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Q
Obviously
I need Building Regulations to build a new house, but what if I only want
to build an extension or a simple Conservatory?
A
– Almost definitely,
the Building Regulations apply in full to all new-build projects, such as
a new house, bungalow or other dwelling type. Extensions are also subject
to the regulations, however, there are often two exceptions:-
Porches - that are built at
ground level; and are under 30 m² in floor area.
Conservatories - that are
built at ground level; and are under 30 m² in floor area.
It must be remembered, however, that
these types of extension will undoubtedly involve some or substantial
glazing, which will need to comply with Part N - Glazing; and possibly
electrical wiring, which will need to comply with Part P - Electrical
Safety.
Conservatories should not be
constructed where they will restrict ladder access to windows serving a
room in the roof or a loft conversion, particularly if any of the windows
are intended as a way of facilitating escape or rescue if there is a fire.
Back
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Q
Do
the Building Regulations apply to a Garage extension onto my existing
home?
A
– Yes, attached
garages are subject to Building Regulations, in the same way as other
types of extension.
If, however, you are proposing a
carport extension, which will be open on at least two sides and
under 30 m² in floor area, this will be exempt in the same way as porches
and conservatories.
You should also ensure that a
carport does not interfere with the proper working of a low-level flue
outlet from an oil or gas appliance (guidance on the location of flues can
be found in Part J - Combustion of fuel and fuel storage systems). Back
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Q
Do
the Building Regulations apply to a Detached Garage under 30m²
in floor area?
A
– No, this will be
exempt from the regulations, providing any fixed electrical installation
complies with the electrical safety requirements of the Building
Regulations (Part P - Electrical Safety) and is:-
- under 30m² in floor area;
- single storey and does not
contain any sleeping accommodation;
- built substantially of
non-combustible material;
- no less than 1m from the boundary
of the property. Back
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Q
What
if I want to put up a greenhouse or a garden shed or summerhouse in my
garden, will the Building Regulations apply?
A
– No, these types
of buildings are exempt from the regulations, providing any fixed
electrical installation complies with the electrical safety requirements
of the Building Regulations (Part P - Electrical Safety).
Q
What
if I want to carry out a loft conversion to my home, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– Definitely, the
appropriate requirements of the Building Regulations will be applied
so as to ensure, for example:-
- the structural strength of the
proposed floor is sufficient;
- the stability of the structure
(including the roof) is not endangered;
- safe escape from fire;
- safely designed stairs to the new
floor; and
- reasonable sound insulation
between the conversion and the rooms below.
You must also consider whether the
loft conversion will be subject to The Party Wall Act 1996, under which
you must give adjoining property owners formal notice and details of the
work you propose. Back
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Q
I’m
considering converting my attached Garage into an extra room (habitable
use), will the Building Regulations apply?
A –
Yes, the appropriate requirements of the Building Regulations will
be applied so as to ensure that, for example, the existing accommodation
is brought up to the standard required for habitable use, including:-
- the reasonable provision of
thermal and sound insulation;
- the structural stability of new
and old window and door openings;
- if the imposed loading is to be
increased then the adequacy of the existing foundations will also need
to be investigated (this often means excavating inspection pits in
various locations) Back
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Q
I
want to carry out internal alterations to my home, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– It’s very likely.
The Building Regulations specify that ‘material alterations’, will
require compliance with the regulations. Therefore, the regulations will
apply if the alterations involve any of the following:-
- alterations to the structure of
the building; or
- will affect escape or other fire
precautions either inside or outside the building; or
- will affect access to and use of
buildings.
On the other hand if the alterations
do not involve any of the above, then the regulations will not apply.
Q
I
want to replace one or more windows in my home, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– Yes, if you are replacing the whole of the fixed frame and
opening parts.
– No, if you employ a FENSA
(FENestration Self-Assessment scheme) registered installer. Please note
that it is important that you obtain a FENSA certificate for your window
installations. This document will be required if you come to sell your
property.
Or if the work amounts to no more
than, for example, replacing broken glass, fogged double-glazing units,
rotten sashes or sections of the main frame members. Back
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Q
If I
just want to carry out repairs to my home, will the Building Regulations
apply?
A
– Yes, if the
repair work is significant; for example, removing a substantial part of a
wall and rebuilding it; underpinning a building; or installing a new flue
or flue liner.
– No, if the
repairs are of a minor nature; for example, replacing roofing tiles with
the same type and weight of tile; replacing the felt to a flat roof;
re-pointing brickwork; or replacing floorboards. Back
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Q
I
want to convert my house into flats, will the Building Regulations
apply?
