FAQ's about Building Control

No! - there is a big difference. When you make a Planning Application, our colleagues in the Planning Services look carefully at issues like the appearance of the building and the effect it will have on adjoining properties etc. You will not however be asked for the nitty-gritty details about how your building will be constructed - things like foundations, floors, roof and walls etc.

These detailed constructional issues are dealt with under the Building Regulations for which a completely separate Building Regulation application is needed.

So I need to apply separately for Planning Permission and Building Regulation consent?

In most cases yes, but depending on your particular project you may need only Planning Permission, only Building Regulations consent, neither or both - even we sometimes get confused! If you are in anyway unsure which you need to apply for, please ask us for a preliminary enquiry form, which will guide you through the details you need to provide us with. Once we receive your completed form we will confirm in writing if an application is needed, and if so, what you need to apply for.

So how do I make a Building Regulations application?

Surprisingly perhaps, there are several different types of application you can make and you can pick the one you prefer. The vast majority of our applicants use either a Full Plans Application or a Building Notice and, as you would expect, there are advantages and disadavantages to both. Please click here to read these.

Building Control Charges seem high - why?

From April 1 1999 the Council has set the charges for Building Control work in accordance with legislation from Central Government. The Building Control service is required to cover all its costs from income (none of the burden can fall on the council taxpayer) so we have to set charge levels accordingly. Please compare our charges with those of other providers. When you take into account the level of service offered, I think you will find them very competitive.

What do we get for our money?

The City Council employs experienced and professional Building Control Officers to deal with your application who between them have a wealth of local knowledge. Our officers spend a considerable amount of time checking your plans, advising on how to comply with the regulations and in particular, carrying out regular site inspection visits.

Remember that the charge is fixed no matter how difficult your application may be to deal with and covers you for as many inspection visits as the Building Control Officer feels necessary - be that 1 or 100. We are easy to contact, give expert advice and respond the same day to your requests for a visit - few other organisations can offer that degree of service. If you compare our charges with those of calling out a professional surveyor just once or twice I hope you will agree that they are, in fact, more reasonable than perhaps they first appear.

If you do not check plans on a Building Notice applications, why are the charges the same as for Full Plans applications?

As no plan check is made, additional reliance is placed on the inspection stage of the process to ensure the Building Regulations are complied with. This translates into a requirement for either more inspections being necessary, or the inspections made taking longer than would be the case with a Full Plans application, hence the total cost is the same.

What if things go wrong?

If problems arise during the progress of works our officers will do their best to help find solutions, and will be happy to offer advice to both you and your builder. Ultimately however the Building Control service is not a warranty organisation and if the building work fails to meet your needs or expectations your redress would be against your builder, not the City Council.

For this reason you should take great care in selecting a builder who is reliable and who is still likely to be around if you have problems two or three years into the future. If you require a warranty on work you intend to carry out, several schemes are now avaliable which work in conjunction with our Building Control service, and we will be happy to supply further information on request.

Please note however, that as these are insurance-backed schemes, you will need to pay an additional charge directly to the warranty provider in order to take advantage of the cover offered.

If I make a Building Notice application, will the Building Control Officer tell me how to carry out the work during his first visit?

No - while we are always willing to offer help and advice you should not expect to use the Building Control Officer as a substitute for an architect or designer. If you are not confident that you (or your builder) are fully conversant with the requirements of the regulations then we would strongly advise you not to use a Building Notice application.

Can the Building Control Officer recommend a suitable builder?

We are afraid not. Your Building Control Officer is required to be completely impartial in his dealings with any builder or client and this would obviously not be possible if he/she were in the position of recommending one builder ahead of another. We are well aware of the difficulties involved in finding a good builder however and hope that recent Government initiatives on controlling the 'Cowboy Builder' will lead to us being able to offer more assistance in the future.

For the time being we would recommend that you :-

1. Choose an established builder and ask to talk to previous clients - ask if they were happy with the work, was it started and completed on time and was the final bill in line with the estimate. A builder with a reputation to preserve is more likely to be around if you have problems later.

2. Never choose a builder on the basis of a low estimate alone. Good builders who refuse to cut corners will seldom be able to compete on price with those that do.

3. Avoid builders who offer VAT free deals in return for cash payments. A builder who will fiddle the taxman will probably not think twice about fiddling you as well !

4. Be clear from the outset exactly what you want the builder to do and then stick to it - changing your mind too often will probably prove expensive.

5. Try to agree a simple contract with your builder - the vast majority of smaller work is carried out without the benefit of any written contract at all. Try to get as much as possible in writing, for example :-

Exactly what is included in the estimate (or preferably quotation)
When will work start and how long will it take.
What payments will the builder expect from you before the works are finished
On what basis you will want to agree any increase in cost (before the money is spent)
What arrangements will the builder make for your safety and convenience as works proceed.
Is the builder properly insured.
A suitable written contract you could use if you prefer is available from CIP ltd, 60 New Coventry Road, Sheldon, Birmingham B26 3AY and costs £9.99 plus p&p

6. When the works are completed to the satisfaction of your Building Control Officer you will be sent a 'Completion Certificate'. We recommend that you do not make the final payment to your builder until you have the certificate, but try to agree this with your builder at the outset (see 5 above). Completion certificates are becoming increasingly important and it is likely that you will have difficulty selling your property in the future without one.

When the Building Control Officer visits the site he talks to the builder but not me - why?

We assure you that we are not being disrespectful, but the majority of our clients do prefer us to deal directly with the builder. We always welcome the involvement of the owner in these discussions so if you wish to be involved, please make your wishes known to the Building Control officer during the first visit. Unless confidential matters are involved we must request that you join the builder for the discussion so that everyone is party to the same conversation. If you do wish to have a confidential discussion with the Building Control Officer at any stage, please ask (or make a separate arrangement by phone) and we will be happy to oblige.

All views expressed in this document are those of Nottingham City Council and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions or any other Local Authority. In the event of any dispute arising, refernece should be made to the relevant Statutory Document, which contains a full statement of the Law.