The most common building control mistakes that could put homeowners and their families at risk have been revealed by industry experts, who say DIYers are at biggest risk of breaches.
With Planning Portal figures showing an increase in home improvement projects such as larger home extensions (up by 4% over the last year), homeowners need to understand the legal requirements that are needed to alter their property.
In Dame Judith Hackett’s 2018 Review of building regulations prompted by the Grenfell Tower disaster, she called building control regulations ‘complex, ambiguous and not user friendly’ – showcasing the true difficultly of getting these applications right. This sentiment has been echoed in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 which has resulted in the deputy prime minister calling for a review of the process.
James Garrett, Policy and Strategy Advisor at TerraQuest, said: “The purpose of this vital process is to ensure technical and safety works completed in a property comply with legal regulations protecting people’s safety. This includes electrical works, structural changes and plumbing.
“In the meantime, many professionals working in these areas will know when a building control application is or isn’t required, but if a homeowner decides to DIY a project, they may not be aware of the scope or even the existence of the rules.
“The national right to make alterations to a home, known as permitted development, does allow homeowners to make changes to their property without needing to apply for planning permission in certain circumstances. Equally, some projects will not need a building control application if they are exempt or not legally classified as ‘building work’.
“If forgotten or ignored, the risk of dangerous, unregulated work increases and, in turn, puts people’s lives at risk. Also, if an insurance provider discovers that a property has had works completed without authorisation, it may result in them voiding the policy or refusing to pay out if something was to occur.”
Planning Portal offers guidance on its website to help homeowners address some of the most common building control mistakes:
- Applying too close to their construction start date
As with planning permission, building control applications are submitted to the homeowner’s local authority or approved building control body and it can take up to five weeks to receive a response. If homeowners leave it too late, they may have to push back their construction start date until their sign off comes through.
- Not understanding how the Building Control application process works
If a homeowner has never completed a building control application before and they are looking to complete the works themselves, it can be difficult to understand what is needed and who it needs to be sent to.
- Not having the correct supporting documentation
From floor plans to drawings of the proposed specifications – if a building control inspector cannot clearly see what works are being proposed, it can severely delay the approval process or result in the application being denied.
- Thinking they are covered by planning permission
Due to their similarities, many people also make the misconception that any building control related areas are already covered by their approved planning permission application. This is not the case as the two processes cover different principles of development and safety elements within the construction process. For example, planning permission looks at the building’s appearance, environmental impact and its use while building control looks at areas such as accessibility, ventilation and heating.
- Not applying for building control at all
Finally, one of the biggest – and worst – mistakes that members of the general public can make is not applying for building control approval at all. This could result in the homeowner being fined and a judge requiring the works be removed for the safety of the occupants.
James continued: “If homeowners do make these mistakes, the consequences may range from needing to amend their application to life threatening situations. This is why getting an application right the first time round is so important.”
TerraQuest has launched an integrated Building Control Portal seamlessly linked to Planning Portal logins. For those with planning applications, the portal streamlines the process by pulling through relevant data, making it easier to progress online and communicate with authorities. For homeowners without planning applications, the portal offers a user-friendly interface to submit building control applications, manage documentation, and stay connected with authorities, ensuring safety standards are upheld for all projects.
“Thankfully, experienced builders, electricians, architects and other industry professionals will be able to advise their clients about building control and if it is something they require. For those looking to handle their renovation project by themselves, we have created free guidance pages to help ensure that they are informed about the building control application process.
“By making sure that these errors are not made, homeowners looking to revamp their home can do so without worrying about going back and forth with their council’s planning and building control teams and ultimately complete safe works.”
For more information about TerraQuest’s Building Control site, please visit: https://www.terraquest.co.uk/.