Multi-purpose cultural centre
Af design checker for the deep excavation and foundation system design
What we check
Documents subject to the Af check
Geotechnical designs
Af design check of geotechnical designs.
Geotechnical reports
Af check of geotechnical reports (studii geotehnice), under NP 074-2022.
Monitoring reports
Af check of monitoring reports.
Online check
The check can be carried out online, with an electronic signature.
Legal framework
A clearly defined obligation
Since 25 August 2026, the technical check of designs is governed by the Code of Spatial Planning, Urbanism and Construction, Law no. 169/2026, art. 440–449. The Code repealed Law no. 50/1991 and most of Law no. 10/1995 (art. 10 and art. 41 remain in force). The checking and expert-assessment regulation approved by Government Decision no. 925/1995 remains in force until it is amended.
The check level follows from the building's consequence class. The check covers the permit design (PAC), the technical design (PTh) and the execution details (DE) (art. 445); the checker certifies compliance with the basic requirements for which they are certified, without interfering in the choice of design solutions.
The outcome is a Check Report (Referat de verificare), attached to the building-permit application as required by the consequence class. The checker is liable for the conclusions of the check for 10 years from acceptance of the works and must hold professional liability insurance (art. 445–446).
Expert and design checker
Dr. Eng. Adrian Andronic
Founder, Carbon Skin S.R.L. · Lecturer, Department of Geotechnics and Foundations, Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest
- Technical expert certified by MDLPA, field Af
- Design checker certified by MDLPA, field Af
- Site supervisor authorised by ISC, civil, industrial and agricultural buildings
- PhD in landslide mechanics
- Technical consultant in international arbitration (FIDIC contracts)
Consequence classes
The check each consequence class requires
The former importance categories have been replaced by consequence classes (art. 370), set by the effects of a possible failure: loss of life, economic loss, social, cultural and environmental consequences. The class directly determines the check level of the design (art. 440–444).
| Class | Former category | Level | What the check involves | Checker's liability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CC1 | D — low | NVP1 | A check by a certified checker is not mandatory. Responsibility for compliance with the standards lies with the architects and engineers who prepared the design (art. 441). The client may still ask for an independent check. | — |
| CC2 | C — normal | NVP2 | Thorough qualitative check: input data and correct consequence classification, the technical description, buildability, the correctness in principle of plans, sections and details, the content of the design and the presence of the operation and maintenance specification (art. 442). | Limited |
| CC3 | B — high | NVP3 | Everything in NVP2, plus a review of all the designer's calculations, a detailed check of plans and details, and of the match between calculations and drawings (art. 443). | Advanced |
| CC4 | A — exceptional | NVP4 | Everything in NVP3, plus a parallel, independent calculation with tools at least equal to the designer's. Differences above 5% between the results require the design to be revised and checked again (art. 444). | Advanced |
Who sets the class
Classification is the designer's obligation. A class lower than the one that follows from the law is prohibited, so classification cannot take a design out of the check.
From practice
The errors we find most often
Insufficient ground investigation
Too few boreholes, or investigation that stops above the depth of the foundation's stress bulb.
Wrong groundwater level
Seasonal variations of the water table ignored, leading to ineffective waterproofing or flooded basements.
Unsupported parameter correlations
Strength parameters (cohesion c, friction angle φ) taken from tables, not confirmed by laboratory tests on the samples recovered.
Report and design that do not match
A conventional design pressure used to size the foundations, without the mandatory resistance and stability verifications.
Frost action or swelling and shrinkage left out
Typical of sensitive soils such as active clays, which can crack a structure soon after completion.
Frequently asked questions
About the Af design check
Is the Af design check mandatory?
Yes, for buildings in consequence classes CC2, CC3 and CC4 (Law no. 169/2026, art. 440). For CC1 a check by a certified checker is no longer mandatory, and responsibility lies solely with the designers.
How do I find out the consequence class of my building?
The designer sets it, according to annex no. 6 to Law no. 169/2026, until the classification methodology is approved. The building-permit application states the class and the check level (CC1/NVP1 … CC4/NVP4) and, for each requirement, the checker and the check report.
What happens to projects started before 25 August 2026?
Urban planning certificates issued earlier remain valid, and permits are issued on the basis of the approvals they require (art. 582 para. 4). Checker certifications issued earlier remain valid.
What do I receive at the end of the check?
A Check Report (Referat de verificare), which confirms that the documents comply and is attached to the building-permit application.
Can the check be done online?
Yes, the check can be done online, with an electronic signature.
Are the documents and the report in English?
The Check Report submitted to Romanian authorities is in Romanian. We discuss the project and its findings with you in English.
Portfolio
Projects with an Af design check
Greenfield industrial complex – Lidas
Technical consultancy and design checking in fields Af, A1, A2, B1, D, E, F, Cc, Ci, It, Is, Ie
Request a design check
Send the documents for the Af check
You receive a quote after we review the documents.