A
– Yes, the
regulations define this as a ‘material change of use’ and specify the
requirements with which, as a result of that change of use, the whole or
part of the building must comply The specific requirements may include:-
- those concerned with escape and
other fire precautions;
- hygiene;
- sound insulation;
- energy conservation; and
- contaminants including radon.
The whole or part of the building
may therefore need to be up-graded to make it comply with the specified
requirements. Back
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Q
I
want to convert my home into an office, will the Building Regulations
apply?
A
– No, the
regulations do not define this particular change of use as 'material'.
However, if your proposed project involves work which will affect the
structure of the building, the means of
escape and other fire precautions, or affect the access to and use of
buildings, the regulations will regard your work as a 'material
alteration' which must then comply with the regulations. Back
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Q
I
want to convert my home into a shop, will the Building Regulations
apply?
A
– Yes, the
regulations define this as a ‘material change of use’ and specify the
requirements with which, as a result of that change of use, the building,
or the relevant part of the building, must comply. The specific
requirements may include:-
- those concerned with escape and
other fire precautions;
- hygiene;
- energy conservation; and
- access to and use of buildings.
The building may therefore need to
be upgraded to make it comply with the specified requirements.
Q
I
want to convert part or all of my shop (office or any other type
of non-domestic building) into a dwelling, will the Building Regulations
apply?
A
– Yes, the
regulations define this as a ‘material change of use’ and specify the
requirements with which, as a result of that change of use, the whole or
part of the building must comply. The specific requirements may include:-
- those concerned with escape and
other fire precautions;
- hygiene;
- sound insulation; and
- energy conservation.
The whole, or at least part, of the
building may therefore need to be upgraded to make it comply with the
specified requirements. Back
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Q
I
want to install, alter or replace my shop front, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– Almost definitely,
because of the likely affect on the structure, escape and other fire
precautions, and access to and use of buildings, this type of project is
likely to be regarded as a ‘material alteration’ The appropriate
requirements will be applied so as to ensure, for example, that these
aspects are addressed together with others such as the safety of the
glazing.
It should be noted, however, that
shop display windows do not have to comply with the energy efficiency
requirements.
Q
I
want to build or alter a garden wall (or boundary wall), will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– No, but you
should, of course, make sure that the work is done safely.
You must also consider whether your
project will be subject to The Party Wall Act 1996, under which you must
give adjoining property owners formal notice and details of the work you
propose. Please note that planning permission may be required in some
cases. If the wall does not obstruct the vision of a highway permission is
not usually required providing the height of the wall is below 1800 mm. Back
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Q
I
want to insert insulation into a cavity wall, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A –Yes,
the regulations specifically define this as ‘Building Work’. The
appropriate requirements will be applied so as to ensure the insulation
material is suitable for the wall construction, and that in the case of
some foam insulants the risk of formaldehyde gas emission is assessed.
Again it is important to keep your installation certificate.
Q
I
want to underpin all or part of the foundations to my building, will the
Building Regulations apply?
A
– Definitely, the
regulations specifically define this as 'Building Work'. The appropriate
requirements will be applied so as to ensure that the underpinning will
stabilise the movement of the building. Particular regard will need to be
given to the effect on any sewers and drains near the work . Back
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Q
I
want to install or replace electric wiring, will the Building Regulations
apply?
A
– Yes, the Building
Regulations apply to all electrical work in dwellings.
Electrical work involving fixed
wiring and fixed appliances should be acceptably safe whoever undertakes
it. This can be achieved by following the recommendations for design,
installation, inspection, testing and certification in BS 7671: 2001 ‘Requirements
for Electrical Installations – IEE
Wiring Regulations’.
You only need involve Building
Control for certain riskier 'notifiable' jobs, but if you employ a
registered installer with the relevant competencies to carry out the work,
such involvement will not be necessary. Notifiable works include:-
- new circuits back to the consumer
unit;
- additions or alterations to
existing circuits in kitchens, bathrooms and outdoors.
Works that are not notifiable
include:-
- repairs, replacements and
maintenance; and
- additions or alterations to
existing circuits outside of kitchens and bathrooms.
If you are not sure whether work is
notifiable, you should check with your Building Control Service. If you
use a registered installer for notifiable work, the registration scheme
operator will send you a Building Regulations compliance certificate when
the work is complete.
If you use a qualified but
unregistered installer for notifiable work, or do the work yourself, the
Building Control Service will inspect the work to check that it complies
with the Building Regulations before issuing a completion certificate, if
one was requested.
