Making an application – under the Building Regulations

There are three ways to obtain approval of building work:

• Full Plans application;
• Building Notice;
• Regularisation application.

The main advantage of a Full Plans application is that we will check the plans and structural calculations and issue an approval notice showing that the proposal complies with the Regulations. The approval notice may be required from a bank or building society in order to borrow money for the project and it will help a builder to give you an accurate quote for the work.

A Full Plans application must be made where the proposal involves:

• a workplace – eg. shop, office, hotel, etc;
• building work within three metres of a public sewer;
• erection of a building fronting onto a private street.

Building Notice:

You do not have to submit detailed plans for a Building Notice, however, sufficient details should be supplied in order to determine the scope of the work being carried out. In the case of an extension a block plan should be supplied with your application. You can start the building work after giving the minimum two days notice of commencement. No approval of the plans is given and we may require additional information to show compliance with the Regulations. A Building Notice is suited to small building works such as:

• replacement windows and/or doors;
• drainage alterations;
• opening in a load bearing wall;
• electrical installation;
• removal of a chimney breast.

The overall charge of either a Full Plans application or Building Notice is the same and a similar number of inspections are made for both types of application.

Regularisation application:

If building work has been carried out without obtaining Building Regulation approval you can apply for a Regularisation Certificate. The work must have started after 11 November 1985 and comply with the Building Regulations.

The regularisation procedure is a means of confirming that unauthorised building work meets the requirements of the regulations.