Building notice V full building regs application

[KJB01]

Hi folks. My daughter is planning a fairly modest single storey extension to the side of her house. It will be approx 11ft square (externally) and serve as a dining area to allow more of the current kitchen diner to be devoted to the kitchen. It will necessitate knocking through from the existing room through the side wall of the house and will incorporate a window and external door. We have a builder who we trust as competent, as we used him a few years ago on an extension at our own house.

I am starting from the conclusion that this is a pretty standard/bread and butter job for an experienced/competent builder and we have the plans from our own extension to serve as a guide on the basics. So, 2 questions-first ,is this a project that can be done under the building notice procedure and secondly is it actually advisable to go down that route?

Your opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Keith

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

A Notice is OK provided the builder really does know his stuff and can be trusted and knows exactly what you want (do your drawings show that information?) and there are no shared drains within 3m which would necesitate obtaining a build near/over agreemant from the water company and then a full plans application would be required. Bear in mind that ultimately it is the home owners responsibility to ensure Building Control Approval.

 

[KJB01]

Thanks for the swift reply, Freddie. The builder's a good lad and I'm pretty confident we can work things out. There are no shared drains on the property so that shouldn't pose a problem. Is your average building inspector reasonably helpful or do they tend to be a bit stand-offish? I suppose it's pot luck as to who/what sort you get.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Pot luck, it's not in their remit to advise, though some will. Personally I'd steer clear of any independent inspectors in particular any that your builder recommends.

 

[^woody^]

Building control is a checking service not a design or advisory service, and if there is one thing they hate It's constantly being asked "Can I do this?", "Is this OK?" or "What size [insert item] do I need?

And if you get a different inspector on a subsequent inspection and he does not like what you thought the previous inspector said he would accept, then that's your problem not theirs.

So the main thing is that whoever the builder is, he knows exactly what will be required to be done, and how to do it. Not many builders know about fire safety for instance, or structural design.

 

[KJB01]

Thanks for your input Woody. I understand the points you're making but I'm not planning on testing their patience by constantly asking advice or testing their tolerance by looking for cheap short cuts, not least because I expect my daughter and granddaughter to be in the house a long time, so the job has to be done properly. As I said earlier this project is a pretty modest one and the builder and I managed a rather more complicated one with barely any comment at all from the inspector at that time.

As far as I can see the main areas where care will be necessary will be ensuring adequate support over all the openings and that the roof is up to spec. One area where I would appreciate people's input is whether I should be strengthening/adding to the original concrete foundations beneath the brickwork which will be taking the weight of the steelwork where we knock through and where we are replacing the existing windows with slightly wider ones in the ground floor of the original house. I know in the 50s just a few inches a foot or 2 down was the norm-rather different to today.

If you think there is anything else in the "not obvious" category which you think might prove to be a trap waiting for me to fall into, please point them out.

 

[Murdochcat]

You can't avoid using a building inspector, so best use the LABC - I've seen some VERY dodgy extensions signed off by independent inspectors .......

 

[^woody^]

strengthening/adding to the original concrete foundations

I've never had to alter foundations in that situation for a standard knock- through, but it will depend on the particular house design, the loading and the location (known ground conditions). This is a structural engineer's job, and something that needs to be assessed before the work is done, as you don't want to be asked by an inspector to prove the existing is adequate after you have done the work, and find that you can't prove it.

Not obvious and which catch people out are, size and location of openings - buttressing at corners, spread of fire at boundaries, heat loss. Drainage - underground, internal waste and suitable gutters for roof area. Restraint of roofs/walls.

Build over permission for drains (from the water company)

Party Wall Act.

Permitted development (planning permission) - criteria

 

[KJB01]

Thanks again Woody. There are a couple of terms you've mentioned there that I'm not familiar with-buttressing at corners, and restraint of roof/walls although our builder might understand. I think the rest we've thought about or aren't relevant to the situation.