As a homeowner constructing or changing a building, it’s your responsibility to get building regulations approval before work begins. Without it, you can be liable to prosecution and fines, and building work might need to be redone at your expense if it is poorly carried out. Neglecting to check with building control can also hold up the sale of your property if you carried out ‘notifiable’ work without approval.

Building regulations are the detailed technical standards set by the Government to ensure that all homes are built to the required standard and are safe, warm and dry. Regulations are constantly being revised and cover important areas such as fire safety, energy consumption and accessibility.

Types of work that need building regulations approval

All extension and conversion projects need building regulations approval, as do many other kinds of work. Some minor work, such as repairs, do not need this approval and there are some exemptions for things such as sheds and greenhouses so long as they meet certain criteria. Always check what regulations approval is needed for the building work you have in mind.

You must have approval from building control before carrying out such work. (This process can take up to eight weeks, depending on the type of application you or your agent submit.)

Your local authority building control team can offer advice and guidance on the approval and permissions process. Talk to them from the start can often save you a lot of time and money - often free of charge!

Building regulations approval is not the same as planning permission 

You might need both. Planning permission depends on the scale and extent of your project. It’s always best to contact your local authority’s Planning Department to find out whether you need planning permission first.  You can also check the interactive house on the Planning Portal for general guidance.

How to apply for building regulations

You can make a buildings regulations application to your relevant local authority through the Planning Portal. 

Work that can be carried out by a Competent Person

Certain types of work, which need building regulations approval, such as installation of windows and doors, boilers and electrical work etc. can be carried out by a Competent Person. This is a person, who is a member of a registered competent person scheme, who is able to self-certify that their work complies with the building regulations and notifies the local authority on your behalf.  

If you choose this route you still need to ensure that this is done properly, as you’ll need to provide compliance certificates for the work when you come to sell your home. Part of the competent person’s role is to ensure the local authority has a record that the work carried out to your home was compliant with regulations.

Types of building regulations application

There are generally two types of building regulations application, and your local authority building control team can advise on which best suits your project and what fees are involved.

Full plans applications are the most common type of building regulations application, as they provide the reassurance of an approved set of plans for your builder to work to. You (or more usually, your agent) submit detailed drawings and the relevant fee for the work you intend to do. The local authority building control team will check these plans and issue an approval notice so that building work can begin. They will often also issue an inspection plan with the stages of the work they will want to come and inspect , which can depend on the size, scope and complexity of your project, and the age and type of home. 

The full plans approval process can take up to eight weeks but is usually quicker - and your approval notice is then valid for three years from the date it was issued. Provided that building work begins before the end of this period, you can usually continue through to completion without a time limit, provided you advise of this at the outset.

When the work is done, the building control team carry out a final inspection and provided the work is satisfactory, they will issue a completion certificate to show that - as far as can be assessed - it complies with building regulations.

Building notices are a simpler and much quicker process for smaller building works such as the removal of an internal load-bearing wall, making a new window opening etc. As plans don’t need to be submitted, work can begin 48 hours after the application is submitted. Again, building control officers will carry out site inspections and issue completion certificates. 

In addition, retrospective building regulations applications can be made for work that has already started or even been completed without previously notifying building control. This type of application is called a Regularisation application and applies to work carried out after November 1985.  This may not be a straightforward process though and can involve uncovering work, providing calculations and other information, nor is it a guarantee that the work will automatically receive a regularisation certificate. For more about this process, contact your local authority building control team.

Get more information about building regulations and how they might relate to your project here 

Find more information about planning permission, including interactive guides, and how to apply online visit the Planning Portal here 

Contact your local authority building control team here