of the structure. What it checks: the first, drawings, calculations and model; the second, the works. What it delivers: the first, the review statement; the second, the supervision reports and the Certificado Técnico de Ocupación. Independent of whom: the reviewer, of the designer; the supervisor, of the contractor.
What works best for the owner
Hiring both controls from the start saves time: the reviewer's comments arrive before filing, and the supervisor knows the project before the first pour. If your project is close to the threshold, check with the Law 1796 assistant what the law requires of you, or see the independent design review and technical supervision services.
Frequently asked questions
How do independent design review and technical supervision differ?
The independent review checks the designs before the permit; technical supervision checks the works during construction and ends with the Certificado Técnico de Ocupación.
When are they required?
Both, when the lot allows more than 2,000 m² to be built, whatever the use (Law 1796 of 2016).
