In order to meet minimum standards of health, safety and accessibility, many home improvements and building projects need Building Regulations approval. This is sometimes called building control approval and is not the same as planning permission. We take a look at some of the works that require official sign off.
Electrics
Electrical works which include adding new circuits, connecting electrics and replacing fuse boxes need to be officially signed off. This type of work is routinely needed as part of a new build, loft conversion or extension construction.
Only registered electricians who are part of a competent person self-certification scheme such as NICEIC can sign off on this type of work. This means they don’t need to go through building control and can provide the homeowner with the necessary electrical safety certificate . This certificate is also called a Part P which relates to the relevant section of the Building Regulations.
Window replacement
All replacement glazing has been subject to Building Regulations since 2002. The standards apply to the thermal efficiency, access, fire safety, ventilation and safety glazing of the windows and any glazed external doors.
Installers who are part of a competent person scheme for glazing will ensure that your windows meet the necessary regulations and provide you with a FENSA certificate when your installation is complete. This means that the planning department of your local authority does not have to carry out a site inspection.
New extension
A new extension or loft conversion will be considered ‘notifiable’ work and as such you must inform the planning department at your local council about it. Depending on the size of the construction project, you may need to submit full plans or a building notice. Both will entail the local authority sending someone out to conduct inspections at various points during the build. At the end of the build you will get a completion certificate. Of course, you’ll need to make sure that you find the right house builders for this type of thing, as you will need to ensure that the end result is going to be as you want it. So make sure you are looking around for them too.
You could look at doing a bathroom upgrade and visit worldcoppersmith.com to find copper sinks, faucets, and anything else you need for your bathroom or kitchen.
As the homeowner, you are ultimately responsible for making sure that all necessary aspects of a build are reported to building control and signed off. Any work that doesn’t comply with Building Regulations can result in prosecutions or fines.
Heating system installation or replacement
Whether you are having your boiler replaced or installing a new heating system to an extension, you will need to have the work officially signed off. This is typically done by a specialist tradesperson who can self certify the work and provide you with the necessary paperwork such as a Gas Safe certificate. This proves that your installation has met Building Regulations.
Any installation of a new boiler or heating system which does not have a compliance certificate can incur fines, costs to fix the work and may result in difficulty selling your home. The person or company that carried out the installation can also face prosecution.
Replacement roof coverings
New or replacement roof coverings need approval under Building Regulations. Using a contractor who is part of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors’ competent person scheme means that they will send all the necessary paperwork to the relevant local authority for sign off.
A Building Regulation Compliance Certificate is issued when the work is finished and this should be retained in the event that you ever sell your home. If you are only repairing or replacing part of the roof you won’t need to submit an application to building control unless more than 50% of the surface of the roof is affected.
Leave a Reply