Unexpected visit from buildings control - advice please...

[MrHfromBath]

I have had some renovations done on an old house and whilst totally unfamiliar with building regulations I believed I was ok as I have not changed anything structurally. I have had electrics re-wired, new plumbing, a new bathroom (no changes to stud walls apart from some plasterboard added to replace wobbly lathe & plaster), sub-floor joists replaced due to damp. The ceilings have been reboarded as the lathe and plaster ones were very cracked/sagging. It is not a listed building or in a conservation area, but is in an AONB apparently.

However I have just had a 2 inch concrete blinding added because the kitchen floor was lower than the adjoining rooms and the tiler also said it was too uneven to tile on. I removed the quarry tiles and concreted on what was there, which was basically dirt. My tradesmen just advised me that a building controls officer turned up saying that he had recently seen a concrete lorry and wanted to know what was going on as there are no building regs.

I was advised by the people who did the floor that because we weren't changing anything but were just adding to the existing floor that I did not need to advise anyone. I have to call him now....Do I have a problem and is there anything I should/should not say? Should i say that I left the tiles in situ, or is this irrelevant? He will be able to see that we haven't changed anything structurally but I am now concerned about the concrete floor.

What's the worse case scenario? I will soon be having the floor tiled and a new kitchen installed, hence my concern.

All advice appreciated before I make that call. Thanks.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Re-wire was it notified, I'll the rest to others in the know.
But all electrical work must comply to part p of building regulation and a re-wire is notifiable work.
Was it a DIY job or did registered electricain do it?

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:part_p

 

[Richard C]

I have had some renovations done on an old house and whilst totally unfamiliar with building regulations I believed I was ok as I have not changed anything structurally.

If you’re totally unfamiliar with the "Regulations" how can you believe you were OK, that’s pretty nieve by any stretch of the imagination . You can’t rely on unregistered (or even registered) trades to put you right; many dont even know & of those that do most won't care, why would they! unfortunately the onus to ensure the Building Works your doing complies with current BR's falls on you not them. Although what you’ve been doing may not require Planning, the list of things you’ve been up to requires compliance with most of the current BR’s, even what you may class as renovation works. Some works can be certified by "registered trades" without involving Building Control but other works required notification & in some cases, inspection & even witnessed tests. Either you’ve attracted the attention of a local BI on his way to work (unlikely) or one of your near neighbours has grassed you up; either way, Ive no idea where you may fall foul of BR's without detailed info but you need to wise up, spend a day reading BR guidance on the planning portal;
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/public/
take some deep breaths & then make that phone call.

 

[peca27]

To my limited + humble knowledge...........

Agree the electrical work will be have to approved Part P + notifiable.
New plumbing? are we talking above or below ground?
New bathroom maybe notifiable even if it's a straight swap (they say it is where I am!!).
New floor joists would require calcs/spec being ok'd by Building Control.
Ceilings + walls being re-boarded are fine (I presume it's a typical dwelling over 2 floors?).
The concrete blinding would be notifiable also, I'm thinking it may have been an opportunity for insulation etc.

Overall, you have very little option other than working with him + getting everything 'signed off + ok'd'. Don't tile + fit the Kitchen until you have an idea of where you stand with Building Control.
If you work with him he's more likely to make the situation easier for you. If your difficult it'll just make him difficult.
It's in your interest, if you were to sell the house the buyer would then know that all works were carried out to the relevant standards/requirements.

Keep your chin up + good luck!!

 

[noseall]

"When more than 25% of a ceiling below a cold loft space or flat roof is being replaced then building regulations will apply and thermal insulation of that ceiling would normally have be improved."

You need to swat up on the latest reg's.

 

[Richard C]

"When more than 25% of a ceiling below a cold loft space or flat roof is being replaced then building regulations will apply and thermal insulation of that ceiling would normally have be improved."

That’ll be the "changing a thermal element" rule then; same applies to plaster/render, internal & external on external walls;---- I think that makes sense.

 

[noseall]

You can't even fart now Rich without b.c. wanting a fee.

 

[MrHfromBath]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Rich C thanks for pointing out my naivety. I didn't realise that everyone in the UK should know everything about every subject. I bet you don't know everything, for example how to spell the word 'naive'. I'm pretty good at spelling, you know all about building regs, well done.

It turns out that I have not done anything to contravene building regs and have been advised to continue with my work.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

Rich C thanks for pointing out my naivety. I didn't realise that everyone in the UK should know everything about every subject. I bet you don't know everything, for example how to spell the word 'naive'. I'm pretty good at spelling, you know all about building regs, well done.

It turns out that I have not done anything to contravene building regs and have been advised to continue with my work.

Rich C may have been a little harsh but to be fair, you must be living in a cocoon to have not even considered the regs.

 

[big-all]

i think we have to be a little bit carefull here we know about the building regs because they are relivent to our bread and butter
iff you dont posses a building why would you be expected to know about them they dont teach them at school

if your background is from rented accomodation where would the building regs knowlage come from!!

i would agree that buying a house would make you aware off there excistance through the buying proccess but not nessiserily there importance or relivence

yes i realise forums like this are fantsastic for learning but as soon as you make someone feel"stupid" for not knowing what they need to know that discourages them from learning as they become frightend to ask questions incase off ridicule unintentionaly or not

this post is in no way a critisism off any one or there actions just my thoughts

 

[kevindgas]

yes i realise forums like this are fantsastic for learning but as soon as you make someone feel"stupid" for not knowing what they need to know that discourages them from learning as they become frightend to ask questions incase off ridicule unintentionaly or not

well said

another useful tip is to get the book
Building regs in brief
a mine of useful info all laid out in simple terms.

 

[Richard C]

Rich C thanks for pointing out my naivety. I didn't realise that everyone in the UK should know everything about every subject. I bet you don't know everything, for example how to spell the word 'naive'. I'm pretty good at spelling, you know all about building regs, well done.

My comments were not intended to make you feel stupid; they were factual & intended to be helpful as to where to start looking as you didn’t seem to be getting too many other responses at that time; but you obviously feel otherwise. I can appreciate my comments may have been a little too honest for your liking but I don’t really do “mummy will take all your nightmares away & make you cosy & warm”; if my opening comment made you feel so bad then I’m sorry but you must be pretty fragile.

Your correct, I don’t know everything but that’s always enough for me to realise I should investigate further, especially in this now over regulated UK. If you don’t know much about a subject (as you freely admitted) at least take the trouble to try & find out; ignorance is no defence & most of the basics you needed to know were only a few Google keystrokes away. Thanks for pointing out the fact that my sticky fingers (& the spell checker ) made a mistake on the keyboard but that’s pretty trivial compared to the mistakes you’ve made.