Building Regulations

The Building Regulations are a set of rules made up under powers provided in the Building Act 1984, and apply in England and Wales. The purpose of the Building Regulations is to ensure the Health and Safety in and around all types of buildings (domestic, commercial and industrial). Essentially they contain definitions and procedures to set out what is expected in terms of the technical performance of a building.

Building Regulations DO apply to the following major construction works:
New dwelling or any other type of building Extension to a building (see below for exceptions)
Garage extension to a home Garage conversion to form habitable use Internal alterations (e.g. removal of load-bearing wall)
Replacing one or more windows
Underpinning
Building regulations DO NOT apply to the following:
Greenhouse or small detached shed Detached garage under 30m² floor area , no less than 1.0m from boundary of the property Minor building repairs
Replacing glass or broken parts of a window frame
A porch or conservatory under 30m² floor area
However you should always consult either one of our staff or your local Building Control office to check whether your project is subject to Building Regulations approval, prior to commencing works.

A Building Notice is designed to allow some types of building work to get under way quickly and is best suited to small, simple works. Once a building notice is given, work will be inspected as it progresses and the client will be advised if details do not comply or if further information is required (e.g. structural calculations). If a person decides to use this procedure they need to be confident that all works comply with Building Regulations as Local Authorities can insist that you correct any works that are deemed unsatisfactory. A Full Plans Application is more suited to medium-large scale construction works and should contain plans and other information showing all construction details, preferably well in advance of commencement on site. Your local authority will check the plans and consult any appropriate authorities. They must complete the procedure and issue you with a decision within a maximum of 2 months from the date of deposit of plans. Your local authority should carry out ongoing inspections of the construction work and will issue a Completion Certificate once all works have been carried out to their satisfaction.

Yes. The local authority will charge separately for checking any deposited plans and for inspections of works on site. The cost of these services vary depending on the scale of the project and the service required, however a typical charge for a small extension is ‘£125 for plan check’ and ‘£250 for site inspection’. Clients should however consult their local authority for exact details of charges prior to submission of plans.