Building Control

[singtome]

I would really appreciate if anyone could give me some insights into how building control works.

I am doing two separate projects at the same time; a loft conversion and a significant alteration to a ground floor rear extension.

The loft conversion is standard bedroom/ensuite, and a specialist loft conversion company is doing the build and handling the building regs process.

The rear extension alteration I am handling separately. When the rear extension was first built, it was long ago and exempt from building regs. I am making two significant changes; knocking down a load bearing wall and installing a new roof and sliding doors.

The company installing my roof have said they will deal with building regs for their element directly.

I have a separate builder who will be removing the load bearing wall, installing steels, and doing the decorating.

What I am confused about is the building control application, inspection and certification.

1. Do I need to make separate applications for the loft conversion and rear extension, or can they be done in one application?

2. If separate, am assuming I will be issued with one certificate for the loft extension and one for the rear?

3. Re the rear extension, if different contractors are doing different bits, will the overall certificate be for everything combined, or will their be separate certificates for each element?

Thanks

I don't know what you should do here, but whenever I've had a query I've found the building control guys to be really helpfull. I'd call them.

You can do it on one notice if you want. Are you putting in a full plans app or just a building notice? Building control will look at all the bits individually so the relevant trades just need to call them to inspect at the relevant times. Building control will then provide one certificate once all the work is completed (if you do it on 1 notice). Just be mindful that you won’t get the certificate until everything is done.
I agree with pp building control are very helpful just give them a call and see what they suggest.

We are doing the same to our ground floor extension and putting in an application for a lawful development certificate. You'll need to be sure the current construction complies with building regs though. Our loft doesn't, so we have to take it down and re-build (we wanted to extend it but couldn't because the current construction was built pre-regs and wouldn't pass now).

@Havaword

You can do it on one notice if you want. Are you putting in a full plans app or just a building notice? Building control will look at all the bits individually so the relevant trades just need to call them to inspect at the relevant times. Building control will then provide one certificate once all the work is completed (if you do it on 1 notice). Just be mindful that you won’t get the certificate until everything is done. I agree with pp building control are very helpful just give them a call and see what they suggest.

Full plans for the loft, building notice for the rear extension alteration.

Good to know re one certificate if one notice. May be better to do a separate notice for the loft and one for the rear.

Will give building control a call too.

Thanks

@mobear

We are doing the same to our ground floor extension and putting in an application for a lawful development certificate. You'll need to be sure the current construction complies with building regs though. Our loft doesn't, so we have to take it down and re-build (we wanted to extend it but couldn't because the current construction was built pre-regs and wouldn't pass now).

Interesting. Are you putting in a lawful development application and hoping to get that instead of a building regs compliance certificate?

@singtome I’m afraid I’m not sure of the answer to that, our architects advised us on which application to make!