What are Building Regulations Applications?

Building Regulations or 'Regs' are a set of rules governing how a building is put together. 

They are different to Planning Permission which relates to the design and aesthetics of a building. 

Building Regs concern structure, fire safety, foundations, drainage and noise, to name a few.

They affect, not just new buildings, but any significant alterations to existing buildings - they apply to both residential and commercial projects.

There are seventeen sets of rules, known as documents. They are given legal status by the Building Act 1984.

The documents are comprehensive, to say the least. Usually, your project, or certain areas of your project will have to comply with these documents:

Part A – Structure
Part B – Fire Safety
Part C – Contamination and damp
Part D – Toxicity
Part E – Sound
Part F – Ventilation
Part G – Hygiene
Part H – Drainage
Part J – Fuel
Part K – On-site Safety
Part L – Conservation of Fuel and Power
Part M – Access
Part N – Glazing
Part P – Electrics

They are updated fairly regularly.

A little about Part A.

Whenever structural elements are required in your project - let's call these elements metal beams - certain specific calculations are required to size the beams in relation to the amount of weight they are to carry. These calculations are specific and need to be worked out by qualified engineers specialising in this area.

When do I need approval ?

You'll need Building Regulations approval when you carry out alterations or build something new. Permitted development projects may not need planning permission, but will need building regs.

So, certainly for extensions, loft conversions, removing walls, setting up foundations, drainage, electrics, and installing certain types of insulation and appliance....but not for painting and decorating.

When don't I need approval ?

You won't need it for minor works, like for like repairs, and usually for certain add-on buildings, such as conservatories and garden summer houses (that don't have sleeping accommodation). Landscaping and driveways, unless there are drainage elements included, should also be exempt.

Who grants building regulations approval ?

Detailed plans can be submitted to one of several bodies.

There are three main entities.

Private inspectors from a government approved private building inspection company and registered with the Construction Industry Council.

Local Authority Building Control (LABC) . They use local authority inspectors licensed from the local council.

Local authority inspectors form the local council's building control department.

We tend to appoint the local authority inspectors for a couple of reasons. They are still the most popular method of gaining approval. People (especially solicitors) like to see certificates issued by the local council and only the council have the power to enforce the regulations when, and if, there is a problem. This means that any approved inspector must hand the project over to the local authority if there are difficulties that can't be resolved. This handing over process can be time consuming. So we prefer to work with the local authority from the word go.

What's the cost ?

An application has to be accompanied by the relevant fees which cover both the application and the eventual inspections.

Most local authorities offer fee calculators on their websites. Their fees will depend on several factors including the type of work involved, size of the project and number of visits required. Private companies will negotiate their fees directly.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, once an application is lodged, work can commence on site within 48 hours.

What's the process?

There are two ways to start; you can make either a Full Plans Application or a Building Notice.

When a Building Notice is submitted, you can begin work straight way and without any prior approval. The works are still subject to periodic inspections by the Building Control Officer as the application proceeds. The plans are drawn up as the project progresses. The notice route normally costs a little more because it is fast tracked and legal liability rests on the builder if problems with the work occur without plans.

With a Full Plans application your plans are submitted, checked, and hopefully approved for compliance with the regulation documents. Work can then start and the staged site inspections will begin.

(There are several advantage of this route. One is that the approved drawings will show any builder all they need to know in order to provide a fixed quotation: So, in the first instance, it acts as a tender document.)

Site Inspections

Right, you've had your plans drawn up, they've been submitted to the council, work has started and that work correlates with exactly with what the plans show.

There will be a point in the construction where the council, the project manager ( that can be us) and the builder decide on an initial time for inspection. That time will usually be at a major point in the construction relevant to one of the documents, for example the deconstruction of a load bearing wall, or the compliance with fire regulations...

Completion Certificate

When after various inspections the building has reached completion to the satisfaction of the inspector, a Completion Certificate is issued. This means that all those works in the application are deemed to conform with the standards of the regulation's documents .

The certificate is important. It's proof that the works have attained the necessary standard, and is requested by future purchasers, financial lenders, warranty certifiers and taxation bodies, for example in the claiming of VAT.

Store it alongside those plans we drew up for you. CONTACT US HERE for any queries you have.