Commencing work
Once an application has been submitted using either Full Plans or a Building Notice you may commence the work on site. At this stage you should notify the local authority 48 hours before you start (not including weekends and Bank Holidays)
Under a Full Plans application you are advised to wait until the plans have been passed, but you do not have to. All work undertaken prior to the passing of the plans is "at your own risk"
Once you have told us you are starting work we will arrange for one of our Building Control Surveyors to call, where necessary the surveyor will inspect the start of the work and discuss any necessary points with you or your builder.
Inspections
The Building Regulations set certain stages of the work that you or your builder have to notify us of. Failure to do so is an offence. These stages allow us to inspect various important stages of the work to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations.
In addition the surveyor may require notification at other stages, depending on the type of work being carried out.
The stages to notify us are;
- Commencement.
- Excavations, before pouring concrete foundations.
- Concreted foundations, before covering them up.
- Before covering up the damp proof course.
- Before covering up any new drains.
- Drains are ready for test after being covered up.
- Before occupying the building and/or when the building work is finished.
All other inspection requests may be made by telephone. To request an inspection please contact us before 4.30pm the day before you require the inspection.
To request a site inspection telephone 2478095
Due to the nature of the job it is not possible to specify an exact time when the surveyor will visit but it may be possible to specify am or pm. It is a good idea to agree with your builder who will contact us to request an inspection.
It may be that the inspection stages listed above are not applicable to your particular job, in this case please arrange with the Building Control Surveyor at the start of the work when he wishes to make further visits. Additionally, other inspections may be made should problems arise, or from time to time to check particular aspects of the construction. The cost of all inspections made will be covered by the second fee for which you will be invoiced on commencement of your building work.
Completion
Seven days notice is required for a completion inspection.
When you or your builder notifies us that the work is finished our surveyor will carry out a final inspection. If the works are satisfactory we will issue a completion certificate.
Note - to receive a completion certificate a completion inspection must be carried out.
We strongly recommend that you request the final inspection before your builder leaves the job and before you pay his final account. Any problems can then be quickly and efficiently put right.
Keep your Completion Certificate in a safe place. If you sell your house the purchaser's solicitor will ask for the Building Regulation Approval and/or Completion Certificate for any work you have carried out.
Enforcement
When work is found not to comply with the Regulations, your Building Control Surveyor will request that it is altered or removed to put things right. Hopefully, this will be done but if not, then he may serve a legal notice on the building owner requiring him to do so.
Normally the notice will give you 28 days to rectify the work. You can seek advice from a professionally qualified person if you disagree with the notice, and if you tell the Council this, the 28 days will be extended to 70 days. .
If the contraventions are not rectified within the time limit, legal proceedings will continue which may lead to a fine which increases day by day until the work is made to comply.
Similar action may result if you carry out work without approval or if you fail to notify us at the various stages. We may require you to open up or pull down part of the work in order to confirm that the work has been constructed to an adequate standard.
Contact Us
If you require help or advice please contact us on Leeds 247 8106.or to request a site inspection 247 8095
The offices are open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5.00pm, Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.