Flat roof under-insulated?

[ban-all-sheds]

That was my mistake and one I won't make again.

I'm afraid that it was also your mistake, (and also one which you won't make again, and hopefully one from which others will learn a useful lesson) to allow the work to commence without a full-plans approval from Building Control.

The Building Notice route does not cost any less, so there is no reward for taking it, but it does increase the risk. If plans showing 100mm had been submitted in advance, they would have been rejected, and the problem fixed before a single penny or day was spent on construction.

And infinite risk:reward ratio makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[Notch7]

I'm afraid that it was also your mistake, (and also one which you won't make again, and hopefully one from which others will learn a useful lesson) to allow the work to commence without a full-plans approval from Building Control

It comes up quite often in this forum: customers engaging builders to do a job, but unaware of the need for building regulations compliance and ensuring building control are notified so the final certificate is issued.

I agree that full plans approval is the best route, but that could be expensive by the time somebody is paid to submit drawings. Full plans submission can take a few weeks. It could be a sledgehammer to crack a nut for small jobs.

I do feel the whole system allows too many jobs to slip through the net, I do wonder if the system could be improved.

 

[noseall]

If plans showing 100mm had been submitted in advance, they would have been rejected

Not necessarily. There are other ways to achieve warm flat roof thermal resistance required to satisfy building control. 125mm Celotex above the rafter is one way. BC will accept 100mm + some between.

I agree in that a techy drawing would have been wise.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

BC will accept 100mm + some between.

In this case the plans would have shown 100mm and nothing in between....

 

[redcoatonline]

Quick update, which may be useful to people reading this thread later...
BC have notionally (pending inspection after opening up) accepted the solution to add insulation internally between the rafters, which is by far the easiest way to resolve the issue.
In addition, I need to submit plans (floorplan and elevations) to support the redevelopment. This is relevant to the discussion, given that up-front submission of plans would have avoided this issue altogether:

I'm afraid that it was also your mistake ... to allow the work to commence without a full-plans approval from Building Control.

Yup, sometimes in life you learn lessons the hard way. As a relative newcomer to redevelopment work, I was genuinely ignorant of the entire BC process: I expect that most homeowners probably are too, and tend to rely on tradespeople to inform/advise. Nevertheless, the responsibility is with the homeowner.

 

[catlad]

Exactly where has your builder been working recently
Timbuktu? how is it possible not to know it wouldn't comply with building regs if you are in the trade.

 

[Leofric]

up-front submission of plans would have avoided this issue altogether

Quite right, how often does it need to be said