Briefing an architect or builder on hearing augmentation

What to include at design stage so it is not discovered during construction. Hand this to your design team before drawings are issued.

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Project nameSite or spaceDateProject or change managerCompleted by

Critical — define these first

Nothing else can be scoped, quoted or compared until these are answered.

Which rooms and spaces are in scope, named individually rather than described as a group.

Building classification for each space in scope.

Whether an inbuilt amplification system is proposed in each of those spaces.

Floor area of each space, from the drawings.

The occupancy figure used for each space.

The performance requirement stated as an outcome, not as a product or brand.

Who verifies the installed result, and at what stage of the programme.

The signage requirement, stated explicitly in the brief rather than assumed.

The point in the programme at which coverage will be tested, before ceilings close.

Work through each trigger. If it applies to your site, the item becomes critical.

IF A LOOP IS PROPOSED — define floor construction, metal content and the effect on design.

IF TWO IN-SCOPE SPACES ADJOIN — define overspill limits and phasing requirements.

IF CEILINGS BECOME INACCESSIBLE AFTER FITOUT — define the cable installation sequence and the deadline.

IF SUBSTITUTIONS MAY BE PROPOSED — define the equivalence evidence required before any is accepted.

IF THIS IS A DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT CONTRACT — define in writing which party carries the compliance obligation.

IF A COUNTER OR SERVICE POINT IS SCREENED — state that requirement separately from the room requirement.

IF THE PROJECT IS STAGED — define what is provided now and what is provisioned for later.

IF AN ACCESS CONSULTANT IS ENGAGED — define who they report to and when they review.

Not required, but each one makes the next conversation shorter.

Provision above the minimum to allow for future flexibility.

Conduit or pathway provision for a later upgrade.

A coverage map listed as a contract deliverable.

A nominated point of contact for technical queries during construction.

Discovering an obligation after the quote has been accepted.

Treating hearing augmentation as an add-on rather than part of the design.

Treating accessibility as something to resolve after installation.

Overlooking reception counters, interview rooms, activity spaces and multipurpose rooms.

Treating compliance as a product purchase rather than a designed outcome.

Notes

Completed bySignedDate

1Anything left blank in the critical section is a gap, not an oversight. It will surface later, usually during installation.

2Bring the completed sheet to a site review. It replaces about half the meeting.

3If a conditional trigger applies and you are unsure how to answer it, that is exactly what the review is for.

Answers save automatically in this browser9 critical items still undefined

Related checklists

This checklist is general guidance. Requirements vary by project, jurisdiction, building classification and approval pathway.