Frequently Asked Questions

Building Control approval is required for most construction work, including new homes, extensions, loft conversions, garage conversions, structural alterations, conversions and many commercial projects.

Planning permission and Building Regulations approval are separate processes. A project can be permitted development for planning purposes and still require Building Control approval.

One Stop Consult provides consultancy and coordination support and can help arrange the appropriate Building Control route through a Local Authority or Registered Building Control Approver.

Planning permission considers whether the development is acceptable in its location. It looks at matters such as appearance, scale, access, parking, neighbouring properties and local planning policy.

Building Regulations focus on how the work is constructed and whether it meets the required standards for safety, structure, fire, energy, ventilation and accessibility.

A Building Notice is a Building Regulations application route commonly used for certain smaller domestic projects. Detailed plans are not normally approved before work starts; compliance is instead assessed through the information supplied and inspections during construction.

A Building Notice does not reduce the requirement to comply with the Building Regulations and may not be suitable for complex work, commercial projects or situations where full design certainty is needed before construction.

Regularisation is the Local Authority process used to seek retrospective Building Regulations approval for eligible work that was completed without the required application.

The authority may require drawings, calculations, opening-up works or remedial construction before it can decide whether to issue a Regularisation Certificate.

A Completion Certificate is issued by the relevant Building Control body when the project has been completed, required inspections have taken place and the outstanding compliance information has been accepted.

Solicitors, mortgage lenders, insurers and future buyers commonly request this certificate during a property sale or refinance.

Structural calculations are commonly required for new buildings, extensions, loft conversions, wall removals, steel beams, foundation design, retaining walls and other work affecting load-bearing construction.

The calculations are normally submitted to Building Control with structural drawings and specifications.

Foundation design determines how building loads will be transferred safely into the ground. The solution depends on the structure, soil conditions, trees, groundwater, nearby buildings and other site constraints.

Options can include strip, trench-fill, raft, piled or other engineered foundations. Ground investigation may be needed before the final design can be completed.

A structural warranty is an insurance-backed product that provides defined cover for qualifying structural defects during the policy period. New homes, conversions and completed developments may require a warranty to satisfy mortgage lenders or purchasers.

The warranty provider normally requires technical review and inspections during construction. One Stop Consult arranges quotations and coordinates the process but is not the insurer or underwriter.

A Professional Consultant’s Certificate, often called a PCC or Architect’s Certificate, may be issued by a suitably qualified professional who has monitored the project during construction.

Some lenders may accept a PCC as an alternative to a structural warranty, but it is not insurance-backed and does not provide the same type of protection. Acceptance should always be confirmed with the proposed lender before proceeding.

An Insurance Backed Guarantee can protect an eligible contractor’s workmanship guarantee if the contractor later ceases trading and cannot honour its original commitment.

Eligibility, cover and exclusions depend on the insurer, contractor and type of work. One Stop Consult arranges quotations and coordinates policies but is not the insurer or underwriter.

An air tightness test measures uncontrolled air leakage through the building envelope. Specialist equipment pressurises or depressurises the building so the leakage rate can be calculated.

Testing is commonly required for new dwellings and non-domestic buildings and should be coordinated with the design-stage energy assessment.

Sound insulation testing measures airborne and, where applicable, impact sound transmission through separating walls and floors between dwellings or rooms for residential purposes.

It is commonly required for new flats, attached homes and conversions creating multiple dwellings under Part E.

Extract ventilation testing measures airflow rates from installed mechanical extract systems in rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms and WCs.

The test helps demonstrate that the commissioned system meets the ventilation design and relevant Building Regulations requirements.

Testing should be planned before practical completion but carried out when the relevant construction and systems are sufficiently complete. Doors, windows, seals, ventilation components and separating constructions must be in their final testable condition.

Booking early helps avoid delays to handover, Building Control completion and occupation.

Planning-stage requirements can include architectural drawings, drainage, flood risk, ecology, Biodiversity Net Gain, contamination, trees, transport, noise, heritage or archaeology.

Building Regulations work commonly includes Building Control, structural calculations, L1A SAP calculations, water efficiency, overheating assessment, connectivity information and drainage details.

Completion may require an EPC, air tightness test, ventilation commissioning, sound testing where applicable, warranty documentation and the Building Control Completion Certificate.

A new dwelling will normally require planning permission. The Local Planning Authority assesses the principle, appearance, scale, access, parking, impact on neighbours and compliance with local and national planning policy.

Supporting technical reports are determined by the site constraints and validation requirements.

The submission commonly includes architectural drawings, structural calculations, foundation and drainage details, SAP calculations, water efficiency information, overheating compliance and a Connectivity Plan where applicable.

Building Control also carries out inspections during construction and reviews the completion-stage certificates before issuing its final certificate.

Common completion documents include the Building Control Completion Certificate, Energy Performance Certificate, as-built SAP report, air tightness certificate, ventilation commissioning certificate and sound-test report where applicable.

A structural warranty or accepted Professional Consultant’s Certificate may also be required by the lender, purchaser or funder.

Consultants should be engaged early enough for their advice to influence the design. Late structural, energy, drainage, ecology or overheating input can cause redesign, delay and additional cost.

Planning reports should be identified before submission, Building Regulations designs should be coordinated before construction and completion testing should be programmed before handover.