Do I need Building Regs approval or not?

mickey234

I am planning to convert an existing attached garage into a bedroom or new lounge. I have been told that Planning Permission is not required but told that I need Building Control.


What happens if I ignore the requirement for Building control ?

prosaver

Building Control.they will give you best advice with all the regs you need and you have to have it signed off.

Mistral001

If you need Building Control Approval and go ahead without getting it, you are breaking the law. So ask you local Building Control office.


If you need Building Control Approval but ignore it, you might get an enforcement notice rather than being prosecuted and have to go through the Criminal Courts. Even if you manage not to come under the radar of the authorities and do not mind breaking the law, you will almost certainly have to get Approval retrospectively if you want to sell the house sometime in the future.


If you find that the conversion does not meet the Building Regs when you apply for retrospective Approval then you might find that you have some expensive alterations to do which might have not cost you anything if you did the conversion according to the Building Regs. in the first place.

ds1980

ultimately yes and not a lot however if you are selling the house there could be potential problems issues. I've always found the "here when i bought it" works but it would only be a few hundred pound id have thought and not worth the potential issues.

travellerboy

Always wise to follow the official route as you can often get good advice to avoid future problems.
But if you decide to ignore it is unlikely to cause a major problem. I recent sold my father's house and he had converted the garage into a bedroom without planning or building control. We took out an Insurance Policy which will satisfy the buyer's requirements, only cost £80 - search google for the advice.

Furts

The attached garage may not have cavity walls, it may not a foundation across the front where the garage door is, it will not have an insulated floor, you probably want a window across the front hence cavity wall construction with a lintel, electrics are needed hence part P of the Regulations...the list goes on.

It is your choice, but for your piece of mind, and for the occupants of the home I suggest you get the the work done properly.

Should you sell the house without the Approval then retrospective approval is feasible. However when people suggest this route they are over looking the bl--din obvious. The message you will be sending out to prospective buyers is "I am a bodger, a cowboy and a chancer".

Of course you may be none of these, but the purchasers surveyor will regard you as such, and probably delve even deeper looking for other issues which may also have been bodged.