Although building your home is an outstanding accomplishment, to do so you will have to comply with extensive requirements and obligations. One of the legal requirements is gaining building regulations approval to implement specific types of building projects.
So, are the potential consequences of failing to obtain building regulations approval before commencing your building work? The shocking truth is that failure to seek building regulations approval can result in you facing enforcement action from your local authority. The ultimate sanction could be the requirement to demolish your house and face charges that could result in you being compelled to pay a number of fines and costs.
Why is the building regulation approval process referred to as the ‘second hurdle?”
Typically, the building regulations process evaluates and approves your project’s design and ensures adherence to the regulations. Because this process follows the granting of the planning permission, it is often known as the “second hurdle.”
What do you need to do to obtain building regulations approval?
To get the building regulations approval, you have to submit detailed technical drawings and specifications and structural engineering drawings plus relevant calculations. You must also include other supporting design work. All these are submitted under an official control application to the building control body. When you get the approval, you can use the building regulations package to seek quotations from builders, and you will also use them in implementing your project on the site.
Why is it crucial to hire reliable professionals to handle your building regulations approval processing?
No matter what the nature of your building project is (for example, making improvements or structural adjustments to an existing building or even overseeing a self-build project), you have to comply with UK building regulations and legislation. Therefore, it is vital to hire trustworthy and reliable professional consultants to help you with a building regulations compliant design. Fortunately, you can count on Humphreysandsons for all your projects because they have an in-depth understanding of planning laws in London and Essex. In addition to ensuring your project complies with all local and national authorities’ legal requirements, they ensure that it is safe.
Other benefits of hiring professionals to handle your building regulations approval include:
· Saving costs: you avoid the risk of draft technicians designing your building in an inefficient and unprofessional manner.
· Delays in project completion: the poor designs drawn up by non-experts could also lead to incorrect building works, thus increasing costs and causing delays during the project. The building inspector may also refuse to sign off on a poorly implemented project.
Unfortunately, any poor building regulations design and incorrect building works may only become evident to you as the project owner when it is too late. This could be long after the builders have left and the building is deemed complete leaving you with disastrous consequences.
Who Should approve building regulations plans and carry out inspections on the site?
You do not have to use the local council or the local authority as the control body when seeking building regulations approval, as is the case with the planning permission applications. The industry is privatized, and you can work with government-approved companies to carry out this function. When you contract Humphrey & Sons, your best choice for building regulations plans and specifications consultants, they highly recommend that you use private building control companies or Approved Inspectors but not the local authorities. The company has excellent working relations with several Approved Inspectors, so they recommend that their clients work with them all the time.
