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Interior & Exterior Finishing, Genreal Building Work






BUILDING REGULATIONS






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Building Regulations


The Regulations can be read in full on the Communities and Local Government website (communities.gov.uk). The Building Regulations are profiled in Approved Documents, which are updated fairly regularly and published periodically.


The regulations of the building works will have to comply with the following documents:




Projects & Building Regulations Approvals


The Building Regulations are involved whether it is a new home or any type of new building work (i.e. a new wall), or structural alterations, such as a loft conversion. 


Projects that are exempt from Building Regulations include: 


  • Porches (subject to the porch not exceed 30m²); 

  • Car ports (subject to them being open on two sides and, again, less then 30m²)

  •  Conservatories (subject to them having a floor area of less than 30m², have at least 75% of the roof and 50% of the walls glazed with a translucent material; and maintain the existing walls, windows and doors that separate it from the main house, with no new additional openings created); 

  • Most detached sheds and greenhouses (under 15m² floor area, or under 30m² and at least 1m away from the house).


Structural work, it needs approval.


If in doubt, check with your local authority website, or give their building control department a call.

The Building Regulations inspections and approvals can be commissioned to the  local council’s Building Control department (the most common arbiter of Building Regulations in the UK) or to a private company (such as NHBC - nhbc.co.uk) carrying out the same task.


2 routes to get approval:


1. Submit a Building Regulations application by way of fee, form and detailed plans showing the way to meet the Regulations – e.g. the level of insulation in walls etc. These plans are then either rejected or approved, and a series of inspections will then take place to ensure the work meets the requirements, after which a completion certificate will be issued.


2. Work on a Building Notice - common for minor works or those working on a largely DIY basis and without plans, subject to a fee and a form submission but the inspector will make an in-depth assessment of work completed so far at various stages. The Inspector can make you re-do work at any stage and in theory means you can get started right away.


Costs

For a one-off new home, expect to pay £172.50 to submit a plan and £373.75 for the inspections. Working on Notice will not be any cheaper, at £546 (these fees are subject to change and are based on local authority costs; private companies may charge less or more)


Most renovation/extension work (including loft conversions) costs £110 to submit a plan and £200-400 for an inspection.


Building Regulations approval by INSPECTOR  must be done when due and on time otherwise optional route is available called regularisation,  subject to an additional charge to Building Notice fee.

In this case an inspector will come out and inspect the work as best as he can. Because a lot of the work might be covered up, you’ll need to uncover the work requested, and put it right at your own expense.