A qualified installer, regardless of
whether he/she is registered or not, should give you a signed BS 7671
electrical safety certificate for all types of electrical work. The
registration scheme operators can advise you whether an installer is
registered for the work you wish them to do, or you may be able to check
that information on their website.
In addition, you should note that
your contract with the electricity distribution company has conditions
about safety which must not be broken. In particular, you should not
interfere with the distribution company’s equipment which includes the
cables to your consumer unit or the cables up to and including the
separate main isolator switch if provided. Back
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Q
I
want to install new fittings such as a WC, shower, washbasin, or kitchen
sink within my home, will the Building Regulations apply?
A
– Yes, if the
installation of the fitting or fittings will involve alterations to, or
new connections to, a drainage stack or an underground drain. You should
also check with your Building Control Service to find out how much
information is required about the fittings you intend to use.
– No, provided
the work only involves installing an additional fitting or fittings in the
same or a new location which does not involve extensions to the drainage
pipework. Back
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Q
I
want to replace my bath with, a whirlpool or spa bath will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– No.
Q
I
want to install or replace a hot water cylinder, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– Yes, if you are
installing or replacing a hot water cylinder within an unvented hot water
storage system (i.e. a system supplied directly from the water mains with
no open-ended pipe for venting and with a storage capacity greater than 15
litres). The requirements are for hot water to be safely stored under
pressure and for the installation to be energy efficient. The cylinder
should only be installed by a person competent to do so.
– Yes, if you are
installing or replacing a hot water cylinder within a vented hot water
storage system (i.e. a system fed from an open-ended pipe for venting).
The requirements are for the installation to be energy efficient.
For either type of system your
installer should leave you with a completed installation record and
commissioning certificate. Some manufacturers attach certificates to
cylinders ready for installers to complete. Back
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Q
I
want to lay new drains and/or install a septic tank within the boundary of
my property, will the Building Regulations apply?
A
– Yes, they will
apply to new rainwater or foul drains inside as well as outside the
building. The Building Regulations also apply to all non-mains foul
sewerage arrangements (i.e. those using septic tanks), including their
outlets and drainage fields.
Except in an emergency, your local
authority should be given at least 24 hours notice of any intention to
repair any underground drain (section 61 of the Building Act 1984).
Q
I
want to install, replace or alter the position of any type of fuel burning
appliance (including a gas boiler with a flue), will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– Gas appliances: Yes,
but if you employ a CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers)
registered installer with the relevant competencies to carry out the work,
you will not need to involve Building Control.
– Solid fuel appliances: Yes,
but if the building is no more than three storeys and you employ an
installer registered with HETAS (Heating Equipment Testing and Approval
Scheme) to carry out the work, you will not need to involve Building
Control
– Oil appliances: Yes, but
if the building is no more than three storeys and you employ an installer
registered with OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association for the Petroleum
Industry) to carry out the work, you will not need to involve Building
Control. Back
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Q
I
want to install a fixed, flueless, gas appliance, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A –
Yes, but if you employ a CORGI (Council for Registered Gas
Installers) registered installer with the relevant competencies to carry
out the work, you will not need to involve Building Control.
Adequate means of ventilation must
be available for dispersing to the outside air, the water vapour and other
products of combustion produced by the appliance which can affect health.
To achieve this the installer should follow the appliance manufacturer’s
instructions or take other steps such as following the guidance in ‘Installation
and Maintenance of Flues and Ventilation for Gas Appliances (etc)’ Back
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Q
I
want to alter the construction of my fireplaces, will the Building
Regulations apply?
A
– Yes, if the work
involves the provision of a new or replacement flue or flue liner, or the
provision of a new or replacement hearth, fireplace or chimney.
– No, if the
work amounts to no more than alterations to fireplaces, hearths, flues and
chimneys it may not be subject to the Building Regulations. However, this
type of work should always take account of the guidance in Part J -
Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems.
It is vital that flues should
operate efficiently, and that risks of the building catching fire or of
people suffering burns should be minimised. Back
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Q
I want to install or replace an oil or liquid petroleum
gas (LPG) tank (and/or connecting pipework) outside my home, will the
Building Regulations apply?
A
– Yes, if the
installation is above ground the requirements will be applied to achieve
adequate shielding of the tank from any surrounding fire and, in the case
of an oil tank, containment of oil leakages so that ground water is not
contaminated. Where new oil connecting pipework is proposed, a fire valve
will be needed at the point where the pipe enters the building. If you are
installing an oil tank and/or connecting pipework and you employ an
installer registered with OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association for the
Petroleum Industry), you will not need to involve Building Control. Back
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