Building Regulations apply to most building work. Make sure that you check whether approval is needed for your project, or you could find that all your hard work was in vain!
To check whether the Building Regulations will apply to your building work you should contact your local authority.
The way you get approval depends on whether you apply through your local authority or through an approved inspector.
Applying through a local authority
Every local authority in England and Wales has a Building Control department. They make sure that building work complies with the Building Regulations.
The application process will differ depending on what type of application you make. You can make three types of applications:
- Full plans
- Building notice
- Regularisation
Full plans
You submit drawings and details of your plans and supporting information to your local authority well in advance of any planned work.
Your local authority will check whether the plans comply with the Building Regulations. If so, they will send you a notice stating that they've been approved. If not, they will ask you to make amends, provide more details or may issue you with a conditional approval.
Once you've received an approval notice, building work can commence. The local authority will carry out inspections on the work as it progresses and will keep you informed on any regulations that you need to adhere to.
Once the work is complete – and if they feel it has adhered to the Building Regulations – they can also issue you with a completion certificate (if you requested one in your initial application).
Building notice
This process doesn't involve the local authority passing or rejecting plans. In fact, you don't need to submit plans, so the process is quicker than the full plan application. This is suitable if you have a small project that you would like to start on quickly.
The local authority will carry out inspections on the work as it progresses and will keep you informed on any regulations that you need to adhere to.
Be careful when submitting this type of application that any work will adhere to the Building Regulations. If it doesn't, the local authority has the right to force you to remedy any breaches.
Regularisation
This retrospective process is used if you have carried out work without having made an application first. You may be required to remove/rectify the work done to comply with Building Regulations.
You should always contact your local authority before you make this type of application.
Applying through an approved inspector
Approved inspectors can be companies or individuals. They provide you with an alternative to submitting an application through the local council and can be a useful guide to help guide you through the maze that is the Building Regulations.
Under the law, you and your inspector have to make a joint application to your local authority, letting them know the details of the building work you want to carry out. This is called an initial notice.
If the local authority accepts the initial notice, your approved inspector will be responsible for checking all your plans and inspecting your building work.
Once the work has been completed to their satisfaction, they will issue you with a final certificate.
A list of approved inspectors can be found on the Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors website.
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