£95 to Building Control for a replacement window? Really?

[Sledge]

Have been working up a hunger for a little DIY and thought I'd take a look at my local BCOs 'menu' (table of fees to you guv).

In the side dishes ("TABLE E, ALL OTHER NON DOMESTIC WORK AND ALTERATIONS") I spotted the tasty morcel of "Window Replacement", which listed in its ingredients "1-4 Installations per property". I was on the verge of calling over the waiter (window fitter) when I noticed "l'addition" : £95. Talk about an appetite killer.

Things didn't seem much more appealing further down : the fricacy of "Renovation of a thermal element with an estimated cost of works up to £50,000" sounded like nothing more than loft insulation, but that didn't stop the BCO charging £237 - basically for something I believed I could rustle up at home for next to nothing.

Things did not get any better the further I read. A juliette of "Alterations not described elsewhere", started at £201 for the meagrest of portions ("Estimated cost less than £5,000").

My question is, am I reading this right. Are these prices really for real?

If you have a strong stomach, maybe you could give an opinion:
http://www.buildingcontrolpartnersh...BCP-FeeGuidanceNoteNonDomestic2011AMENDED.pdf

 

[big-all]

fensa registered can self certify the windows they fit

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Have been working up a hunger for a little DIY and thought I'd take a look at my local BCOs 'menu' (table of fees to you guv).

In the side dishes ("TABLE E, ALL OTHER NON DOMESTIC WORK AND ALTERATIONS") I spotted the tasty morcel of "Window Replacement", which listed in its ingredients "1-4 Installations per property". I was on the verge of calling over the waiter (window fitter) when I noticed "l'addition" : £95. Talk about an appetite killer.

Things didn't seem much more appealing further down : the fricacy of "Renovation of a thermal element with an estimated cost of works up to £50,000" sounded like nothing more than loft insulation, but that didn't stop the BCO charging £237 - basically for something I believed I could rustle up at home for next to nothing.

Things did not get any better the further I read. A juliette of "Alterations not described elsewhere", started at £201 for the meagrest of portions ("Estimated cost less than £5,000").

My question is, am I reading this right. Are these prices really for real?

If you have a strong stomach, maybe you could give an opinion:
http://www.buildingcontrolpartnersh...uidanceNoteNonDomestic2011AMENDED.pdf[/QUOTE]
Do you have a point or are you you just having a rant? Unlike any other parts of local authorities Building Control now compete with private inspectors so the prices are fairly similar whether you used the LA or a private inspector.

 

[Sledge]

Have been working up a hunger for a little DIY and thought I'd take a look at my local BCOs 'menu' (table of fees to you guv)...

My question is, am I reading this right. Are these prices really for real?

If you have a strong stomach, maybe you could give an opinion:
http://www.buildingcontrolpartnersh...uidanceNoteNonDomestic2011AMENDED.pdf[/QUOTE]
Do you have a point or are you you just having a rant? .

Politeness isn't your forte is it?

I'll take it that these costs do indeed refer to what I believe them to refer to.

It's even worse for domestic stuff. For instance, a replacement window in one's own gaff requires that palms be greased down at my BC to the tune of £158. Just check it out:

http://www.buildingcontrolpartnersh...eDomesticExtensionsAlterations2011AMENDED.pdf

You asked me if this was a rant. No, it was a genuine question, as I'd assumed I'd read things wrongly. Now I know otherwise, you can have your rant if you want it. It'll probably include stuff about public sector pensions and stuff, so be warned.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Nah keep your rants to the GD section please.

 

[DevilDamo]

Look at it another way... you do the work without any approvals, come to sell the house, an agent picks up on the changes, asks for the documentation of which you have none and then the costs you'd have to pay then would be "a lot" more than what you've found via the LA website.

However, the majority of my LA's charge the same window replacement fee for 1-20 windows and do not break it down to 1-4 and 5-20. It has its pro's and con's.

 

[Paul_C]

It's even worse for domestic stuff. For instance, a replacement window in one's own gaff requires that palms be greased down at my BC to the tune of £158.

I'm afraid that's the way the government works now - It's just any excuse to impose whatever extortionate fees it thinks it can get away with. If you want to do something as simple as add one electrical socket in your own kitchen now, there are few places where the local authority will want to charge you less than £150 or so, and many where it's now well over £200. There's even one (North Somerset) which now demands a whopping £408 for such a job.

 

[abuildingsite]

Things didn't seem much more appealing further down : the fricacy of "Renovation of a thermal element with an estimated cost of works up to £50,000" sounded like nothing more than loft insulation, but that didn't stop the BCO charging £237 - basically for something I believed I could rustle up at home for next to nothing.

FYI- 'installation of thermal insulation in a roof space or loft space where the work soley consists of that installation' does not require a Building Regs application under Schedule 4 of the Regs 2010- so you get that one for free

 

[carter76]

Look at it another way... you do the work without any approvals, come to sell the house, an agent picks up on the changes, asks for the documentation of which you have none and then the costs you'd have to pay then would be "a lot" more than what you've found via the LA website.

Incorrect. You can get an indemnity policy to cover the work, (about £80 when I moved).

Or just do as the builder I bought a house from, "It weren't me guv, them windows were in when we bought the place" - Despite still having the delivery note stuck to the glass!

 

[DevilDamo]

Yes... if the buyers are happy with that and not LA documentation.

 

[royaldocks]

Yep - no wonder the country is in decline, all barriers to make think people think twice before investing or improving anything...