Confused as to what to put in BC application

[Siren137]

I'm hoping someone on here could give me some advice as I am rather confused at the moment!

My boyfriend and myself are currently renovating a farm cottage which suffered fire damaged 18 years ago. We have already put in a building notice for the replacement of the roof of the house and are now waiting for the certificate of completion.
However we are now rather confused about where we go from here in regards to BC. I spoke to our inspector (who I personally find rather confusing and vague!) and he told me I can put all the rest of the house works on one application. He told me in a further phone call that I can put this on a building notice like I did with the roof. This is where I get confused as I have always thought I would have to do a full application for so much work.
Therefore I am now confused as to what to submit to BC and was hoping someone could give me some advice!

We have a lot to do to the property that need BC's approval including new windows, electrics, plumbing, damp-proofing, plastering etc. I'm not sure if I can just send a floor plan of the house and a list of jobs to be done and give them more details as we get to each job. Even I don't know all the details for everything yet and so I'm not sure how to tell BC!!

Any advice would be very much appreciated!

 

[Richard C]

You can do as much or as little as you want on a “Building Notice” & that’s usually the best route to take with renovation work & most extensions, even if they are extensive. But you (or your builder) must be aware of the various BR’s you need to comply with or you could run into problems with large extension projects come to inspection time. A full plans submission (or full application a you see it) is the route to go with a rebuild/new property or significant extension works. The cost of either is supposedly the same but there will be a significant, additional cost of a “full plans” submission as this will involve detailed drawings, a design statement & detail specification. Basically you get approval in advance on the drawings & specification but the work is still subject to inspection. If your current BI is advising that you only need a Building Notice, I would go with that.

This may help you understand things a little better:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/odpm/4000000011249.pdf

 

[mikric]

The wording you put on your application in "description of work" is exactly how the wording will be on your final completion certificate.Make sure it covers all your works to save possible problems in the future when you come to sell etc.

 

[Siren137]

Thanks for the advice guys!! I'm new to all this building work lark and am struggling to understand the full extent of it all! We are only a young couple so trying to save as much money as possible on the paperwork side of things so we can put more money into the actual works. Sounds like the building notice is the way to go. When I list the jobs do I literally just put things like; "fitting new double glazed windows", "plumbing throughout property: etc? Unsure if that would be detailed enough for them in the first place.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[sigman]

I am a BCO working for an Approved Inspector (Private Building Control body).

DONT make the description of works specific, because if you decide you want to do something else, or any extra works, these wont be covered under that application, or you will have to send in amendment notices etc. Just put 'Conversion of Existing Barn and associated works', that way everything you do is covered.

We would be happy to recieve a general arrangement layout for each floor and details of what works were being carried out, or what changes were being made. We would then send you a detailed report giving you what is essentially a list of items you would need to do to ensure the works comply with building regulations. This would then be backed up with site inspections at relevent intervals to assist you in achieving compliance.

The work you are doing will be covered under a building notice, you allocated surveyor is suggesting you just essentially add the other works to the same application (which prevents you having to pay a new fee).

 

[Siren137]

Thank for your reply! The paperwork should be with BC today so here's hoping its all OK! Will keep you posted.

 

[darkmoomin]

Hi,

We are currently int he middle of quite a biog renovation (but not quite as big as yours sounds!). We met with the BCO and discussed all our plans with him and he told us what was notifiable. We basically listed them on the notice and sent plans with it for the things we had plans for (we already had the structural calcs done for the removal of a load bearing wall for example).

As sigman says, we then got a letter with points we would need to ensure to be compliant.

First BCO visit is this week, so we are now hoping that we did notify of all the right things and they won't start harping on about other work in progress that they see. At the time I was confident we had notified of all the notifiable works though so I'm sure it will be OK.

Good luck with yours!

 

[mikric]

I am a BCO working for an Approved Inspector (Private Building Control body).

Boo

 

[hotrod]

Boo

 

[Richard C]

I am a BCO working for an Approved Inspector (Private Building Control body).

mikric & Hotrod wrote:

Boo

Don’t you take any notice of them sigman; we could do with someone on here that actually knows what they are talking about.

 

[mikric]

I am a BCO working for an Approved Inspector (Private Building Control body).

mikric & Hotrod wrote:

Boo

Don’t you take any notice of them sigman; we could do with someone on here that actually knows what they are talking about.

I meant Boo to the "approved inspector" LABC all the way

 

[hotrod]

I meant Boo to the "approved inspector" LABC all the way

That's what I was laughing at too mikric. Knowing you would be thinking that, the ongoing struggle of good v evil hey!

 

[Richard C]

I meant Boo to the "approved inspector" LABC all the way

That's what I was laughing at too mikric. Knowing you would be thinking that, the ongoing struggle of good v evil hey!

Now I get it