Will I Have to Pay For The Building Control Service?
Most Building Regulation applications are by the Full Plans method and require the payment of a charge, usually in two stages.
If the Building Notice route is used, you must make full payment at the time of application. The total charge paid is the same in both cases. Further information about charges are available on request from your Council. Because of the great variation in the type of work covered by Building Regulations, calculating the correct charge can be complex.
If you are in any doubt, please contact your Council.
What About The Party Wall Act?
The Party Wall etc Act 1996, as it is correctly titled, affects any building work on or near a boundary. The Council does not administer this Act but can supply a booklet explaining its basic requirements. If you are carrying out building work, you should check whether the Act applies. You may need a professional adviser such as a surveyor, engineer or solicitor to help with the requirements of the Act.
What If A Previous Owner Failed To Seek Approval For Work?
If you discover that work has been carried out to your premises without the benefit of a Building Regulation application, you can request that the Council consider a Regularisation application for the unauthorised works. If you need to make a Regularisation application, you should first make an appointment to see a Building Control Surveyor to talk through the situation.
Regularisation applications take time to process – the Council cannot deal with them immediately and in advance of other work just because a property sale is ongoing. The Regularisation procedure does not replace or detract from their formal enforcement powers.
Added Value Products & Services
LABC Type and System Approvals enable design solutions to get national recognition by local authority building control.
LABC Type Approval is a certification scheme where standard design of building types can be accredited enabling developers to use the same building type across a region/country without the need to have it checked by each individual authority. It is available for housing, commercial or industrial buildings. The building type is assessed to ensure compliance with the regulations and then a certificate is issued. An approved logo is available for use by the client.
LABC System Approval is a similar certification scheme for building systems where standard components and construction details are incorporated in a variety of different buildings. Specialist foundation designs and temporary structures can also be approved through this scheme. The scheme can also help clients who use non-traditional building systems enabling a simplified route to building regulation approval. The schemes are not suitable for the approval of building products nor are they a marketing endorsement from LABC.
LABC Partner Authority Scheme is designed to help companies that operate in multiple locations and deal with many local authorities. The scheme enables a company or adviser to have a one to one working relationship with a preferred local authority for advice and plan appraisal. The site inspections are carried out by the local authority where each project is carried out.