Early engagement with a fire safety engineer is the best way to avoid costly late changes, unlock better design, streamline approvals and stick to your budget. As I’ve seen time and again across Sydney and NSW, clients who bring us in at the concept stage rarely regret it, and those who wait often wish we were involved earlier.
Flexibility is a diminishing asset
The further you go in design and construction, the fewer options there are to make design adjustments to address fire safety concerns. By incorporating fire safety engineering from the outset, a project keeps doors open to innovation, more innovative compliance strategies and ultimately greater success.
As DDEG’s NSW State Manager, I see projects at all stages. The most successful ones have one thing in common: fire safety is brought in early. When I’m brought in late, due to the stage of design development, I often find myself limited to suggesting expensive fixes for issues that could have been resolved more cost-effectively from the start.
How flexibility works in practice
- Early advice means a menu of smart, practical compliance options: exits, fire systems, and building features can be designed in, not worked around later.
- As design and plans are further developed, those choices become more limited, and even minor late changes can lead to significant delays and increased costs.
- An extra exit sign or a tweak to fire hydrant placement, if made too late, can mean procurement delays, re-quotes and extra site visits.
- Last-minute fire safety compliance is almost always more expensive and stressful than engaging a fire engineer at the concept stage.
For example, in an apartment building, travel distance to the nearest exit is a crucial factor. Engage our team early, and we can offer several ways to solve it. Perhaps we’ll add extra smoke detection, more exit signage or tweaks to the floorplan. Engage us late, and sometimes the only fix is to do rework and start explaining to the client why the cost and timeline have blown out.
How performance solutions keep great design alive
Fire safety engineering doesn’t have to be a one-size-fits-all approach. The NCC (National Construction Code) provides prescriptive requirements that apply general rules to a wide range of buildings, but real buildings are rarely that simple.
Tailoring fire safety to your building
Performance solutions let us use bespoke engineering calculations, modelling and objective evidence to design a safety strategy that matches the way people actually use a particular building, rather than forcing a blanket code approach.
Case study: Byron Bay mixed-use apartment development
A Byron Bay apartment complex we worked on should have had two stairs to stay within maximum DTS-permitted travel distances, according to the code. However, the architect and developer wanted to preserve floor space and design flexibility by incorporating a single staircase instead. They also wanted to avoid the extra cost of a second stair, but needed to ensure future occupants were protected.
By bringing fire engineering into the conversation upfront, we modelled actual occupant movement and evaluated the associated risks. We could demonstrate that a single stair with enhancements ( sprinklers, smoke detection and signage) properly maintained the safety of occupants in the event of a fire. Everyone was a winner – evacuation provisions were compliant, the design intent was kept, and the project saved both time and money.
Saving time on approvals by planning ahead
One of the most common issues we encounter is delayed approval due to fire safety not being addressed early enough. Many teams believe they can submit a performance-based design brief to Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) late in the process, but the reality is that the review process can take a month or longer.
If the fire brigade raises concerns, the team is stuck: they either rush a significant redesign (think adding a staircase to an almost-complete floor) or everything pauses while new documentation is prepared.
It’s much smoother if the fire engineers are engaged early to work through the design in parallel with the rest of the design team from the beginning. That way, all consultants are informed and the approval pathway is clear. From experience, the earlier we’re asked to refer to FRNSW, the less stressful the process becomes.
Coordination is the glue that saves projects
Designing for fire safety never happens in a vacuum. Every decision impacts various aspects, including mechanical systems, facades, services and the project timeline. In practice, this means working closely with architects, project engineers and other consultants to ensure that nothing is missed.
Let’s say the mechanical team adds new kitchen exhaust ductwork late in the game. If they don’t tell us, that could punch a new hole in a fire-rated wall, creating a non-compliance risk just before handover. Good coordination (made easier by early fire safety engagement) can highlight these issues before they cost time and money.
A tale of two Sydney projects: why timing matters
A Sydney developer planned to transform an existing aged care building into a childcare centre. The client involved us from the outset to assess the suitability of the project for conversion.
After spending time on site, we realised the amount of work to bring it up to childcare code was enormous. We provided a straightforward summary: “Here are the major issues, and here’s what the client would need to do for the project to be viable.” That honest, early advice saved the client a fortune and years of stress. They were able to completely change their strategy rather than invest in a lost cause.
On the flip side, I’ve seen project teams struggle when compliance reviews reveal long-missed issues too close to the handover stage. There’s a mad scramble, last-minute fixes, project delays and a few tough conversations all round. Most of these situations could have been avoided with proper planning and early involvement.
Five reasons to engage a fire consultant early
- Spot issues before they cost you
Early involvement means likely compliance blockers are identified and addressed before the drawings are finalised. - Design flexibility
By bringing us in early, you can take advantage of performance solutions and avoid being stuck following prescriptive rules. That might translate to less onerous fire safety measures, more usable space or a more ambitious façade. - Smoother, faster approvals
Reports and compliance documentation developed in tandem with design mean fewer surprises with certifiers or FRNSW, and a quicker, less stressful journey to sign off. - Fewer coordination headaches
Services like fire, mechanical, electrical and façade all intersect. Early consultation means everyone works from the same playbook, reducing design clashes and unexpected rework. - Informed decision-making and risk reduction
Sometimes the best advice is “this won’t work, and here’s what it’ll really cost.” Being honest and realistic early in the project prevents costly mistakes.
Our best advice for every Sydney architect or developer
If you remember one thing from this article, let it be this: don’t treat fire safety as a formality or a late-stage hurdle. The earlier a fire safety engineer is on your team, the more you’ll benefit from real choice, clarity, control and peace of mind.
Most of the issues I see stem from teams hoping things will be fine if they just follow the code. In reality, every project is unique, especially in Sydney, where heritage, mixed-use and complex compliance are the norm. Performance-based fire engineering, delivered early, helps you realise your vision while keeping people safe and your project viable.
If you’re planning a project in Sydney or NSW, and want a realistic assessment, detailed coordination or smart alternatives to prescriptive fire code, get in touch today. We can help you chart a better path and keep your project on track from day one.
About the author
Andrew Chak is DDEG’s NSW State Manager, specialising in fire safety engineering. Since establishing DDEG’s NSW office in 2023, he has supported major Sydney clients across residential, commercial and mixed-use projects, delivering performance-based fire solutions that balance compliance, design and budget.
Andrew is a Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) with more than seven years’ experience helping project teams navigate complex compliance challenges.