What are the Building Regulations?
Building Regulations are minimum standards that are set to be followed when designing and constructing a building. It helps to ensure that the safety and health of those living in or occupying the buildings are protected. These regulations also ensure that fuel and power are conserved and facilities are provided to all persons accessing and navigating inside and outside the building.
If your building work involves the installation of certain types of services or fittings such as replacement windows, electrical installations and showers, fuel-burning appliances and drainage, you just need to hire an installer who is registered to self-certify the work. Therefore, you don't need to apply for Building Regulations approval because you don't need them.
Here are some of the projects that require Building Regulations approval:
- Underpinning the foundations of a building
- Changing the building's fundamental use
- Renovation of a thermal element
- Changing the building's energy status
- Installing replacement windows using a window company or a builder who is not FENSA registered
- Insertion of insulation into a cavity wall
- Installation or extension of a service/fitting that's controlled under the regulations
- Erection or extension of a building
- Any alteration work that will permanently or temporarily affect the compliance of the building.
Do I need Building Regulations for an extension?
Although most building extensions require Building Regulations approval, there are new classes of new buildings and extensions of existing buildings that do not require Building Regulations approval.
There are some elements that indicate when Building Regulations approval is required when building an extension. Some of the elements that satisfy the requirement of an approval includes:
- External walls
- Roofs
- Internal walls
- Doors and windows
- Drainage
- Electrics
- Kitchen and bathrooms
Finally, to determine whether you need an approval, you will have to find out whether the work you are intending to carry out falls within The Party Walls Act of 1996.
You should never carry out any building work that requires a Building Regulations approval without one because you will not only be endangering the workers but also the people who will live in and around the building. Furthermore, you risk getting sued when relevant authorities will know that you varied out building work without the approvals.
Explore more:
Planning Permission & Building Regulations
Do I need Planning Permission?
What To Do when a Planning Application is Refused
What is the Party Wall Agreement?
Objecting to a Planning Application
Do you need to find out more about planning permission and building regulations? Follow this link for RICS Surveyors in Maidstone and Kent.