Works not requiring Building Control Approval
Broadly speaking Building Regulations now cover all areas of construction work (as well as many non-construction areas) but there are a few areas of work which fall outside current Building Regulations.
The following is a list of activities that do not require Building Regulation Approval - the list is by no means exhaustive.
- Internal Alterations of a non-structural nature to a domestic house that do not affect fire safety
- Repairs of a minor nature
- Replacement of existing paths and patios for a domestic house
- Construction of perimeter walls and fences for a domestic house
- Minor electrical repairs although it should be noted that since 2005 new electrical work does require approval. In general however this is not obtained by the submission of drawings but by way of a signed certificate from an authorised electrician.
Most other areas of work do require Building Regulation Approval including (surprisingly perhaps) cases where no building work is actually going to take place. For example, a change of use can require approval simply to ensure that the building complies with the regulations for the new use.
Building Control
Applications
The Regulations cover most building works including the erection of new buildings, conversion and extension of existing buildings, and the installation of heating, drainage or sanitary facilities.
The Regulations may also introduce the need for Building Regulation Approval in relation to a change of use of a building, even if building works are not intended. This is because the change of use may introduce the need for health and safety measures.
The Building Regulations may also come into play in circumstances where works that you are considering undertaking may have a structural or other building impact upon adjoining property. This is a particular consideration for the removal of trees (especially in clay subsoil areas) where the foundations of property could be affected by their removal.
There are a few areas of work where Building Regulation Approval is not needed (see left) but for most of the time, if the work that you propose to undertake involves any form of construction, then the local Building Control Authority will need to be informed.
There are two key ways of obtaining building approval both of which involve the Local Authority inspecting the plans of the work that is proposed. These are known as the full plans procedure and the building notice procedure respectively.
Types of Application
- Full Plans
- In this case plans are submitted to the Building Control Department of your Local Authority. This would normally be done well in advance of the proposed start date for the work. The proposals are then checked against the various parts of the regulations and the Council will usually try to issue a decision within 6 weeks, although this may be extended by agreement. When the Council approves the drawings you will receive a formal approval notice setting out any conditions related to the approval. The major advantage of this procedure is that you know from the start exactly what you will need to do in order to comply with the regulations. It also means that the builder has a solid basis from which to prepare an estimate for the work.
- Building Notice
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The second method is to apply for what is known as a 'Building Notice' application. In this case no approval notice is issued and there is no right of application for a determination. The main advantage of this process is that it requires less detailed plans. Generally it is only used for very minor works or works where there are many unknowns.
In both cases Building Regulation fees are payable and these are identical regardless of the method chosen. Usually, when a full plans submission has received approval, the authority then uses it's notification process to monitor and track the work as it progresses.
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As each stage is completed - foundations, damp proofing etc, the builder needs to notify the inspector. This is usually done by returning pre-printed cards which the Local Authority will provide or by calling a hot line. For most aspects of the work, only 24 hours notice is required to be given.