What are the Building Regulations?

The information about The Building Regulations given on this page is advisory only and must not be relied on as advice.

The Building Regulations Act of Parliament regulates the construction of buildings in the UK.

The Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings to ensure the safety and health for people, including those with disabilities in or about those buildings and to help conserve fuel and power.

A Building Inspector will inspect the work at various stages to ensure the builder is complying with the regulations and issue a final certificate of compliance once the work is properly concluded.

All buildings featured on our Case Studies page used the services of a private building inspector. See our Gallery page for more examples of buildings approved by a private building inspector.

Building Regulations – Local Authority Building Control

All building work (with certain small exceptions) must comply with the Building Regulations. The Local Authority has the principle responsibility for ensuring that all building work complies. To this end they have powers to enter onto any property and demand compliance. Their powers include the ability to stop all construction work until compliance can be demonstrated. They also have powers to commission remedial works where safety is at issue and recover costs from the building owner through a charge on the property.

Any building work which has been started becomes the responsibility of the Local Authority Building Control.

Building Regulations – Private Building Inspectors

Private Building Inspectors can offer a similar service to Local Authorities. In order to remove the responsibility from the Local Authority a private building inspector must serve them a notice at least 5 days before work commences. The notice may stand for several years. Once the work is complete the private building inspector will issue a final certificate which gets sent to the Local Authority to conclude the notified service.

Approved Documents

The regulators have produced a set of ‘Approved Documents’ which set out various building techniques and methods which if followed will ensure compliance with the regulations.

The approved Documents are as follows:

Manual to the Building Regulations

The merged Approved Documents

Structure: Approved Document A

Fire safety: Approved Document B

Site preparation and resistance to contaminates and moisture: Approved Document C

Toxic substances: Approved Document D

Resistance to sound: Approved Document E

Ventilation: Approved Document F

Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency: Approved Document G

Drainage and waste disposal: Approved Document H

Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems: Approved Document J