Help - What building regs do we need?

[Curiosity101]

Hi all - really hoping you can help us out here.

I'm at a total loss as to what permission / sign off etc that my husband and I will need on some work we're having done on our house.

We currently have two large bits of work planned;
- Knocking through the toilet into the bathroom to make one large family bathroom. We have had it confirmed that the wall isn't load bearing - it was confirmed by a 'Dave the builder' type. We have no reason to mistrust him but at the same time it felt a bit too easy (he just poked his head in the loft and that was that)
- Knocking out the wall below the bathroom wall that is being knocked out to create an integrated kitchen/diner. Again we've had this looked at by a different 'Dave the builder' type and they have said it's not load bearing.

We're having the work done by two reputable local companies (one for the bathroom and one for the kitchen), but they've been less that forthcoming about whether we do / don't need building regs or anything else like that.

So... in your opinion what do we need / what should we do / are we worrying about nothing?

I'm not too worried personally, and don't think they should be load bearing as they run parallel to the beams and perpendicular to the upstairs floor boards. But I'm completely out of my depth / experience here as we've never had this much work done, and my husband is getting very nervous about the whole thing.

 

[Nozzle]

The purpose of poking his head in the loft is to see which direction the joists go in. Then, if the wall you want taking out is parallel with these joists, your wall is not structural.

There is a website you can use (planning portal?) that will give your guidance whether BC sign-off is required before you start.

Nozzle

 

[tony1851]

The wall between the bathroom and wc is almost always a non-structural partition.

As for the wall downstairs? check with Dave again just to make sure?

 

[^woody^]

Put something in your contracts to the effect of a contract condition placing the onus to inform you on what statutory permissions and regulations apply (or donut apply), and for the builders to apply for any approvals that are required, or to confirm that they will self certify the work where permitted to do so.