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Contents

Preface

About the authors

1    The Building Act 1984

1.1      What is the Building Act 1984?

1.2      What does the Building Act 1984 contain?

1.3      What are the Supplementary Regulations?

1.4      What are Approved Documents? (Building Act 1984 Section 6)

1.5      How are buildings classified? (Building Act 1984 Section 34)

1.6      Who polices the Building Act?

1.7      How is my building work evaluated for conformance with the Building Regulations? (Building Act 1984 Section 33)

1.8      What are the duties of the Local Authority? (Building Act 1984 Section 91)

1.9      What are the powers of the Local Authority? (Building Act 1984 Sections 97–101)

1.10    Who are Approved Inspectors? (Building Act 1984 Section 49)

1.11    Can I appeal against a Local Authority’s ruling? (Building Act 1984 Sections 36, 39, 40, 41, 42, 55, 81, 83, 86, 102 and 103)

1.12    Are there any exemptions from Building Regulations? (Building Act 1984 Sections 3, 4 and 5)

1.13    Can I apply for a relaxation in certain circumstances? (Building Act 1984 Sections 8–11 and 39)

1.14    What is Type Approval? (Building Act 1984 Sections 12 and 13)

1.15    What causes some plans for building work to be rejected? (Building Act 1984 Sections 16 and 17)

1.16    Must I complete the approved work in a certain time? (Building Act 1984 Section 32)

1.17    What happens if I contravene any of these requirements? (Building Act 1984 Sections 2, 7, 35, 36 and 112)

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1.18    What about civil liability? (Building Act 1984 Section 38)

1.19    What is the Building Regulations Advisory Committee? (Building Act 1984 Section 14)

1.20    Does the Fire Authority have any say in Building Regulations? (Building Act 1984 Section 15)

1.21    Can I change a plan of work once it has been approved? (Building Act 1984 Section 31)

1.22    What about dangerous buildings? (Building Act 1984 Sections 77 and 78)

1.23    What about defective buildings? (Building Act 1984 Sections 76, 79 and 80)

1.24    What are the rights of the owner or occupier of the premises? (Building Act 1984 Sections 102–107)

Appendix 1A: Contents of the Building Act 1984

Appendix 1B: Contents of the Schedules forming Part 5 of the Building Act 1984

2      The Building Regulations 2010

2.1      What is the purpose of the Building Regulations?

2.2      Why do we need the Building Regulations?

2.3      What building work is covered by the Building Regulations?

2.4      What are the requirements associated with the Building Regulations?

2.5      What are the Approved Documents?

2.6      Health and safety responsibilities

2.7      Are there any exemptions?

2.8      Energy- and water-efficiency requirements

2.9      Do I need Building Regulations approval?

2.10    How do I obtain Building Regulations approval?

2.11    What are Building Control Bodies (BCBs)?

2.12    How do I apply for Building Control approval?

2.13    Full Plans application

2.14    Building Notice procedure

2.15    How long is a Building Notice valid?

2.16    What can I do if my plans are rejected?

2.17    What happens if I wish to seek a determination but the work in question has started?

2.18    When can I start work?

2.19    Planning Officers

2.20    Building Inspectors

2.21    Notice of commencement and completion of certain stages of work

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2.22    What are the requirements relating to building work?

2.23    Do I need to employ a professional builder?

2.24    Unauthorized building work

2.25    Why do I need a Completion Certificate?

2.26    How do I get a Completion Certificate when the work is finished?

2.27    Where can I find out more?

3    The Requirements of the Building Regulations

3.1      Introduction

4    Planning permission

4.1      What are planning controls?

4.2      Who needs planning permission?

4.3      Who controls planning permission?

4.4      What is planning permission?

4.5      What types of planning permission are available?

4.6      Applying for planning permission

4.7      What does the Local Planning Authority do with my application?

4.8      How long will the process take?

4.9      What factors affect planning permission?

4.10    What involvement can the community have in planning matters?

4.11    What can I do if my planning application is refused?

4.12    What are the most common stumbling blocks?

4.13    What matters cannot be taken into account?

4.14    Before you start work

4.15    What happens if I don’t get planning permission?

4.16    Greener homes

4.17    The Planning Inspectorate

4.18    Planning Portal specialist pages

4.19    How much does an application cost?

4.20    Code for Sustainable homes

4.21    Home Information Packs (HIPs)

5    Requirements for planning permission and Building Regulations approval

5.1      Advertising

5.2      Aerials, satellite dishes and flagpoles

5.3      Basements

5.4      Biomass-fuelled appliances

5.5      Ceilings and floors

5.6      Central heating

5.7      Ceilings and floors of use

5.8      Change of use

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5.9      Conservatories

5.10    Conversions - converting an old building

5.11    Decoration and repairs inside and outside a building

5.12    Demolition

5.13    Doors and windows

5.14    Drains and sewers

5.15    Electrical work in the home or garden

5.16    Extensions

5.17    External walls

5.18    Fascias

5.19    Fences, gates and garden walls

5.20    Flats and maisonettes

5.21    Flues, chimneys or soil and vent pipes

5.22    Fuel tanks

5.23    Garages and car ports

5.24    Hardstanding for a car, caravan or boat

5.25    Heat pumps

5.26    Hedges

5.27    Home energy generation

5.28    Hydroelectricity

5.29    Insulation

5.30    Installing a swimming pool

5.31    Internal walls

5.32    Kitchens and bathrooms

5.33    Laying a patio, decking or driveway

5.34    Lighting

5.35    Loft conversions

5.36    Micro combined heat and power

5.37    New homes and self-build homes

5.38    Neighbourhood planning

5.39    Outbuildings

5.40    Paving your front garden

5.41    Plumbing

5.42    Porches

5.43    Roofs

5.44    Shops

5.45    Solar panels

5.46    Structural alterations (inside)

5.47    Trees

5.48    Underpinning

5.49    Warehouses and industrial buildings

5.50    Wind turbines

5.51    Working from home

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6    Meeting the requirements of the Building Regulations – Dwellings

6.0      Introduction

6.1      Foundations

6.2      Ventilation

6.3      Drainage

6.4      Cellars and basements

6.5      Floors

6.6      Walls

6.7      Ceilings

6.8      Roofs

6.9      Chimneys and fireplaces

6.10    Stairs

6.11    Windows

6.12    Doors

6.13    Access routes to, from and within buildings

6.14    Corridors and passageways

6.15    Sanitary accommodation, bathrooms and showers

6.16    Electrical safety – dwellings

6.17    Combustion appliances

6.18    Hot water storage

6.19    Liquid fuel

6.20    Kitchens and utility rooms

6.21    Loft conversions

6.22    Extensions and additions to buildings

6.23    Conservatories

7    Meeting the requirements of the Building Regulations – Buildings other than dwellings

7.0      Introduction

7.1      Foundations

7.2      Ventilation

7.3      Drainage

7.4      Cellars and basements

7.5      Floors

7.6      Walls

7.7      Ceilings

7.8      Roofs

7.9      Chimneys and fireplaces

7.10    Stairs

7.11    Windows

7.12    Doors

7.13    Access routes to, from and within buildings

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7.14    Corridors and passageways

7.15    Sanitary accommodation, bathrooms and showers

7.16    Electrical safety – buildings other than dwellings

7.17    Combustion appliances

7.18    Hot water storage

7.19    Liquid fuel

7.20    Kitchens and utility rooms

7.21    Loft conversions

7.22    Extensions and additions to buildings

7.23    Conservatories

Acronyms

Bibliography

Index