TECHNICAL CONSTRUCTION BOOK – LEGISLATION IN ROMANIA
The technical construction book is regulated in Romanian legislation by Law 10/1995 on quality in construction, as well as by the Rules of November 7, 2008 for drawing up the technical construction book, approved by the Regulation of November 7, 2008, published in the OFFICIAL MONITOR NO. 779 of November 20, 2008.
This law makes it compulsory for all new constructions and for major interventions to existing constructions to draw up a technical construction book as an integral part of the execution documentation.
The technical book must be constantly updated to reflect any changes or interventions that occur during the lifetime of the construction. This document becomes essential not only to ensure compliance with safety standards, but also to streamline maintenance and repair work.
The technical construction logbook is made up of all the documents relating to the design, execution, acceptance, operation, maintenance, repair and monitoring of the construction.
WHAT DOES THE TECHNICAL CONSTRUCTION BOOK CONTAIN IN ROMANIA?
The technical construction book is a comprehensive file that documents in detail each stage of the construction process. According to Article 17 of Law 10/1995 on quality in construction, the technical construction book includes: design documentation, execution documentation, acceptance documentation and documentation on the monitoring of the behavior in operation and interventions on the construction.
This information is mandatory to ensure that the construction complies with the legal and technical requirements in force.
It is drawn up by the investor and handed over to the owner of the construction, as follows: the documentation on the design and the documentation on the execution, at the acceptance on completion of works, and the documentation on the acceptance, as well as the documentation on the monitoring of the behavior in service and interventions on the construction at the final acceptance of the construction works.
WHO DRAWS UP THE TECHNICAL CONSTRUCTION BOOK IN ROMANIA?
The main responsibility for drawing up and updating the technical book lies with the designer and the builder. The designer, often an architect or an engineer, is responsible for integrating all technical details and project specifications into the document.
The builder, on the other hand, must ensure that all information related to the construction process is correctly reflected in the document, including any deviations from the original design.
It is also the owner’s obligation to keep and update this technical book throughout the lifetime of the building.
LACK OF TECHNICAL BUILDING BOOK IN ROMANIA
The lack of a technical building book can have serious consequences both legally and functionally. Legally, the absence of this document can lead to administrative sanctions, such as fines or a ban on the use of the building until the deficiencies are remedied. In functional terms, the lack of a technical book hinders any subsequent interventions – from routine repairs to major renovations or even structural reinforcements – because there is no record of the materials used or the techniques applied during construction. This lack of information can increase intervention costs, lengthen execution times and compromise the quality of the work carried out.
According to Article 36, point II, letter e), paragraph II of the Law on Quality in Construction, the failure by the investor to provide the owner with the construction documents, i.e. the design documentation and the documentation on the execution, at the acceptance of the works at the end of the works, and the documentation on the acceptance and the documentation on the monitoring of the behavior in operation and interventions on the construction, at the final acceptance of the construction works, constitutes an offense and is punishable by a fine from 10.000 lei to 20.000 lei.
Thus, the technical construction book is a vital element in the efficient management of any construction project, providing a solid basis for maintenance, adaptability and continuous compliance.
