SAP testing

[zakc]

I undertook a loft conversion and then a couple of years later a single storey wrap around on a semi detached house. The loft was signed off by BCO all fine. We undertook the final inspection for the wrap round and all went well, just had to submit a revised steel calculation (owner sorted out the calcs).

He never got round to sending them in and as such, now two years later, building control wanted to do another final inspection. All was ok but they asked for a SAP test for the whole house. The homeowner had a company undertake a SAP test and was told it should be ok. Building control have now
said that it has failed ! The homeowner is selling the house but cannot get it signed off.

Having done many lofts/extensions I have never been asked to produce a SAP TEST. Is this normal ? Maybe I am being naive but if building control had all the build details prior to giving approval should they not have mentioned this before the build took place or advised at an early stage to upgrade the insulation further or reduce glazing ?. It seems a bit of a mikey take that they have approved the specs and now turn round and say it doesn't comply !

Could it be I have a particularly arsey BCO or is this often the case ?

Perhaps the biggest irony is that the clients brother had exactly the same wrap round done and that has been signed off without a SAP test needed !

Any help or advice would be great as I now have a very unhappy homeowner who cannot sell his house because of building control !

Many thanks all.

 

[D_Hailsham]

He never got round to sending them in and as such, now two years later, building control wanted to do another final inspection. All was ok but they asked for a SAP test for the whole house. The homeowner had a company undertake a SAP test and was told it should be ok. Building control have now said that it has failed!

That could be the reason.

Building Regs changed in October 2010; so, as the extension was built to comply with earlier Regs but only submitted for approval now, the BCO may have applied the current regulations.

Ask the BCO to explain why it failed and which Regs he was using.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Building Regs changed in October 2010; so, as the extension was built to comply with earlier Regs but only submitted for approval now, the BCO may have applied the current regulations.

Ask the BCO to explain why it failed and which Regs he was using.

The job was inspected during construction and just not signed off so the build needs to meet the regs at the time of construction.

Anyway, did the wraparound have lots of glazing? If so how much? Do the windows and doors areas exceed 25% of the floor area? That could provoke SAP calcs being required. If you are the agent/designer why haven't you spoken with BC to ask them? Is it the same BCO signing it off now as who did the previous inspections?

 

[^woody^]

Why didn't the idiot who did the SAP calcs, make sure that they conformed before submitting them? Who the hell submits failed calcs?