Do the building regulations apply?

Not all work requires Building Regulation approval, however please be aware Planning Permission may still be required.

The responsibility is upon you as the applicant to ensure you have complied with building regulations. 

When do I need building regulations approval?

The following is a list of the most common proposals that require approval, however if you are unsure please contact us, we are pleased to help.

• The majority of house extensions 
• New houses and apartments
• Conversions of buildings to houses or apartments
• Garage or outbuilding conversions to form a room
• Loft conversions
• Installation of roof lights or dormer windows
• Internal structural alterations, such as removal of a load bearing wall or chimney breast.
• Some electrical work to domestic properties
• Internal plastering and re-rendering works where more than 25 per cent of the wall area is affected
• A new opening or widening of an opening in a load bearing wall.
• Installing new baths, showers, sinks or toilets which involve new drainage or waste plumbing
• Altering the position of a staircase
• Window and door replacement (Unless installed by FENSA, CERTASS or BSI approved installer)
• Construction of new chimneys, flues or the replacement of flue linings
• Underpinning of existing foundations
• Re-roofing
• Installation of a septic tank
• Cavity wall insulation
• Installation of new heating (other than electric and subject to certain exceptions)
• The majority of work relating to non-domestic buildings, or conversions to non domestic buildings

You may not need to submit a Building Regulation Application for certain building work that can be self-certified as complying with the regulations by people registered with Competent Person Schemes.

Buildings and work exempt from Building Regulations are:

• Porches used as entrance area less than 30 m² floor area separated from the remainder of the house by a standard external door.
• Conservatories at ground floor level less than 30m² floor area with transparent roof and over 50% of the walls glazed, separated from the remainder of the house by external doors. (Approval may be required for installation of new doors into the conservatory from the house)
• Detached garages and single storey buildings less than 30m² floor area at least 1 metre away from the boundary or constructed from non-combustible material. 
• Detached buildings that do not exceed 15 m² floor area which contain no sleeping accommodation. (eg. a typical garden shed)
• Car ports open on two sides less than 30m² floor area.
• Garden walls and fences
• Replacement windows in a house installed by a FENSA, BSI or CERTASS registered installer.

Other detached buildings and work, being

• Controlled under other legislation, such as Explosive or Nuclear or Archaeological Acts.
• Places that people go infrequently to maintain equipment, providing that they are isolated.
• Agricultural buildings, providing they are not close to sleeping accommodation and have sufficient fire exits.
• Temporary for less that 28 days.
• Site cabins for construction sites providing they do not provide sleeping accommodation.
• Used for mines or quarries, providing they are not offices, dwellings or showrooms.
• Certain minor electrical work. - please see the page electrical safety for further information.

Even though the construction of these buildings does not require approval, certain work undertaken to them may require approval such as electrical or drainage work.

  
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