Keeping it Legitimate!

Thousands of homeowners have work carried out in their home every week without having the proper approvals in place for the work! When work is carried out in any domestic dwelling which could potentially effect its' structural integrity or safety - it is highly likely that this falls under the jurisdiction of your local council Building Control Department.
The job of your local Council Building Control Department is to ensure that building work carried out on new houses, commercial buildings and domestic building work complies to the industry standards, ensuring that the building is safe and fit for use. A surprising array of different work actually requires Building Regulations approval, even replacement windows require approval - If you are unsure contact your local Council Building Control Department and they will be happy to advise you.
If your work requires Building Regulations Approval then you are required to make an application which can be done in one of two ways.

1. A Building Notice - A short form which contains your details and details of your property plus a brief description of the work to be carried out. The Building Control Department should then be notified a minimum of 48 hours prior to work commencing at is advisable to speak to you Building Control Officer prior to carrying out any work to agree construction methods and specification.
2. Full Building Regulations Approval - A detailed application which contains all the details, specification and drawings of the work which will be carried out. Using this method it is advisable to have approval granted prior to work commencing.

Which ever method you choose you must pay a fee to the Building Control Department which is on a sliding scale according to the overall value of the work which you are to have carried out. It also worth noting that if you are planning to have structural work carried out then it is advisable to have a structural engineer carry out an inspection and provide structural calculation which must then be passed to building control for approval by their engineer.
Once you work has been completed and your Building Control Officer is satisfied a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate will be issued. This certificate is vital if you ever plan to sell your home as it will be sought by any purchaser's solicitor. Failure to provide the certificate could potentially lose the sale or cause extreme delays in the process.
If you are one of thousands of people who have had work carried out without the necessary Building Regulations Approval - do not despair because there is a solution. You can retrospectively apply for Building Regulations Approval although it may be necessary to carry out some investigative work to satisfy the Building Control Officer that work does comply with Building Regulations.
For more advice contact us via our website http://www.heptagonconstruction.com/