The builder is only responsible for notification of statutory site inspections. If you do not have a main BUILDING REGULATIONS contractor then you are also responsible for the notices. Your Local Although the Building Control Surveyor is there to ensure that the Regulations are complied with he/she is Information Leaflet No.5 keen to help and with your co operation will assist you to Building achieve a reasonable standard.

The choice of builder is yours but it is in your best Control Service interests to obtain competitive quotes from reputable Site builders and it may be worth using a builder who belongs to a trade association which operates a guarantee scheme. The Building Control Service is here to help, if you are in any doubt over Building Inspections ENFORCEMENT Regulation requirements or require further information, please telephone or call at Work which complies with the Regulations will, in most cases, enhance the value of your property. However work your local Building Control Office. that does not can lead to problems and be a financial liability. Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this information leaflet and the statements contained If the work on site fails to comply with the Building here the publishers and promoters cannot accept Regulations, the Local Authority may take legal action against the owner. This may take the form of a notice responsibility for any inaccuracies. Building requiring you to alter or pull down the work or they may Regulations are changed from time to time, if you take action in the magistrates court with a view to did not receive this leaflet directly from your Local obtaining a fine against the owner. The fines can be up Building Control Authority, check with them that to £2,000 for each offence. the information here is still current. Your District Building Surveyor will try to avoid legal action by requesting your co-operation to put the work For further advice on this subject or any other right. Usually you or your builder will be verbally Building Control matter please contact your Local requested to rectify the work. If the work is not put right Authority office as detailed below within a reasonable period the Local Authority may write . DISTRICT to you giving warning that they may take legal action. In practice, common sense usually prevails and the work is SURVEYORS put right before full legal proceedings start. Council If the owner the builder and the Building Control 01254 585747 01282 661661 ASSOCIATION Surveyor work together then the project should run Borough Council Preston Borough Council smoothly and achieve compliance with the 01253 25212 01772 254881 Building Regulations. Borough Council District 01282 425011 01706 874333 Borough Council Borough Council YOR PLANNING PERMISSION VE S A 01257 515240 01772 625521 R S U S Planning Permission and Building Regulation approval Fylde Borough Council Borough Council S O 01772 671488 01200 425111 T C are not the same. Building Regulations will often apply C I Borough Council District Council I A

when planning approval is unnecessary and vice-versa T

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You should always check with the Development Control 01254 388111 01695 585136 T O

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I BUILDING Section of the Council to find out if your proposal needs Lancaster City Council Borough of Wyre N

Planning Permission. 01524 582369 01253 887242 D CONTROL IL 510/00 WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BUILDING Commencement of work COMPLETION CERTIFICATES REGULATIONS? Excavation of foundations before concreting Foundations when constructed When the work is complete you must notify your They are minimum standards to secure the health and Damp Proof Course when laid Building Control Surveyor to enable him or her to carry safety of people in or about buildings. They are also Site concrete or floor slab (before being laid) out a final inspection. When they are satisfied that the concerned with energy conservation and with access and Drains (before backfilling) work complies with the Building Regulations a facilities for disabled people in both public and Drains (after backfilling) Completion Certificate will be issued. A Completion commercial buildings. Occupation (In respect of new property) Certificate is important to you as proof that your project Completion of project complies with the Building Regulations It may be The owners of the building are legally obliged to required when you come to sell your house or obtain a ensure that the work on site complies with the These mandatory inspections refer to works covered up loan secured against your property. It is also advisable to Building Regulations. below ground but are not necessarily the only ones your obtain the certificate before settling the final account Building Control Surveyor will make. Some projects with your builder as confirmation that the local authority AIMS OF THE LEAFLET require extra specific inspections such as reinforcement are not going to take action against you for non of concrete foundations and floor slabs and fire compliance with the Regulations. This leaflet gives information to the building owners who protection to the structure. Often you will be asked to are carrying out domestic alterations and extensions. It is tell your Building Control Surveyor when you intend to WORK NOT COVERED BY THE BUILDING not a statement of law but is intended to help you plaster or line a ceiling or wall so that he or she may call REGULATIONS understand the system. For further information please to inspect before work is covered. contact your Local Authority Building Control Office. The Building Regulations cover mainly the structure, Mandatory inspections require 24 hours notice to the drainage, weather, thermal and fire resistance of your WHAT SERVICE CAN I EXPECT FROM MY Local Authority. Normally telephone calls are accepted project. They must be considered as minimum standards LOCAL AUTHORITY BUILDING CONTROL and some Local Authorities send out postcards for you or Examples of work not covered include: OFFICE? your builder to return. If you fail to give an adequate notice or proceed without inspection, the Local • standard of workmanship To ensure that your building works comply with the Authority have the power to enforce you to dig up or Building Regulations and other relevant legislation, open up the work for inspection. • electrical installation (except escape lighting and Local Authorities’ Building Control Surveyors carry out lighting in commercial premises) inspections of your project as it progresses. By ensuring that your Building Control Surveyor is notified of the various stages we can often avoid • water and central heating installations Following deposit of your Building Regulation conflict between the builder and yourself. (except boilers, flues and heating controls) application or acceptance of your Building Notice you are able to start work. You must however give at least • external works such as paths and driveways two days notice to the Council. A Building Control FEES Surveyor will call shortly after the commencement date. • decoration They will introduce themselves, briefly discuss the job Fees are payable to the Local Authority for the service and answer any questions you or your builder may have. provided. If you applied for consent via the full plans • the installation of gas heating boilers and fires The Surveyor is there to help you to comply with the route then you need to pay a site inspection fee after the when fitted by an approved installer regulations and may be called upon for advice. first inspection by the Building Control Surveyor. (The (Corgi Registered) Building Notice fee is payable at the time of submission). If the job is being carried out on a Building Notice the The fee covers all of the inspections carried out on The standard and inspection of the works referred Building Control Surveyor may ask how the work is to be site no matter how many or how few. to above are your responsibility. constructed, the types and sizes of materials etc. An invoice is usually sent to you within a few days. For YOUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES To help you and your builder proceed more quickly your works to domestic property more than one fee may be Local Authority will in most cases provide a same day payable. For example, if you are building an extension The owner of the building or the person having the work inspection service, providing you contact the Building and a loft conversion then you need to pay two carried out is legally responsible for complying with the Control office before 10.00 am. Various stages of the inspection fees. Building Regulations. This includes applying to the work are deemed to require " mandatory inspections":- Building Regulation Authority to carry out the work and ensuring that work on site complies with the Regulations.