Building Control: About Building Regulations

The building regulations are approved by Parliament and deal with the minimum standards of design and building work for the construction of domestic, commercial and industrial buildings.

In addition, they set out the definitions of what is regarded as "building work" and the procedures for ensuring that the work meets the standards laid down.

The requirements of the regulations are laid down in 'approved documents' together with supporting guidance notes for the method of achieving compliance in some of the more common building situations.

However, there may well be alternative ways of complying with the requirements to those shown in the approved documents.

You are therefore under no obligation to adopt any particular solution in an approved document if you prefer to meet the relevant requirement(s) in some other way.

What is building control?

Building control system exists to make sure that buildings are properly designed and constructed so as to ensure the health, safety, welfare and convenience of people using them.

Also in the interest of the environment regulations are made to conserve fuel and power and also to ensure adequate provision for access and facilities for disabled people into certain buildings.

The current building regulations are the Building Regulations 2010. The requirements of the regulations are being continually amended to meet changes in technology, improving the health and welfare of people and furthering the protection of the environment in which we live.

The principal areas covered by the regulations are:

Structural stability - will the building and its foundations safely carry anticipated loading or will the building fall down!
Fire precautions - both controlling the materials used according to the degree of risk and making sure that buildings can be evacuated without loss of life in the event of a fire.
The prevention of dampness and condensation in buildings and protection from harmful gases chemicals etc. entering the building.
Sound resistance of walls and floors between dwellings.
Ventilation of habitable rooms, kitchen, bathrooms and unheated voids.
Storage of waste, hygiene, sanitary appliances and drainage.
Heating appliances including the safe discharge of flue gases.
Stairways, ramps and vehicle barriers.
Conservation of fuel and power. Is the building properly insulated etc.
Access to buildings and facilities for disabled people.
The safety of glazing in windows and doors etc.

How does it work?

Building control generally operates as a two-stage process, referred to as the full plans application.

The first stage (known as the plan stage) involves the applicant submitting detailed plans for approval.

These plans are very carefully checked by a Building Control Officer to ensure that the details shown fully comply with the building regulations.

Wherever possible, applicants are given the opportunity to make amendments (if required) before either an approval, conditional approval or rejection is given.

The second stage (inspection stage) starts when work commences on site after which a series of site visits are made to check that the work proceeds in accordance with the plan, and hence complies with the regulations.

For more simple works an alternative, called the Building Notice application, is also available together with more specialised application types to meet specific needs.

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