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The Essential Guide » The Planning Stage » What Are Building Regulations and Why Do We Need Them?
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What are Building Regulations and why do we need them?
So, how long do you think we have had Building Regulations? – Since the sixties? – After the Second World War?
In fact the story of Building regulations began in London somewhere between 1189 and 1216! – They were brought into being to stop buildings from blocking each other’s light, to make sure that “party walls” between buildings were substantial enough, and to make sure that toilets were suitably sited.
Believe it or not, timber framed building were a problem in those days (many of us tend to think of them as a “new” concept). The timber was a fire hazard, and so was thatched roofing, which was banned in London in 1212.
Jumping to this century, “The Public Health act of 1936” bought in new guide lines across the country, but at that time, they were not strictly enforceable and varied from one area to another.
The form of Building Regulations has been slowly pulled together into the form that it now takes, during this century, so that now it is pretty standard wherever you are in the UK.
What are they all about?
Back in London in the 12th century building was unregulated and anyone could build just about anything, giving no heed to either the structural stability, safety, or a building’s effect on its neighbourhood. Some of those matters are now dealt with by the “Planning” system, but the rest of them now come under the broad heading of “Building Regulations”.
It’s the job of the Building Regulations system to make sure that any permanent structure (and some temporary structures), are built to be structurally sound, to comply with rules on drainage, safe access, ventilation, damp proofing, and to take into account people with disabilities (amongst other things).
To make sure that every new building in the country is suitable for its location, and built to a reasonable standard, before we are allowed to start work, wherever we live, we have to do 2 things: 1) Make sure that Planning regulations are followed, and 2) Obtain any necessary Building Regulation approvals.
There is a lot of technical information needed for a Building Regulations application, so the application process is not something an amateur can “have a go at”. Architects, Draughtsmen, Planning Consultants, and many of the “package companies” will have the ability to produce an up to date “Building Regulations” application.
The information you will need to include in your application will cover “specifications” of all the main structural components of the building, from when you start work underground, right through to completion, covering foundations, floor slabs, walls, roof, joists, suspended floors, services, soundproofing, fireproofing, and many of the finishing items. Calculations are required for some of the main items, which address structural stability, ventilation, and heat retention issues. These calculations are complicated and are normally produced by computer.
Some of these facts and figures are used, along with an “air tightness” test, and other information you will be required to produce, to give the property a “SAP” (Standard Assessment procedure) rating. This gives the property an “energy rating” from 0 – 100, with “0” being very poor and “100” being very efficient. If you sell your property you will now be required to provide one of the dreaded “HIPS” packs, which include a SAPs report
If your particular designer cannot prepare your Building regulations application themselves, they will generally know someone who can. If they can’t do it themselves and they CAN’T put you in touch with anyone who can, there is a good chance that they are not the right people to do the job for you, - so think about finding someone else!
Each year the requirements of a Building regulations Application change, and generally increase. In recent years the main concentration of new regulations has centred on “Energy conservation” and “Disability considerations”. Not many years ago external walls could be built of solid concrete blocks, with an empty cavity and a brickwork outer skin. Now, you have to provide “U” value calculations to show that the walls conform to strict “heat retention” conditions (which I won’t quote because they constantly change!). Glazing requirements have been upgraded from “single” to “double”. Not long ago lofts used to be required to have 4” of insulation, and then it went up to 6” then 8” and so on! Ground floor construction used to be “ Hardcore (stone), sand, damp proof membrane (dpm), and then concrete. Now we have to add insulation as either part of the construction underneath the slab, or under the “screed” which goes on top of the slab, if that is the construction technique which is used.
