Detailed regulations cover specific topics including:
- Accessibility
- Acoustic performance
- Electrical and gas safety
- Energy performance
- Fire protection
- Protection against falls
- Structural integrity
The regulations also lay down standards for drains, ventilation, protection against the ingress of water and protection against contamination including methane and radon gas.
The building regulations are created and maintained by the English and Welsh Governments.
How to Get Building Regulation Approval
We’ve been working with local councils since 1988 and we’ll be helping gain approval for your building work.
The Building Control Surveyor
All local authority building control teams in England and Wales work as part of the local authority building control (LABC) network.
Some operate as individual councils and some work in partnership with others. They all share the same ethos of impartiality, accountability and technical consistency.
Building Regulations Application
Full Plans application: For the majority of applications the building control team will check and ‘approve’ the plans before work starts. All drawings, specifications and, where necessary, calculations for structure, thermal, water consumption etc.
BUILDERS NEED THESE DRAWINGS TO PRICE AND BUILD THE PROJECT FROM
Submitting this type of application reduces the risk of contravening the building regulations and helps avoid costly delays.
The Work
A building control surveyor will come out and inspect the work at various stages, giving advice and guidance to your builder and peace of mind for you.
The stages they’ll need to see will usually be agreed in advance but they will be to check that minimum standards have been achieved.
It’s not uncommon for you to want to deviate from the approved plans and your surveyor will be happy to discuss these changes and any implications at a site meeting.
Building Control Visits
The building surveyor will look at:
- Foundations
- Ground and floors
- Damp proofing
- Roof structure
- Drainage
- Structural beams and openings
- Fire proofing
- Thermal insulation
The Completion Visit
This is the key visit!
The main purpose of this stage is to verify the house meets the various building regulations before it’s occupied and put into use.
Once the surveyor is happy with the work they’ll issue you with a completion certificate, free of charge. This is an important document used by solicitors/personal search agents when you come to sell the property and by mortgage lenders and property insurers.
Do you have any questions about the process? Give the team a call, we’re here to help.
What is the difference between planning permission and building regulations?
A form of permission is required for building work or alterations of properties. However, it may not always be clear how the planning and building regulations approval regimes differ.
Building Regulations
Building regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure the safety and health for people in or about those buildings. They also include requirements to ensure that fuel and power is conserved and facilities are provided for people, including those with disabilities, to access and move around inside buildings.
Planning Permission
Planning seeks to guide the way towns, cities and countryside develop. This includes the use of land & buildings, the appearance of buildings, landscaping considerations, highway access and the impact that the development will have on the general environment.
For many types of building work, separate permission under both regimes (separate processes) will be required. For other building work, such as internal alterations, buildings regulations approval will probably be needed, but planning permission may not be.
If you have any doubts about what you will need for your build then give us a call, we’re here to help.
Concept to Elegant Completion
Home Extension Designs was founded in 1988 and provide planning drawings for loft or garage conversions plus single and two-storey extensions, internal alterations and new builds.
We offer FREE on-site visits and FREE quotations. We cover Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and London.
You’re in safe hands,
and the HED Team
