Building regs confusion!

therevolution

Hi, I was hoping I could get some advice on what to make of some previous application information I found about the house we have just bought.

The situation briefly is this..

We bought a 2 bedroom bungalow where the second bedroom has a loft hatch into a 'converted' loft space. We would like to put in a staircase and sell the house with the second bedroom upstairs.

The second to last owners built in a staircase and converted the loft in 2005, but the application says it was Rejected - all types. The previous owners say the stairs were removed and the loft hatch put in before they bought the property.

The house is extremely wonky, the interior walls have not been tied in but we are worried its subsidence.

There is a building notice application for structural repairs in 2000, where it says
Decision: Building notice examined.
Completion: 1 of 1

We found out from the council that the work was underpinning and it was carried out but not inspected.

I cant seem to find out what these decisions actually mean. We are worried the house still has subsidence, and that this might be a cause for rejecting plans for the loft conversion (the previous stairs we know didn't comply with building regs so we were hoping that this was the only reason for rejection, plus the floor not being reg depth)

What does Building notice examined mean?
If the council says the work was undertaken but not examined, does that mean it might not comply with building regs, or that it might have not been carried out at all?

What does Rejected - all types mean? Does it just apply to the work they carried out or could be mean we can never covert the loft compliant with building regs?

We're trying to avoid forking out lots of money for a man to come round and say we have to do this this and this, so are trying to prepare ourselves with as many facts as possible! We've had advice from friends to try and keep the council out as much as possible, but I'm terrified we'll make the wrong move.

Any advice on this waffling message would be much appreciated

Furts

In simple terms one can apply for Bulding Regs in two different ways. Either a full plans application where everything has been designed, and drawn up, or a Building Notice where the owner simply notifies the Council that the work is being done. No drawings or details need be submitted for the latter.

Hence your underpinning was done by the latter route. Why was it not inspected? Perhaps because the owner did not request the Council to come and inspect. Perhaps the owner did not want anything to be inspected? Perhaps the work was never done, or only part done? It does sound suspicious, but this is all in the past and it is "Buyer Beware" when buying a house.

My guess is at some stage the stairs and room in the roof were deemed to be unacceptable to the Building Regulations - perhaps the safety of the stairs, fire escape, insulation, floor strength, head heights etc.

Since the Council will have some records of the past I suggest you enter amicable conversation with them and get them on board. If you convert your roofspace you will need someone doing the Bulding Regulations, so they are ideally placed to be involved.

Hope this helps.

Doozergirl

The information you have from friends isn't getting you very far.

There will be an actual file on your house at the councilmoffices. Call them up and warn them that you would like to visit. You will find the history in there.

I can't tell younwhat their online jargon means, but I know for a fact that your house, even if it were subsiding, would not preclude converting the loft.

Are younsure that the rejection is building regs related and not planning permission related? If building regs plans were rejected, then something didn't comply in the proposition.

If you have your permitted development rights in place (planning department) then you just need to submit some kind of notice to building control. Either plans drawn up by an architect, or you go on building notice with a trustworthy builder.

What is past has no relevance to the future. As long as you want a loft conversion that complies, everyone will be happy.

You do realise that a loft conversion entails more than putting in a staircase?

therevolution

Hi, thanks for all the advice, we think we've come to a sensible decision!

Many thanks