Erecting Workshop (a shed) in Garden for Professional Use?

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I'm a maker and currently work in my garage. I want to erect a large shed in the garden to use as a workshop. Maybe 12 x 8 foot. I'd need to run an electricity supply to it.

The last time I looked, I'd need prior permission from the council for the electric. Would I definitely get the permission? And would I alert the council to my working from home, and end up paying business rates?
 
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I'm a maker and currently work in my garage. I want to erect a large shed in the garden to use as a workshop. Maybe 12 x 8 foot. I'd need to run an electricity supply to it.

The last time I looked, I'd need prior permission from the council for the electric. Would I definitely get the permission? And would I alert the council to my working from home, and end up paying business rates?
It needs B Regs for the electrics but you can use an electrician who can self certify this work.
 
Would the electrician have to report what the building (shed) was for?
 
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prior permission from the council for the electric
Are you confusing "prior approval" (planning law) with building regulations for electrical works?

You don't just need building regulations for the electrics, you need to comply with other criteria too to ensure that building regulations will not apply to the building generally. And this assumes that you wont be mentioning that its a commercial enterprise, which attracts different rules.

If you are referring to prior approval for planning purposes, do you have permitted development rights in the first place? If so and you go through the process of applying, then you would probably have to lie about the proposal and use, as its commercial use which may not be approved in a domestic setting without a full planning application.

And if you have insurance (home or business) you need the ensure that the property/goods/occupants will be covered if there is some contravention of planning or building regulations thus making the use unlawful.

You will need to be sure that no nosey neighbours report it.

And yes, council departments do exchange information between themselves.
 
As far as building regs are concerned as it is below 15 sq m. with the exception of Part P (electrics) and Regulations G1 and G3(2) and (3) (which relate to water supply and WC's which is unlikely to apply in any case) there is no other criteria to satisfy, even if it is used as a commercial (workshop) premises. Woody has a tendency to make up his own regulations.
If you use an electrician who is Part P registered, no one from b control will be talking to anyone, why would they be talking to anyone about something they have no involvement with?
 
No such thing, what you need to do is to use a contractor who is registered with a competent person scheme.
Splitting hairs aren't we? Ok yes you are correct but bear in mind I have to deal with people who have no idea about anything construction related or what a competent person scheme is or who NAPIT etc are. this is the easiest way to explain it, and it causes less confusion with laymen than trying to explain the whole self cert scheme.
 
There is a difference between working from home and perhaps selling stuff online or at craft and trade fairs and running a manufacturing unit with potentially commercial visitors. I'm sure there are thousands of people who make some "stuff" at home and sell it. The difference is IMHO whether you have commercial visitors or not.
 
Woody has a tendency to make up his own regulations.
If you use an electrician who is Part P registered, no one from b control will be talking to anyone, why would they be talking to anyone about something they have no involvement with?
Yes I made up my own regulations at the 856 other local authorities I've worked at, and also all the jobs that I was involved in or "if I was inspecting it".

Now at the 18,8954 local authorities you've worked at, were there perhaps other people who enforced the Building Act. Eh? Other teams who enforced other statute perhaps? Environmental law, trading law, property law, business law? Eh?

Now did all those people wander around council office corridors with blinkers on, not talking, not emailing, not reporting? If that's what went on at the 6,353,3432 local authorities that you have worked at, then they were pretty crap.

Tip of the day: other regulations exist, and things go on outside of the building control bubble.
 
ensure that building regulations will not apply to the building generally.
Which other B Regs then? Or did you actually mean regulations in general rather than B regs as you have referenced.
 

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