Building control gone mad?

[Lorenzl]

We are moving to an old house that needs renovating and the paperwork has changed since I last moved. One thing is "have any changes been made to the building" and if so where is the building control certificates.

We need a new boiler - need building control
Installing some IR panels - need building control
Going to add a doorway through a wall - need building control

In fact:

You will require Building Regulations approval if you intend to carry out any new structural work or alterations to your home.

Additionally, work involving these areas also requires approval, although in some of these cases, competent persons can self-certify their works for compliance:

• Drainage
• Heat-producing appliances
• Cavity wall insulation
• New electrics

I wonder how long the wait will be for the paperwork to be approved and then somebody to come out from building control to check the before and after changes?

 

[Adam W.]

Building control aren't your enemy, they are there to prevent people who think they can from doing things they can't

 

[Lorenzl]

It is the cost I am more worried about. Last time I had an application it was £80 about 20 years ago. My wife used to work at an architect's and it was £180 about seven years ago for every item.

No idea what it is now as I will need to "get a quote".

 

[Adam W.]

Fair enough, you might be able to wrap it all up in one application under general alterations and environmental something or other.

 

[Tris]

Think boilers are covered by the company that install them notifying the local authority and a central register (can't remember the name). Had to contact them for certificates to sell a late relatives property

 

[Lorenzl]

Think boilers are covered by the company that install them

Yes they can self certify works if "a member of a competent persons body". But I assume there will be a cost associated with that in the quote.

 

[julianf]

You can install oil yourself, but not gas. If the works are the swapping of one old oil boiler for a new one, I'm not sure it's notifiable.

BC are there to stop people doing crazy stuff but it is still tedious and frustrating to have to pay someone to come round and tell you that you've done it correctly. [yes, the spec is all in the document on your website, and, yes, I can read...]

 

[Ollie78]

There are always ways to deal with things.
For example I ran all the electrical cables chased walls and installed all the conduit and boxes, then just paid the electrician to connect up the new consumer unit and check and certify the lot at once ( I discussed with him first to make sure I did it correctly), saved quite a bit.
There is also a certain amount of wiggle room if you do "restoration" rather than "new structural work ".

Might be worth just making a list of what you are thinking of doing and seeing how many can be eliminated, or grouped together as one job. Reducing the amount of visits required.

Good luck.

Ollie

 

[okeydokey]

Have you spoken to your local building control would they do a site visit and give you a verbal what you can and cant do and how to apply. Would be worth paying for a site visit if you have to

 

[Jacob]

You don't actually have to have all the permits before you sell a house. The buyer can take on the problems if there are any.

 

[Ollie78]

You don't actually have to have all the permits before you sell a house. The buyer can take on the problems if there are any.

Also there is indemnity policies you can take out as a seller to cover any problems of missing certificates etc.
It's all a bit crazy, people live somewhere for 30 years and are expected to produce evidence of everything they fixed.
I lived in nearly 400 year old house, nobody knows what the hell has been going on since it was built.

Ollie

 

[Richard_C]

The standard legal enquiries before sale are pretty specific and ask about work done since "x" which is when relevant rules changed, so things like electrical work on kitchen or bathroom since... Date. Building control sign off isn't necessary if the installer is part of a self certifying scheme, fensa for Windows etc., and certifies the work. In 26 years in this house with many changes we have had building control just once, to sign off a new door opening into a conservatory. Better that than a neighbours experience, he needed some new windows, installer took one frame out and realised the previous builder had just built round the frames, no lintels. Had building control been compulsory when it was built it would never have been signed off.

It seem expensive and bureaucratic in the context of a job costing a few hundred £££, but in the context of a house worth a lot, UK average is close to £300k now, it is relatively trivial. On balance. I think its a good thing rather than madness.

 

[Lorenzl]

The buyer can take on the problems if there are any.

If the buyer doesn't want to, you don't sell the house unless:

indemnity policies

Which I have found for some reason only come up a week before exchanging - sharp practice by the solicitor?

you might be able to wrap it all up in one application under general alterations and environmental something or other

Building control's reply to a similar question:

more than one element can be included on one application as we offer a 40% discount on the cheapest element

 

[Jameshow]

We are moving to an old house that needs renovating and the paperwork has changed since I last moved. One thing is "have any changes been made to the building" and if so where is the building control certificates.

We need a new boiler - need building control
Installing some IR panels - need building control
Going to add a doorway through a wall - need building control

In fact:


I wonder how long the wait will be for the paperwork to be approved and then somebody to come out from building control to check the before and after changes?

