building regs.......fee for materials only ?

[kazzab]

we are planning on making some changes to our house we have recently purchased, namely

putting up a stud wall in bedroom to create en suite
...........".................. i kitchen to create guest toilet

we have submitted building regs forms and fee....but they have come back and said they feel the fee we have paid for thr works is not a realistic figure for the work taking place (even though they have only had a brief outline of work and have not made a site visit yet)

my brother is carrying out the work and wont be chargng us any labour

so my question is can we pay the fee for materials only on this basis ???

or does the fee have to cover what the labout charge would be if we were being charged ?

thanks in advance

 

[^woody^]

Schedule 3 fees are based on 'market rates' for doing that type of work by a building firm, so it does not matter if your labour or materials are free.

The estimate should be based on the 'controlled' work which you are applying for permission for only - so if you are having gold taps and lino at £1k a m2 then leave the cost of these out of your estimate

You are probably looking at the £1001 to £2000 band for this work.

If asked, just say all the plumbing is already there or nearby, and there is no structural work or structural changes

 

[kazzab]

thanks for your reply, the fee we paid was for works up to £2000, so suppose we will have to go up a band

Do they always carry out a site visit ?

We have given them a proposed start date for work which is Monday. The letter from building control says "the proposed works may require planning permission and no work should proceed until such permission has been obtained" I have spoken to the planning office and they said it would be regs rather than planning so do you think we would be ok to start the work ??

We will be applying for planning permission as we want to create a new opening to put in a window in what will be the new bedroom but want to get started so we can have the new heating system installed

Sure its all straight forward but at the moment its giving me a headache !!!!

Schedule 3 fees are based on 'market rates' for doing that type of work by a building firm, so it does not matter if your labour or materials are free.

The estimate should be based on the 'controlled' work which you are applying for permission for only - so if you are having gold taps and lino at £1k a m2 then leave the cost of these out of your estimate

You are probably looking at the £1001 to £2000 band for this work.

If asked, just say all the plumbing is already there or nearby, and there is no structural work or structural changes

 

[^woody^]

You should not need planning permission for the window, so you can start Monday

I would insist with building control that your estimated cost is accurate for such a small project and resist paying the extra for the next band up. Many council building control depts a good income generators for the council and so they try to squeeze as much as they can out of applicants

 

[kazzab]

thanks, I will call them Monday and stand my ground before making any additional payment !

You should not need planning permission for the window, so you can start Monday

I would insist with building control that your estimated cost is accurate for such a small project and resist paying the extra for the next band up. Many council building control depts a good income generators for the council and so they try to squeeze as much as they can out of applicants

 

[DevilDamo]

You should not need planning permission for the window

I can understand that if the new window was at ground floor but if it was at first floor and there could be the possibility of overlooking, etc... then if the notional guidelines aren't followed (i.e. side windows to be obscured, no openings below 1.7m, etc...) then PP would be required.

I would ask the OP to check with the LPA about it and specifically mention it's a new window at first floor level. That is assuming the new bedroom/window is at first floor level.

 

[^woody^]

if the notional guidelines aren't followed

I think that it is safe to assume that the OP wont be having plain glass in a bathroom/WC window etc

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You would have thought so however .........

It is a new window on the first floor...it wont be obscured glass

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=271369

 

[DevilDamo]

if the notional guidelines aren't followed

I think that it is safe to assume that the OP wont be having plain glass in a bathroom/WC window etc

This...

we want to create a new opening to put in a window in what will be the new bedroom

 

[^woody^]

Its safe to assume that the OP wont be having plain glass

ie planning wont allow it

ie who puts clear glass in a bathroom or WC

 

[FresnoBob]

Going back to the original part of the post, I recently put in a Building Control Notice for similar sort of works, and ticked the £1-£2000 box, only to find the kind people in our building control had changed it to £1-£5000 and added £100 to the fee

Gits lol.

 

[DevilDamo]

ie who puts clear glass in a bathroom or WC

I didn't mention a Bathroom or W.C. I quoted the OP's post about putting the new window in a Bedroom!

 

[kazzab]

yes it is a bedroom window, I do hope that planning isnt refused I have looked at houses in our street and there are windows on the side-first floor on lots of houses so on that basis I assume it will be ok (fingers crossed)

Should it be refused I take it we would be refunded the application fee ?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Just because the neighbours have it means little.

Should it be refused I take it we would be refunded the application fee ?

Gotta admire your ill informed optimism there!

 

[kazzab]

I thought if the neighbours had similar it was a hint of what would be approved

and I take it there would be no refund if we couldnt go ahead seems like a bit of a rip off to me !!

Just because the neighbours have it means little.

Should it be refused I take it we would be refunded the application fee ?

Gotta admire your ill informed optimism there!