User Profile

Feargal O Cathain

Director

I am a Director of Axis Building Consultancy since 2021 and currently provide proactive and experienced advice on access to premises from design reviews and recommendations through to audits of existing buildings. My role is to provide achievable recommendations related to the provision of access to premises based on current legislation and best practice options, enabling independent, equitable and functional access for all.

Accessibility is paramount in providing an inclusive environment for all users. I am looking beyond basic compliance issues to ensure that all users are offered the opportunity to participate in society. Axis Building Consultancy incorporate the principles of Universal Design into all of their work, taking a holistic approach in the provision of access for people with disabilities.

I entered the building industry in 1995, as a Building Technician in London, England as part of a team providing a unique project management service that entailed monitoring of subsidence related damage to domestic properties, site inspections, analysis of site investigations and preparation of reports and updating insurers and preparing schedules of work to reinstate subsidence related damage.

As a Building Surveyor with DMT Partnership in Surrey, England, I developed a broader set of skills and was responsible for the implementation of a planned maintenance programme to 280 retail outlets from a profile of 1,600 including residential accommodation. This entailed preparation of detailed specifications and drawings, schedules of condition in connection with party wall awards and schedules of dilapidations, negotiations with landlords and their agents regarding interim and final schedules of dilapidations and close liaison with Local Authorities in the South East of England regarding planning, building control, conservation, fire precautions at workplace and means of escape all in connection with retail and residential accommodation.

Whilst at Carillion Services I obtained Chartered Surveyor status working on prestigious grade 1 & 2 listed buildings in the Royal Parks, London England. I am was directly responsible for Procurement of building and civil engineering projects with an annual budget value of £2 million on behalf of The Royal Parks Agency within Richmond and Bushy Royal Parks.

This work included preparation of brief, design scheme and detailed specification for the refurbishment of Grade 1 & 2 listed buildings within the Royal Parks. As well as Project Management of various civil engineering projects and building projects valuing £750k - £1.5mk.

I returned to Ireland to open up his own practice as a Chartered Building Surveyor in Co. Donegal providing services that incorporated Construction Design and Building Work, Building Surveys & Measured Surveys. Defect Investigation & Maintenance Advice, Project Management and Monitoring, Property Legislation, Insurance Claims and Expert Witness services provided involving preparation of report & subsequent evidence provided in District Court Letterkenny, Co. Donegal & the High Court Castelbar, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

I moved to Australia and commenced my career as a Building Certifier with Matrix Certification Services, a private certification company based in Logan QLD, dealing predominantly with residential construction before moving onto GMA Certification Group on the Gold Coast in 2014 where I became involved with commercial and industrial construction. My role evolved from working self-autonomously on projects suitable to his level 2 licence to assisting level 1 certifiers with more complex and larger projects.

In 2017 I joined Philip Chun and was assisting Senior Building Certifiers with a variety of projects of Class 2 to 9 building construction from larger complex buildings such as a 56 storey building in Brisbane CBD comprising of Class 2 Class 7b Class 6 Class 7a areas, to smaller projects such as Class 9a Hospital located in area ranging from Logan to Thursday Island in the Torres Straits Islands. I was also involved in the Cross River Rail tender bid entailing review and analysis of 5 proposed new underground rail stations in Brisbane CBD and providing building code compliance advice under the guidance and supervision of a Senior Level 1 Building Certifier.

Whilst at Philip Chun I was on secondment to B.A.S. (Building & Assets Services) as a member of the Member of the Non-Conforming Building Product (NCBP) Audit Taskforce reporting on Aluminium Composite Panel (ACP) Cladding and similar products relevant to all State Government Buildings in Queensland. NCBP day to day duties involved desk top audits and site inspections of a variety of Class 2 to 9 buildings that included hospitals, aged-care facilities, schools, accommodation buildings, high-occupancy public buildings, and high-rise office buildings with detailed investigations including a review of building certification documents, visual inspections and subsequent preparation and issue of Audit Reports.

I am a valued member of Axis Building Certification since April 2019 where his role involves assessment and identifying non-compliant design issues for Class 2 to 9 building construction and close liaising with Client and relevant consultants regarding preparation and documentation of suitable Performance Solutions and the preparation of Fire Engineering Brief where required, attending pre-lodgement meetings with QFES, and issue of Fire Engineering Report with formal QFES application , carrying out inspections of Class 2 to 9 buildings to ensure compliance with current NCC Vol 1 and relevant standards, client liaison with all necessary mandatory inspections carried out e.g. QFES applications and inspections organised to meet Clients programme of works. I also carries out preparation of NCC Compliance reports containing advice on the legislative & code requirements for existing & proposed structures requiring future Building Approval for Class 2 to 9 buildings.

I am currently a Director of Axis Building Consultancy since 2021 and currently provide proactive and experienced advice on access to premises from design reviews and recommendations through to audits of existing buildings. As a qualified Access Consultant I currently provide proactive and experienced advice on access to premises from design reviews and recommendations through to audits of existing buildings.