Building control guidance notes

• Building control application forms list

• Find out about building control fees, follow the link to apply for building control online, download a form or report a building regulation breach online.

• Chimney heights for solid fuel appliances

• Tables to determine chimney height for solid fuel appliances, depending on the degree of roof pitch.

• Chimney sizes

• The height masonry chimneys should not exceed above the roof structure depends on the density of the masonry used for the chimneys.

• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015

• If you are having construction or refurbishment work done, you may need to notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and you may have other duties as well.

• Contractors - how to choose a reputable one

• For information you need to find out before employing a contractor, see how to choose a reputable contractor.

• Demolition guidance

• Building control guidance on demolitions, Building Act 1984, sections 80-83: any work must have the permission of the local authority.

• Domestic electrical installations

• Building control domestic electrical installations from January 2005 are now covered by building regulations.

• Drainage and waste disposal

• For guidance on the main changes to the building regulations relating to drainage and waste disposal.

• Electrical safety in dwellings

• The building regulation for electrical safety in dwellings is set out in 'Electrical safety: Approved Document P'.

• Emergency egress windows

• The requirement for means of escape from dwellings was amended to improve means of escape from all new dwellings and extensions in July 2000.

• Emergency lighting - British standard code of compliance

• For residential buildings, shops, places of assembly, shopping complexes and defined escape routes see code of practice for emergency lighting.

• Fire safety: Approved Document B

• Building regulation in England covering fire safety matters within and around buildings, Approved Document B edition volumes 1 and 2.

• Garage conversion to habitable room

• The conversion of a garage into a living space is treated as a change of use of a building.

• Home builder's consumer code website

• The Consumer Code for Homebuilders was developed to make the home buying process fairer and more transparent for purchasers.

• Lateral support by floors

• Walls should be strapped to floors above ground level at not more than 2.0 metre centres using galvanised mild steel, or other durable metal straps.

• Loft conversions

• Loft conversions advice on fire safety, thermal insulation, condensation, stairs and sound insulation.

• Microgeneration of electricity

• Building regulations apply to the technology used for the microgeneration of electricity, heat or cooling. A competent person should carry out any installation.

• Movement joints

• Movement joints are designed to cope with expansion due to heat, vibration, ground settlement or earthquakes.

• Notches and holes

• Location of notches and holes in simply supported floor and roof joints.

• Parapet walls

• The minimum thickness and maximum height of parapet walls.

• Percolation test

• Percolation tests should not be carried out during abnormal weather conditions, such as heavy rain, severe frost or drought.

• Pitched roof timber sizes

• Timber sizes and construction details for pitched and rafter roofs.

• Plans produced for building regulations

• Plans produced for building regulations are the copyright of the author. You do not have a right to view them.

• Prevention of cold bridges

• A cold bridge is an area in a building where a gap occurs in the insulation.

• Rainwater soakaway design guidance

• Rainwater soakaway design guidance for disposal of surface water from buildings.

• Re-covering pitched roofs

• Only a member of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors can re-cover a pitched roof without a building regulation application.

• Re-roofing

• Re-roofing work, including replacement of flat roofs, needs building regulations approval.

• Regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005

• Details of the regulatory reform (fire safety) order 2005.

• Replacement windows

• Replacement windows must be fitted by a FENSA registered contractor,or be approved by building control.

• Roof ventilation

• For diagrams of roof void ventilation in a at roof, lean-to roof, pitched and pitched roof where the ceiling follows the line of the pitch.

• Safety glazing

• For details of building regulation protection for glazing materials, reducing risks, permanent screens and requirement for annealed glass, see safety glazing.

• SAP calculations explained

• A Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating is needed in order to produce a predicted energy assessment and an on construction energy performance certificate.

• Smoke alarms

• Smoke alarm sizes, types and positions in homes on one and two levels and information on the installation and maintenance of smoke alarms.

• Soakaway design BRE digest 365

• BRE Digest 365 - Soakaways have been the traditional way to dispose of stormwater from buildings and paved areas remote from a public sewer or watercourse.

• Sound resistance

• Meeting the requirements of Approved Document E means that certain buildings provide a reasonable resistance to sound from other parts of the same building.

• Straps spacing at gables

• Straps provide most of the lateral stability to the gable wall and are nearly always required. The diagram shows the correct spacing of straps at gables.

• Timber trimmers

• Timber trimmers, beams and joists sizes and details for trimming around openings.

• Wall chases

• Wall chases depths and position.

• Water efficiency calculator for new dwellings

• This calculator uses the Government's national calculation methodology for assessing water efficiency in new dwellings.