The process of designing any building and obtaining permits is arranged as follows. As David Elefteriadis, Director of Development at Cosmopolite International Realty, explains, an architectural project is first developed – taking into account all the features of the site chosen for construction.
These drawings are submitted to the City Hall for architectural permission. Then an engineering project is made, and together with the architectural permit, drawings and documents are submitted to the authorized state bodies for obtaining a “good” for construction. All this package of documents is thoroughly checked by the structures of the local administration responsible for water supply, electricity supply, wiring of telephone and other engineering networks, as well as for fire safety. The process can take up to several months depending on the site, project, etc.
The basis of the state regulation of construction in Cyprus is the licensing system of specialists – architects, engineers, electricians and others – and their personal responsibility. The developer company is obliged either to have such specialists on staff, or to involve them in design and construction work on a contractual basis. All architectural and engineering drawings are signed not by an organization, but by a specific person who bears personal responsibility. At a minimum, he risks losing his license, that is, the right to engage in professional activity. Therefore, for any money, he will not want to put himself under attack.
In the course of construction, the same specialists carry out architectural and engineering supervision and sign the act of commissioning of the object. A licensed electrician also signs his signature, who is also individually responsible for his work.
The completed object is accepted by the State Commission, which consists of authorized representatives of various government agencies, including the fire supervision inspectorate. Compliance with quality standards during the construction period is strictly controlled. All materials used have certificates of conformity, they are tested in reliable laboratories located both in Cyprus and in Europe.