Full plans vs building notice

[rock2605]

Hello everyone - I'm new here.

We recently received planning permission to build above our attached garage and add a small single story extension to the rear of our house, we will also convert the garage to a family room at the same time. The plans flew through with no questions - the 1st story will be a timber frame to keep the loads low on our garage foundations (which are piled - in the Fens). It looks cheaper for me to apply for full plans approval and I'd like to do it myself since I'm working abroad until Christmas and have a shed load of time to kill. I have all the structural work for the new foundations completed by my SE (and he will double check and document the garage foundation once I have the loads from the timber framers), and the timber frame company will do the new frame structure and roof loads. Other than wiring, insulation, floors and windows, what more do I need? I've googled galore to find a format and can't find anything.
Sorry for the long post but I appreciate any help.
Ivan

 

[noseall]

Lintel spec's.

Roof specs'.

Strapping arrangements.

Ventilation.

Drainage.

Smoke detection.

Egress windows.

Electrical safety.

 

[tony1851]

If it's Building Regulations you are referring to, there is usually no cost difference between Full Plans and Building Notice (if doing it through the local council).

The only difference is that with Building Notice, you send the full fee in from the start; with Full Plans, the fee is usually split into two parts. You pay part of the fee when the plans go in (that's their plan-check fee) and the fee for the inspections immediately after the first site visit by the inspector.

 

[DevilDamo]

To me (only by reading your post) that you're not "that" experienced in this field? But maybe you have construction professionals in carrying out the build? Anyway, as tony1851 said, there normally isn't any price difference between the BN and FP applications. However, some LABC's do charge slightly more for a BN application as from experience, they tend to give more help/assistance on site than they would if a FP application was submitted. But the difference isn't a lot.

 

[markbrick1]

i personnaly prefare a building notice,
iam currently building 13 cottages on a site with just a building notice,
but i wouldnt recommend an unproffesinal to do the same theres always small cock ups and hickups to be made like the bathroom door has to open outwards or 1 does for wheel chair acces or the soil pipe going a certain distance up from a opening window,and luckily we get on with the building authority well and there helpfull,maybe the planners at cornwall council should learn a thing or 2 from customer service from the building control section,

 

[noseall]

i personnaly prefare a building notice

Why?

 

[markbrick1]

my personal choice,
the officers seem to give a bit more time to the build,
saves a bit with arcitect fees,
but its not for people who dont know the building industry well and i wouldnt advice a newbie to do this at all,
just my oppinion,

 

[DevilDamo]

the officers seem to give a bit more time to the build

Only because the information hasn't been submitted for approval. This is why sometimes BN applications are more than FP's as BCO's normally have to spend more time with the contractor and build.

 

[ants1]

i personnaly prefare a building notice,
iam currently building 13 cottages on a site with just a building notice,
section,

Hello! New to the forum, work in building control.

Please please don't listen to this about just using a building notice, especially for 13 new builds, recipe for disaster! A lot of people have the misconception that using a building notice you can start quicker. This is not the case, you can start just as quick using a full plans, and just get on with your ground works while the plans are being checked!

Using a full plans might be a bit more work at the beginning but once you have an approved drawing it gives you the piece of mind that if you follow that drawing then you cant go wrong on site and if anyone in BC questions what you have done on site, you can put the drawing stamped approved under their nose! I see it time after time on site where builders say 'I just done what so and so said, or, we were just following the drawing (a drawing that hadn't been checked under full plans)
And these mistakes can be costly and time consuming on site.

There is a fair bit of information that you need to put on the drawings and if you have never done it before/aren't a construction professional could take you a while but most of the notes a generic and its worth paying someone a small fee to update your drawings. The things you will neeed to cover for example for the garage conversion are:

1. Foundation to infill wall (trench or lintels?)
2. wall to infill (construction/insulation/wall ties/clips)
3. floor (is ex. slab to be reused? damp proofing/insulation/screed)
4. walls- is it a single skin brick wall? if so, how will you damp proof this and fix the insulation?
5. ceiling (is there a room above? insulation.. if its a felted flat roof and you are to insulate between joists how will you cross ventilate the roof?
6. Inner room? do you need MOE window?
7. Finishes
8. General notes about electrics, low energy lighting etc.

Just a few examples

Hope this helps

A