Building regulation applications
New extension work must comply with the current approved documents. There are three building regulation application types: full applications (Local Council, Partner Council or Private Inspector), building notice applications, and regularisation applications for retrospective approval.
Do you need a building regulation application?
New extension construction must comply with the latest approved documents. Whether you need a building regulation application depends on the work; some minor buildings and works are exempt.
Which building regulation application do you need?
There are three types of building regulation application: full applications, building notice applications and regularisation applications. Full applications are further divided into three routes. Together we decide which is most appropriate depending on your property and what you want to achieve.
Full application
The building regulation drawings, specifications and calculations are prepared, submitted and approved by an authority. This authority can be:
- Local Council: plans are checked by the local Building Control, which inspects construction and issues a completion certificate after the final inspection. Plan-checking and inspection fees are paid to the council. Approval typically takes around two months.
- Partner Council: very similar, but plans are checked and approved by a partner Building Control (e.g. South Bucks). The advantage is speed through a single point of contact, with approval possible in around two weeks; fees are similar to the local Building Control.
- Private Inspector: approved inspectors are private firms approved to do the same job as in-house Building Control staff. We provide the drawings and calculations as PDFs, and you or your builder submit the application.
Building notice application
This is a shortcut that skips the full plans application if you have faith in the skill and knowledge of your builder. It is only for smaller jobs. Essentially, you promise to comply with the Building Regulations on site rather than proving it in advance with detailed drawings. The risk is that, as your plans are not fully approved in advance, a site inspection could uncover something that contravenes the regulations while it is being built, leading to costly delays.
You still submit a form, block plan, drainage and structural calculations to the council, and the fee is the same but paid in advance. Once accepted, you inform Building Control two days before starting on site, and the officer inspects the work at key stages. You do not get formal approval as you do with full plans. This can be done by the client or the builder.
Regularisation application
You can apply for regularisation (retrospective approval for work already carried out without consent) from a local authority Building Control body only.
- Only work carried out after 11 November 1985 can be approved this way.
- You might need to make alterations before the body can agree the work complies and issue a regularisation certificate.
- You may have to correct the work and pay fines if the Building Regulations were not followed.
The process for full plans applications
Assuming you have decided on a full plans application:
- First we make final changes to the planning drawings before starting building regulation drawings (e.g. any window, door or roof light to be revised or removed).
- We then prepare all necessary building regulation drawings, specifications, calculations and forms and submit them to Building Control, and explain how to make payment.
- When approved, we provide hardcopies of your drawings and you can start getting builder quotes.
- You notify Building Control two days before commencing on site; they inspect the site.
- The surveyor observes key stages: foundations, ground and floors, damp proofing, roof structure, drainage, structural beams and openings, fireproofing, thermal insulation and completion.
- They issue a completion certificate at the end of the job.