Disabled considerations have changed dramatically, not only in private residential buildings, but in ALL new buildings of any type. For years when we designed residential buildings, we were told that we had to “Keep the ground level around the external perimeter of the building, at least 6” (150mm) below the damp proof course (this also generally equated to the outside being 6” below your ground floor level). This was because any ground which came into contact with the external wall, above that level could potentially cause problems with damp getting into the building. - Then suddenly a few years ago a regulation came out that said that we now have to create a disabled access, in the form of a ramp at one of the main entrances into the building, from the “general level” of 6” below the floor slab ABOVE that magical 6” below damp proof course (dpc) level, to give access so that a wheelchair can be wheeled into the building without having to “negotiate” a 6” high step. Inside the building the regulations changed to take account of people with disabilities too. Sockets were moved “up” the walls, and switches were moved “down” the walls. Internal doors on the floor which is the main living area now needed to be wider, increasing in width by about 3” from 2’6” to 2’9”, to allow wheelchairs to freely move around (this requirement does not presently extend to the first floor where doors can still be 2’6” wide). Another disabled requirement requires that there be a w/c on the main living floor, with further regulations covering how the door opens and the clear floor space within the room.
Overall, I have no problem with the changes in the Building Regulations, the energy saving and disability changes are really well overdue. BUT, what I and just about every other builder in the land wishes, is that the Authorities would come up with a set of regulations which is going to be satisfactory for at least 5 years, and then leave us to be able to get use to them without knowing that in a few months they could change again!
As it presently stands, each year every designer, in any area of construction, has to find out about, read, and take into account new regulations on a regular basis. Often these changes not only mean that software has to be either introduced, or updated, which takes time and money, but they also pretty much always mean that the building is now going to cost more to build. A new, updated set of regulations every five years would allow the people responsible for producing them, to think everything through and produce something which takes account of new ideas, and changing conditions, new innovations, and new studies into what is, and isn’t needed. It would also save the industry a lot of money in constantly having to update their knowledge base to take all the new clause into consideration.
How do the Building Regulations affect your project?
As I mentioned before, you need to check whether or not you need to apply for Building Regulations on whatever type of project you are thinking of starting. If you do need them, then you can’t start work until you have had them approved. You send the documents that your designer (or whoever you use), has produced, for inspection and approval. This process can take between a week and a few weeks depending on how busy the individual office is. If there are any errors or discrepancies, your will receive notification, and these matters must be corrected before you start work.
At this stage of the process you will need to secure the services of an inspector who will check the construction at various stages. For this you can use the Local Authority’s own “Building Inspector”, who is generally the person who covers all projects in your geographical area for the council. Or you can hire your own qualified inspector to do the same job. – Some “Architects”, “Designers”, “Package companies”, and “Structural Warranty” companies offer this service as an option to using the Local Authority. If you use anyone except the Local Authority’s own inspector, make sure that you are happy that they are qualified and that they have adequate insurance to cover any problems which may occur in the future.
When you are ready to start work, but before you start, you then need to notify the Authorities (your application forms will detail the amount of notice they need). Inspections will then be made during the course of the construction, at set stages, usually:
1) After your trenches have been dug, before pouring your foundations ( if there is any reinforcement or damp proofing in the foundations, extra visits may be required at this stage).
2) Before you pour the ground floor slab.
3) Before you cover in the roof structure.
4) After your first fix, but before you plasterboard or plaster.
5) After your drainage is laid, but before you cover it over.
6) At completion.
(Note: The stages may vary from authority to authority).
If your Building inspector finds any fault when the inspection is carried out, you should not continue with the work until the fault has been rectified. You will normally receive written confirmation of what the problem is, and you will need to notify the authority when it is fixed and you request a repeat inspection.
If you have a mortgage on the property, you will normally need to confirm to your lender that you have reached certain stages in the construction process for them to release funds. They may accept the Building Inspector’s approval, or the Structural Warranty Inspector’s approval (these could potentially be the same person if you are using a package which gives both services).
If you were to build a house without Building Regulations approval (which, because of the system, would be very difficult to do if you need to use any sort of funding), you would almost certainly find that when you want to sell the property that the sale will fall through. – One things Solicitors check when they are doing all the legalities of a house purchase, is to check that Building Regs approvals are all in place and up to date ( so don’t forget that if you do anything to the proper.
On the whole we tend to look upon Building Regulations as being a “necessary evil”, but in fact if they weren’t around, we would all be in a lot worse position than we are now. – You may have seen some of the structural disasters in other countries on TV, where buildings have collapsed, killing many people, because they were built incorrectly. I may have missed something, but I haven’t heard of that happening in this country!
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