New ‘building work’ must comply with building regulations and includes:

installation of a service, e.g. washing or sanitary facilities
changing windows
electrical work to rewire or install new circuits
installation of some plumbing work such as an unvented hot water cylinder
material alterations to the structure
conversions to flats
some significant repairs.

Obtaining Building Regulations Approval

There are two optional procedures available to carry out works with building regulations approval, for which a fee is payable.

Full Plans Application

This is the standard procedure for most works, whereby the local authority’s building control service approves plans and details of the proposed works as being compliant before works commence. The application can be approved with or without conditions, or refused or have amendments requested.

A Commencement Notice is given to the building control inspector when works start. At predetermined critical stages, the contractor notifies the inspector that particular works are being carried out so that those works can be inspected to check compliance before being covered.

The inspector issues a Completion Certificate at the end of work, stating that the works have been completed in compliance with building regulations.

Building Notice Procedure

This procedure is suitable for small-scale works that need to progress quickly and where pre-approval of plans is not essential.

The contractor gives a Building Notice to the building control service that works are about to start and will then be inspected as they progress. If any jobs are not likely to be building regulations compliant, the contractor will be advised so corrective action can be taken.

An alternative to using a local authority building control service is to use a private sector approved inspector’s building control service. The procedures are similar except for some additional administration to keep the local authority informed of progress as the statutory enforcement authority.

‘Unapproved’ building works are liable to enforcement action if discovered within 12 months of completion.

Further information is available here.

Building Regulations Approval

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