Building Regulations: What you Need to Know
Law and order were created for the sake of humanity, to prevent chaos and keep the peace. While it is virtually impossible to create a utopian society, rules and regulations still seek to provide order as much as possible.
Rules do not apply to people only. Almost any activity that may affect the safety and welfare of people is also governed by law. This includes structuring buildings.
Here in our country, Building Regulations UK encompasses all the rules and standards that apply to structuring buildings in England and Wales to ensure the health and safety of the people within the premises of the buildings.
This set of standards was also created for energy conservation and access to and about the buildings. If you are intending to put up a building but you are not familiar with these set of rules, here are some of the frequently asked questions about Building Regulations and answers that you will useful.
1. Why is there a need to comply with the Building Regulations?If your work involves building structures, it is necessary to understand thoroughly the rudiments of these regulations for you to be able to make sure that your work complies with it. For one, these rules ensure the welfare of people in and around your building. This is more than reason enough to act in accordance with it. But aside from that, it is important to know that not following these rules is punishable by law. If you have employed a builder to construct your building or establishment, it is their responsibility to oversee that these regulations are being complied. But you have to take note that as the owner of the building, you will be held responsible if the work does not follow the rules, which means it is you who will be served with an enforcement notice.
2. What kinds of building work are covered by the Building Regulations?These regulations apply to new buildings and renovations of existing ones. These cover domestic, commercial and industrial structures. To be more specific, here are the types of project that should comply as defined in Regulation 3 of the building regulations.
· erection or extension of a building
· installation or extension of a service or fitting which is covered by the regulations
· alteration or renovation project that temporarily or permanently affect compliance of the building, service or fitting with the requirements relating to structure, fire, or access to and use of buildings
· insertion of insulation into a cavity wall
· underpinning of the foundations of a building On the other hand, there are some types of buildings that do not require compliance with the regulations. These are still subjected to planning permission though. These buildings include garden sheds, summerhouses, domestic garages, greenhouses, conservatories, porches, covered way, covered yards, and carports.
3. What are the aspects covered in building regulations?This set of standards is precisely detailed information on how to go about building a structure. The Building Regs is grouped into fourteen parts.
Part A: Structure
Part B: Fire safety
Part C: Site preparation and resistance to moisture
Part D: Toxic substances
Part E: Resistance to the passage of sound
Part F: Ventilation
Part G: Hygiene
Part H: Drainage and waste disposal
Part J: Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems
Part K: Protection from falling, collision and impact
Part L: Conservation of fuel and power
Part M: Access to and use of buildings
Part N: Glazing - safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning
Part P: Electrical safety
These standards set out objectives on how the design and construction of the individual aspects of the building should be achieved. These categories are often referred to as functional requirements. Not all of these parts may be applicable to the type of building work you are engaged in.
4. How are the Building Regulations enforced?The government publishes information called Approved Documents to guide builders on how to meet the requirements for these standards. The local authority then enforces these rules in its area. Inspectors provided by the building control service are the ones responsible for checking if the regulations are being complied. They will check and oversee the construction and advise you on what to do. However, they do not have enforcement powers.
5. What happens if you do not comply with the Buildings Regulations?If your work disobeys any of the standards laid out by the building regulations, the inspectors will notify the local authority. If in case the building control service does not provide an approved inspector, the work of checking compliance with the rules will be taken over by the local authority who has power to enforce you to alter your work if necessary by issuing an enforcement notice.
6. What happens if you do not follow the local authority’s enforcement notice? The enforcement notice usually gives you up to 28 days to make the necessary alterations. But if you still do not comply with this, the local authority may take the case to the magistrates’ court, which can impose a fine as much as £5000 for the contravention and up to £50 for each day that the infringement of the rules continues after verdict.
However, if you deem that you are following the standards and wish to contest the enforcement notice, you can enlist a qualified person to create a written report to plead your case for the withdrawal of the notice.
In case of an event like this, the 28-day period will be extended to 70 days. Another option is to appeal on the magistrates’ court and demonstrate that your building work complies with the Building Regulations. This appeal should be made within the 28-day period set out by the local authority.
In a gist, the 2007 Building Regulations seek to promote the correct standards of designing and putting up a building encompassing all the aspects of structure, fire safety, sound insulation, drainage, ventilation and electrical safety to ensure the safety and welfare of people going in and around buildings.
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