Building Control is the regulatory system that ensures buildings are constructed, altered, or converted in accordance with the Building Regulations 2010. The Building Regulations set minimum standards for structural safety, fire safety, energy efficiency, ventilation, drainage, and a range of other aspects of building performance. Building Control is the mechanism through which compliance with these standards is verified.

What Building Regulations Cover

The Building Regulations apply to most building work in England and Wales, including the construction of new buildings, extensions, loft conversions, alterations to existing buildings, changes of use, and the installation of specified services and fittings. The regulations are organised into Approved Documents, each covering a different aspect of building performance such as structure (Part A), fire safety (Part B), thermal performance (Part L), and drainage (Part H). Approved Documents provide technical guidance on how to meet the performance requirements of each regulation.

How Building Control Works

Before starting notifiable building work, the building owner must apply to a Building Control body. There are two types: local authority Building Control, operated by the council for the area, and Approved Inspectors, which are private companies authorised to carry out the same statutory function. The application can take the form of a full plans application, where drawings are submitted for pre-approval before work starts, or a building notice, where work starts without pre-approval and compliance is verified by inspection during construction.

The Building Control body carries out stage inspections at key points in the construction process to verify that the work meets the regulations. These inspection stages vary depending on the project type but typically include foundation, damp proof course, drainage, structural framework, and completion inspections. Any significant defects identified at inspections must be rectified before the work progresses further.

Completion Certificate

When all required inspections have been satisfactorily completed and the work is finished, the Building Control body issues a completion certificate or a final certificate. This is the formal documentation that the work has been inspected and found to comply with the Building Regulations. Completion certificates are important documents that should be retained with the property for the lifetime of the building; they are required when selling the property and are relevant for insurance purposes.

Summary

Building Control ensures building work complies with the Building Regulations. Notifiable work requires an application before starting, stage inspections during construction, and a completion certificate on completion. Both local authority Building Control and private Approved Inspectors carry out this function. Completion certificates must be retained as important property documents. Work carried out without required approval requires retrospective regularisation or indemnity insurance to resolve.