Homeowners
Most building work, whether it is alterations, change of use, extensions, or a new build, will require Building Regulations approval. Building Regulations make sure construction work is structurally sound, safe, energy efficient and offers a healthy environment, leading to final completion certificate.
Do you have a question about Building Regulations? Call us on 01634 331133
Speak to our Building Control Team Email us at building@stgbc.org.uk or Contact Us
You will need to ensure that your proposed building works comply with the Building Regulations as a statutory requirement, separate from planning. We can approve your plans and provide site inspections and issue you with a final building completion certificate.
The Building Control Process
How does the Building Control Approval process work? From choosing your provider to which form to complete, we explain it here.
You can choose the building control provider for your Building Regulations process that best fits your needs. We are your local authority building control team! We offer a not-for-profit service working as part of the local authority building control (LABC) network. Local authority building control surveyors are an invaluable source of useful local knowledge and give great advice about overcoming unexpected issues on site. Working with your designer, builder, and tradespeople we want your dream achieved on time and within budget.
It is possible that your project may require planning permission, this is separate to building regulations, it is important that you check whether this applies to you before submitting a building regulation application.
What is Building Control and how do the Building Regulations help you?
Known sometimes as building inspectors or building control surveyors, we are impartial building professionals with in-depth local knowledge of site conditions and issues. We have expertise in the Building Regulations. We share the same ethos of impartiality, accountability, and technical consistency embedded in the LABC network.
Our helpful team are on hand to offer you support and guidance with making your application. Speak with our team on 01634 331133.
Types of Building Regulations Applications
You can apply to your local building control authority in one of two ways:
Application for Approval with Full Plans
Our building control team will check and ‘approve’ your project plans before work starts. You’ll need to submit all drawings, specifications, and where necessary, calculations for structure, thermal, water consumption etc. Our team will then carry out a detailed plan evaluation and issue approval notice, meaning contractors know that the plan they have quoted for – and are working to – shows full compliance with building regulations. These are usually submitted by the architect or plan drawing agent who is designing your project. Submitting this type of application reduces the risk of contravening the regulations and helps avoid costly delays.
Building Notice Application
This application is generally used for small internal alterations e.g., removal of a chimney breast or forming a through lounge. You can apply online or phone us for guidance. For simple domestic projects, work can start on site after just 48 hours if you use the Building Notice route. Plans are not formally checked.
You cannot use this application if you are building over or within 3m of a public sewer; building a new dwelling that fronts onto a private road; or for any commercial works.
The work can commence within 48 hours of the council receiving the notice. N.B. you need to be aware that a Building Notice puts more responsibility for knowing and complying with the building regulations on the person carrying out the work and the property owner.
So, if you are unsure, the Full Plans route with an approved plan will give you the assurance that you won’t be taking a risk on site.
Once submitted an experienced Building Control Surveyor will take over to carry out an assessment of the application. That could be an approval or advice on any matters that need to be resolved so that we can approve the application.
What will the cost be?
We set our charges locally within a framework set by Government. We aim for our charges to be fair and set at a level to cover our costs only.
Guidance sheets on our charges can be found at the bottom of the page. Payment can be made either as part of your online submission or for email and postal applications over the telephone or by submitted a cheque made payable to STG Building Control. A guidance sheet on our terms and conditions on service delivery and fees can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
Charges assume work will continue at a reasonable speed through to satisfactory completion. Where no visit has been requested for a period in excess of 12 months we will automatically archive the file as ‘non active’ for the purposes of building controls standards. If reactivated, it may be necessary to re-estimate the charge for remaining inspections to reflect current costs/hourly rate.
A minimum of £81.60 is payable to recover any ‘non active’ application(s).
Your Building Inspections
Our inspection service is part of the package. We will let you know the stages at which we need to be notified (by you or your builder) to carry out site inspections of the work in progress. Our surveyors will undertake an inspection regime for each project, and you can request a site visit by phone or submit online through our portal. When your project is completed, with any outstanding issues resolved, we will then issue a Completion Certificate at no extra cost.
It’s not uncommon for you to want to deviate from the approved plans. Your surveyor will be happy to discuss these changes and any implications at a site meeting.
By using our Local Authority service, you will benefit from proper independent checking of the building work at all critical stages by a suitably qualified surveyor with no affiliations to your builder.
Notifying when works start on site
It is important that you notify us when work has commenced on site and call us out for a commencement inspection. If we have not recorded that work has sufficiently commenced within 3 years of your building regulations application being received approval will automatically lapse and you will need to re-apply. See our Definition of Starting Work below.
Building project is finished
So, your new building project is finished! Following a satisfactory final inspection, with any outstanding issues resolved, we will then issue a Building Regulations Completion Certificate at no extra cost. This document is used by solicitors/personal search agents when you come to sell your property. Your certificate may also be required by mortgage lenders and property insurers.
When you project is complete you as the Dutyholder and all contractors/builders that have worked on your project need to declare that to the best of yours and their knowledge the work complies with all requirements of the building regulations. At the end of the project, you will need to complete the Notice of Completion - see copy in downloads below.
Connectivity Plans
Building Regulations for New Dwellings and Infrastructure for Electronic Communications
On 26th December 2022, the requirements of Part R of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010 - Infrastructure for electronic communications took effect in England. All building notices, full plans applications or initial notice submissions for new dwellings after this date must be accompanied by a Connectivity Plan. Without this document, the application or notice cannot be validated.
The Approved Document R Volume 1 defines the Connectivity plan as:
A model form template for developers to provide information to accompany each application for Building Regulations approval containing sections for information that developers are required to provide, including the particulars to a public electronic communications network, and sections for developers to provide further information to assist with the building control process.
The details of the scope and submission of the Connectivity plan can be found in Approved Document R Volume 1, Section 3 (page 19) and the Model form template in Appendix B may be used. Copy of connectivity form can be seen in downloads below.
LABC have launched a new online tool to provide general advice and information for homeowners looking to make home improvements. See the "News" pages for further details or to skip straight to the website, click on the link to access the homepage of this new, useful and informative resource.
Your home is likely to be one of your biggest assets. Over the course of your occupancy your home will have to adapt to the changing needs of you and your family.
This guide will take you through the Building Control process. Click here to read this helpful guide.
Renovating your home can be exciting and add significant value to a property. The key to any successful renovation is planning, thoughtful design and a competent builder.
This guide will give you an understanding of the main challenges you are likely to face and in particular, how the building regulations might affect your renovation project.
U Value Guide
Hertfordshire Building Control, with assistance from Building Control Communications, have produced a U Value of Elements Guide, see copy below. The guide contains U values for the specification of insulation materials in domestic extensions to achieve compliance with Building Regulations AD Part L, Volume 1.
Download Documents
- Approval Application with Full Plans May 2024
- Building Notice Application Form May 2024
- Building Notice Guidance Sheet
- Connectivity Plan
- Definition of Starting Work
- Notice of Completion
- Notification of Change of Dutyholder - domestic project
- Regularisation Application Form May 2024
- Terms and Conditions May 2024
- U Value Guide to specifying domestic extension insulation materials