Value of building regulations beyond being a legal responsibility

[blueade7]

I am having a front "porch" built. (Note that under the planning portal it actually comes under single extension due to being larger than 3 m^2 in area and flush with the front-most wall of the house). Planning permission is not required. And, due to being sufficiently small and retaining the external door between house and porch, building regs are not required either. However, we're wondering whether it might be worth applying for them anyway. I can't find much advice online as to the value of building regulations beyond being a legal necessity, but my builder insists that we should apply.

The potential benefits I can see are:
- The regular inspections provides us assurance that the builder is doing his job properly throughout the build. This seems to be a benefit of getting regs now rather than applying for them retrospectively.
- Means guarantee of receiving a regs certificate if done during build. I.e. presumably a retrospective application could potentially fail if building regs were to change.
- Perhaps adds value to the house (when coming to sell) if we have a building regs certificate for the porch
- Means we could legally replace or remove the external door between our house and the porch at a later date

The single (but significant) downside is the cost: about £500.

My current inclination is just to bite the bullet and go for building regs.
But it would be useful for me to hear other's experiences or opinions. This is the first building project I will have had done. Am I missing anything in my assessment?

Any help much appreciated.

 

[^woody^]

Keeping someone in a job must count for something.

 

[Notch7]

but my builder insists that we should apply

That surprises me.......is he just wanting construction drawings?

This seems to be a benefit of getting regs now rather than applying for them retrospectively

You cant apply for them retrospectively, or should I say you can, but with intrusive investigation requiring making good.

Doing a job under building regs, means it will be inspected to check it complies with the current regulations. Thats good in some ways, for example foundations, however compliance with regulations is not the same as checking for quality -a shoddy job could quite easily be compliant.

If you have good ground that is loadbearing and you dont have trees or hedges nearby, I wouldnt bother having regs for a porch.

 

[tony1851]

'it actually comes under single extension due to being larger than 3 m^2 in area and flush with the front-most wall of the house). Planning permission is not required.'

Surely if it's over 3 m² in area and on the front of the house, it would need planning permission?
As above, checking under Building Regs is just to ensure compliance with the regs - it's not a quality check.

 

[Notch7]

it would need planning permission?

Good point.

flush with the front-most wall of the house)

you cant build out to the furthermost point of the house and assume that is the building line for planning purposes.

for PD the building line follows the shape of the building.

if your porch is over 3m² and or over 3 metres high -it does need planning.

although it does depend what is deemed the front of the house -which I think is the one facing the principal highway or summat.....

 

[tony1851]

Yes, in the pre 2008 rules, you could build an extension on the front of a house in a recessed part, as long as the extension did not protrude beyond the forwardmost wall of the house.

Since 2008, the rule is more restrictive in that you cannot build forward of any wall forming part of the front elevation.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

£500? Bit steep, that sounds more like a planning fee. As above about technical minimums achieved rather than assurance of a quality job (which might be quite a valuable protection if you don't know what the technical requirements are), main bonus is if/when you sell having a completion cert will stop some lazy conveyancer trying to gouge you for a worthless indemnity policy

 

[Leofric]

Why not get somebody to prepare drawings to bldg. regs standards, even if you don't need approval, then the builder knows what to build and you should get construction to the standard you require, assuming you use a competent builder.

 

[blueade7]

Thanks all for the useful advice.

That surprises me.......is he just wanting construction drawings?

I didn't actually mean "insisted" - should have rather said "recommended". He said getting the certificate is good for when it comes to selling the house. I don't know if he has other motives. And I'm not sure he would actually get drawings as it would likely simply be "building notice" rather than "full plans".

for PD the building line follows the shape of the building.

Since 2008, the rule is more restrictive in that you cannot build forward of any wall forming part of the front elevation.

In that case I have misunderstood what is meant by the "principle elevation" of the house. I had thought this was simply the line which most of the front of the house follows (hence the word 'principle'). The porch will be built in a recessed part, set back from this line. The front of our house faces a road so it looks like I probably will need planning permission. Which is annoying as the work is booked in to begin start of June. Presumably planning permission will likely take longer to come through than this? I read that 8 weeks is standard.

£500? Bit steep, that sounds more like a planning fee.

£483 (inc VAT) seems to be the current government set rate for building notice for a single storey extension of area <10 m^2.

Why not get somebody to prepare drawings to bldg. regs standards, even if you don't need approval, then the builder knows what to build and you should get construction to the standard you require, assuming you use a competent builder.

Sounds a good idea, but wouldn't you expect a competent, experienced builder to be able to build a porch (a pretty bog standard one) to building regs standards, without the need for someone else's drawings?

 

[Leofric]

Sounds a good idea, but wouldn't you expect a competent, experienced builder to be able to build (what is a pretty simple porch) to building regs standards, without the need for someone else's drawings?

Yes, I would , but what is the question , do you trust the builder you are using or don't you The thing with having drawings done is that everybody can see what you are getting before it is built .

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Hmmm, dunno where you are but according to my local council that work on a Building Notice would cost £373- same as a Plans application with inspection. Though the cover page has changed- sure it used to say something about charges as determined by the Secretary of State, now it says charges have to cover the cost of the service. So if you are in an expensive bit of the country it is possible the charges are higher.....bit rubbish, do all my notices on that bit at the bottom (alterations/conversions), think your porch would come in at a far more reasonable £204

 

[Leofric]

If the porch needs planning permission it will require drawings. Just ask the designer to include a few construction notes as if it was for bld regs , it can't amount to much for a porch. What sort of construction is proposed ? If it doesn't require bldg. regs approval I think most people wouldn't pay to apply for it!

 

[blueade7]

If the porch needs planning permission it will require drawings. Just ask the designer to include a few construction notes as if it was for bld regs , it can't amount to much for a porch. What sort of construction is proposed ? If it doesn't require bldg. regs approval I think most people wouldn't pay to apply for it!

As mentioned, building regs isn't required, unless I plan on replacing the current door with an internal one, or replacing it altogether, to make it open plan. These are things I may well consider doing (when it comes to redecorating, at a later date) and is the main reason I'd still consider applying for building regs. On the other hand it seems highly likely, based on what I've read, that I could get away with removing the door at a later date, without having applied for regs, with no comeuppance. I suspect the builder will do the same job, with or without regs, in which case I'd be paying £500 for a certificate only. The value of this certificate is what I'm unsure of. Some argue that due diligence at this stage pays off later e.g. when selling. But £500! I'm still undecided.

My current thought is that I'll do the drawings for planning permission myself (they seem relatively simple, with a scale ruler). Building regs "Full Plan" drawings would of course be more complicated and I couldn't do these myself. However, if I apply for regs, I'm likely to go for the "Building Notice" approach (rather than "Full Plan"), for which, as I understand it, no drawings are necessary.

Thanks for the help, and further comments appreciated.

 

[Leofric]

If you are thinking of removing the existing front door and are concerned about the effect when selling then get bldg. regs approval for the layout with the house open to the porch.

 

[Notch7]

) and is the main reason I'd still consider applying for building regs. On the other hand it seems highly likely, based on what I've read, that I could get away with removing the door at a later date, without having applied for regs, with no comeuppance

Bear in mind, the construction for open to house will be different to a porch separate to house.

If you intend making it open plan, build to the spec required whether you apply for regs or not.
Theres no point havin a lovely new porch that makes the house cold. You could put your £500 towards the insulation cost......