Is a verification structural engineer recommended if not mandatory?

Hello dear forum community,

our building application has been submitted and suddenly a new question arose for us – whether we need/want a reviewing structural engineer?

Apparently, for our building project (a single-family house without a basement with a gable roof) here in Berlin, it is not mandatory, but the architect recommended it because the reviewing structural engineer acts as a quality control who keeps an eye on the various trades, and everyone apparently has a lot of respect for that.

However, I am now a bit confused because the above description sounds to me more like the role we had assigned to the construction-related quality monitoring (BQÜ)...

Therefore, my questions:

1) Does the reviewing structural engineer only check the structural engineer’s documents or does he also do quality inspections on the construction site from time to time?

2) If only the former, should we then commission the reviewing structural engineer even if it is not required or would that be an item that one could save in good conscience if one also commissions a BQÜ?

3) But if the reviewing structural engineer also regularly visits the construction site, would it then be possible/sensible to commission the BQÜ with him at the same time?

I hope these are not stupid questions. We are happy to pay for both items if it makes sense, I just want to make sure that this would also be the case for our constellation and that we are not throwing a few thousand euros away just so that colleague Reviewing Structural Engineer signs off once on colleague Structural Engineer’s documents...

Is a structural engineer for a run-of-the-mill single-family house really overkill?

That's exactly the question I'm asking myself. Does that mean you build without? Best regards, Kazazi

That is exactly the question I am asking myself. Does that mean you are building without one? Best regards, Kazazi

Have built, we moved in two weeks ago. I don't know anyone in the building area who employed a verification engineer.

Hmm, OK, thank you. Are there any other opinions/experiences regarding this? Many thanks, Kaz

..... I don't know anyone here in the building area who has employed a verification structural engineer.

In some federal states, a verification structural engineer is, not without reason, even mandatory for a single-family house => see state building code! However, not in Berlin. When building, especially with a general contractor/general contractor with subcontractors, an external construction supervisor is very useful. This person of course also checks the critical structural points.

Best regards