As said most can be done by a installer.

The knocking through of a wall can be advised by a structural engineer and the building control will be happy with that.

It just stops cowboys doing stuff they aren't qualified to do.

 

[Ozi]

Please excuse this drunken ramble vaguely on the topic.

I'm a landlord - how I hate that term

Building control necessary as it is sucks at times. I'm not allowed to replace the wooden single glazed windows in one of my flats with double glazing because it's grade 2 listed. It doesn't matter how good a quality window, or how ascetically pleasing it may be, so my tenants are stuck with ever increasing heating bills, I may not be allowed to rent out the flat if legislation dictates a minimum thermal efficiency ( as it should ). I have the money, want to spend it on this improvement - not a tax deductible expense but I'm not allowed to, as presumably it would damage the built environment. Rant over - please feel free to go back to your thread

 

[Seascaper]

We are moving to an old house that needs renovating and the paperwork has changed since I last moved. One thing is "have any changes been made to the building" and if so where is the building control certificates.

We need a new boiler - need building control
Installing some IR panels - need building control
Going to add a doorway through a wall - need building control

In fact:


I wonder how long the wait will be for the paperwork to be approved and then somebody to come out from building control to check the before and after changes?

Building control is there to stop disasters happening. If you are getting someone in to do the job they will ensure that you are using someone who is up to the job. Unfortunately building work is one of those professions where anyone can say “I’m a builder, I can do that” and then it all goes wrong. We had a case locally a few years ago where a pub had employed people who supposedly knew what they were doing to dig a cellar, it collapsed and killed on of the workmen. It was later, after the tragedy that the “builders” had never done this sort of work before. There is nothing stopping oneself doing any of the work mentioned as long as you are “competent” and yes you can install a boiler yourself, install gas pipes yourself, you don’t have to be Corgi or GasSafe registered, but you do need to be competent, know what you are doing. When you come to have your boiler or appliances commissioned the installation will then be checked. The building trade suffers from people who make shorts cuts, and inexperienced workers.

 

[Chief Sawdust Maker]

Paper work and certificates for recent boiler change at home was all taken care of by the registered installer
There are 2 ways to comply with building regulations
Local authority building control, (local council and only one per area) usually have set fees and are often slightly more rigid with regards to compliance.
Approved Building Inspector (commercial company many small and large companies across the country) usually more competitive and open to negotiation of fees from experience they tend to be a bit more pragmatic and work with clients to overcome issues and achieve compliance
Many contractors and architects will have existing working relationships with one or several approved inspectors or the local authority

 

[Doug B]

It just stops cowboys doing stuff they aren't qualified to do.

that’s certainly not been my experience, often the opposite, folks who aren’t willing to pay for building control are often the sort who want to pay the cheapest price & are happy to take on anyone who says they can do the job regardless, as long as it’s cheap.

 

[Jacob]

Please excuse this drunken ramble vaguely on the topic.

I'm a landlord - how I hate that term

Building control necessary as it is sucks at times. I'm not allowed to replace the wooden single glazed windows in one of my flats with double glazing because it's grade 2 listed. It doesn't matter how good a quality window, or how ascetically pleasing it may be, so my tenants are stuck with ever increasing heating bills, I may not be allowed to rent out the flat if legislation dictates a minimum thermal efficiency ( as it should ). I have the money, want to spend it on this improvement - not a tax deductible expense but I'm not allowed to, as presumably it would damage the built environment. Rant over - please feel free to go back to your thread

DG not that cost effective in terms of energy saving. Better to spend money on insulation above all, and then draught proofing and similar measures. Single glazing can be improved by simple measures such as having close fitting blinds or heavy curtains etc. They get closed at night when heat loss would be greatest
Windows lose 18% of your heat input according to this https://assets.publishing.service.g...37/DECC_factsheet_11.11.16_GLAZING_LOCKED.pdf
DG could save half, 9% of your heating which is typically about 60% of your total energy bill = 6% saving net. Thick curtains much more cost effective!

 

[Kittyhawk]

Don't know about the UK but in NZ the building regs are full of anomalies.
Under our council rules I'm allowed to build a deck any size I want without a permit so long as its not more than a metre off the ground.
I am allowed to enclose an existing deck of not more than 8 sq.m without a permit, but not a new deck.
Question to building inspector : If I build a low, 8 sq.m deck and leave it for a few months it is then an existing deck, so I can then enclose it, right?
Building inspector : Umm...