Replacing lean to polycarbonate roof with solid roof

[noseall]

conny Sorry my connie is not next to a boundary. It is a detached house and there is plenty of space each side to next neighbours.

The question is purely re the accredited and approved roof in relation to building control as I am planning on replacing polycarbonate roof with a solid lightweight one. I think that solid roofs do still need inspection to be approved. This can be either done by the local council or by private approved inspectors companies but it will still require someone to sign it off. Am I right?

I am trying to avoid a situation where I let the builder build the roof over the 450mm foundation and dwarf wall and then BR inspector rejecting it later for incorrect foundations etc. The builder is trying to convince me I do not need an inspector verifying it at all as it is pre-approved.

He thinks foundations are allright and I also do not need anyone checking them upfront which makes me question his approach... but maybe I am wrong?

The question or whether something is 'accredited or approved' is irrelevant as far as Building Regulations inspections is concerned. It would only seek to make inspections simpler, if the materials used are BBA approved etc. Even then, it does not mean it would pass an inspection.
Whether the work is controlled work or not, is more of a relevant question.

 

[fandyman]

@noseall thanks for your input. That would explain the reason behind 'accredited or approved' - it still requires inspection by third party (be it Council's building control or approved inspector).

 

[Mister Banks]

When I had my glass conservatory roof replaced with a Guardian solid roof last year building control weren't really interested. The necessary paperwork was submitted and we had a BC visit during construction which lasted less than 5 minutes. We just needed to provide photos of the finished work for the certificate to be issued.

 

[fandyman]

Thanks for your input @Mister Banks . I've now come to realise we actually do need building control approval regardless of what my building control inspectors says (how much more messed up it could be?).

I've gone through some building regs docs and they seem to say that for the space to be a conservatory and not require full Building Regs it must:-
- Have at least 50% of the walls made of glass or other translucent material
- Have at least 75% of the roof made of glass or other translucent material
- Not have any heating
- Have external doors between it and the main dwelling

which is clearly not the case in my case. The solid roof does not meet the (Have at least 75% of the roof made of glass or other translucent material).

What makes it even crazier is that SE also said it would be exempt even with solid roof but he would not chance it without checking so there we go.

 

[fandyman]

@Mister Banks would you mind me asking why you needed the BC control during construction and afterwards with a certificate if upon calling BC they were not really interested in telling you you needed one?

AFAIK they make money out of that so wonder why they were not interested?

I am so confused whether this BC certificate for a warm roof is a legal requirement and could be picked up by buyer's solicitor in future and cause problems.

The above post I pasted yesterday is apparently related to Planning Permission (prior to 2010 when the Planning Permission rules changed so by the looks of it this space I have will still be considered as conservatory even with solid roof from Planning Permission side of things) and not Building Control so I am still confused...

 

[Michaelsf90]

You won't need planning permission as it will fall under permitted development. You probably need building control tho. But out of curiosity when you purchased the house did anything flag up regarding certificates for the conservatory. I think we can overthink these situations at times.

 

[fandyman]

@Michaelsf90 It was flagged up by my solicitor at the time of purchase in the sense there was no paperwork (and there should be due to lack of thermal separation and radiator connected to the main house) as it was built in 90s. We got the indemnity policy for that and also did manage to reduce the price at the time due to this and few other issues.

I am only thinking about building control. I do not worry about planning permission as it is not a problem indeed.

 

[Michaelsf90]

If you don't want to spend money on it then have external doors fitted between the house and conservatory so you can shut it off in winter and put coolkote on the roof so it isn't a million degrees in summer. If you plan on staying where you are then put the lightweight roof on and don't worry about it. Building control can do a retrospective thing but like you said I've no doubt they will want to see the foundations.

The only thing you could do is dig some trial holes and see if a structural engineer will sign off the foundations as acceptable and if they are happy to put on paper that the structure will support the new proposed lightweight roof. If they do then happy days you can get building control and they will be happy with the foundations. If the structural surveyor says the foundations won't support it then you know you can't have it done and just leave it as it is. When I spoke to building control round here they where happy to have in writing off a structural surveyor that the foundations are good enough

 

[Mister Banks]

@Mister Banks would you mind me asking why you needed the BC control during construction and afterwards with a certificate if upon calling BC they were not really interested in telling you you needed one?

AFAIK they make money out of that so wonder why they were not interested?

I am so confused whether this BC certificate for a warm roof is a legal requirement and could be picked up by buyer's solicitor in future and cause problems.

The above post I pasted yesterday is apparently related to Planning Permission (prior to 2010 when the Planning Permission rules changed so by the looks of it this space I have will still be considered as conservatory even with solid roof from Planning Permission side of things) and not Building Control so I am still confused...

I was advised by the roof builders that I would need BC approval due to replacing the glass roof and therefore the building no longer being classed as a conservatory. The approval was a formality as the Guardian roof is preapproved by LABC.

 

[fandyman]

@Mister Banks That is interesting - building no longer being classed as a conservatory.

I take it the house had external grade doors separating the conservatory from the main house and no central heating connected to the main house either?

@Michaelsf90 I wish it was that simple. I probably did not describe my case too well. I will not be able to install external doors as is now as upon uncovering the wooden frame covering up the inner and outer skin between the living room and conservatory it turned out the outer skin is missing a lintel and the brickwork is bowing towards the floor. I propped it up since but I need to really install a new steel there before I can approach the external doors. That brings me to the conservatory which is actually in such a bad state it's beyond repair. I am talking here about the frames, doors and polycarbonate roof which are wooden and completely rotten. That is actually a good thing as I do not need to demolish a well maintained conservatory to install the steel. I have already done a trial hole and confirmed the foundations are the same as the house at 400-450mm deep. The dwarf wall does not show any signs of sinking and is in otherwise good condition.

That was why I was really contemplating only two solutions - demolishing the entire conservatory together with the base and dwarf wall and install the external door converting this area into patio or rebuilding the conservatory from dwarf wall up with a solid roof and installing external doors to retain the conservatory status which I think is a nice space with some great views over the garden and surrounding lands (semi rural location).

 

[Mister Banks]

@Mister Banks That is interesting - building no longer being classed as a conservatory.

I take it the house had external grade doors separating the conservatory from the main house and no central heating connected to the main house either?

@Michaelsf90 I wished it was that simple. I probably did not describe my case too well. I will not be able to install external doors as is now as upon uncovering the wooden frame covering up the inner and outer skin it turned out the outer skin is missing a lintel and the brickwork is bowing towards the floor. I propped it up since then but I need to really install a new steel there before I can approach the external doors. That brings me to the conservatory which is actually in such a bad state it's beyond repair. I am talking here about the frames, doors and polycarbonate roof which are wooden and completely rotten. That is actually a good thing as I do not need to demolish a well maintained conservatory to install the steel. I have already done a trial hole and confirmed the foundations are the same as the house at 400-450mm deep. The dwarf wall does not show any signs of sinking and is in otherwise good condition.

That was why I was really contemplating only two solutions - demolishing the entire conservatory together with the base and dwarf wall or rebuilding it with a solid roof and installing external doors not to lose the conservatory which I think is a good area that has nice views over the garden and surrounding lands.

When the conservatory was built in 2005 I had to apply for planning permission which was duly granted, I had no PDR. The finished conservatory retained the external doors to the house and had independent electric heating. The foundations are 1 metre or more deep because I asked the builder to ensure the foundations where deep enough to accommodate a 2 storey extension should we decide to go that way in the future.