New roof and building regs

sweetmale

Hi all

When we bought our property 5 years ago our survey said the roof was in need of attention in the near future as the slate tiles had been covered in bitumen as a patch up and was in excess of 30 years old. We went ahead with the purchase knowing this.

5 years later with no problems with the roof we decided to have the old slate tiles taken off and new slate tiles put on the whole roof.

The work is now completed but at 03:00 1 morning due to lack of sleep I was surfing the net in regards to building works and new roofs. I came across building reg consent from the local council. My question is should I have informed the council that we were having our roof replaced like for like (no change in type of material, no structural changes etc)?
The builder took all the old tiles off and replaced the batons and felt.

We have a loft conversion so there is no rafters.

I also had 2 window frames on the first floor bedroom taken out and replaced with new ones with slightly different openings due to our survey saying in case of fire the openings we had wouldn't be sufficient for escape. The new windows now allow this. Again on the building regs it states we should inform the council if we change window frames and openings?

The builder is not aware of this requirement to notify the council and has been doing building works for years??? Found him on checkatrade website.

If I did need to inform the council it is now too late as the work is completed. What can I do/should I do? Will I have a problem when I come to sell the property in 5 - 10 years? (Probably won't sell earlier than 5 years).

Our house is a semi detached property and is not a listed building or in a conservation area.

Am I worrying for nothing?

Thanks everyone.

G_M

I'm no expert but a quick search found:


http://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/info/200011/building_control/94/building_control/2
Notifiable work

Most "Building Work" comes under our control. This includes things like new buildings, extensions and loft conversions as well as new roofs and through lounges.

sweetmale

Thats the kind of info I find when searching. The problem is that the roof and windows are now completed. It might be a bit late to inform the council now.

Davesnave

To get your paperwork for this sorted, apply for regularisation. (but see later posts.)The council will have a form for this and will charge to cover the inspection, but once they've done it, assuming the work is OK, you'll be in the same position as if you'd notified them. It's your job to notify, not the tradesperson.

In the case of the windows, hopefully you used someone who would register them with FENSA, though you may not have received the certificates yet.

http://www.fensa.co.uk/benefits-to-customers.aspx

PasturesNew

Davesnave wrote: »

It's your job to notify, not the tradesperson.

I think the OP meant that the tradesperson should at least have known about it, even if they'd just "assumed" the home-owner had done the official/right things.

I'd expect a tradesperson, attending for a quote, to say "That'll cost you £X,000 Guv - and you'll need to have building regs for this. Have you sorted that yet, or shall I give you a form?" and have a box of forms in their van (to help them secure getting the work because they appear professional/knowledgeable).

Doozergirl

PasturesNew wrote: »

I think the OP meant that the tradesperson should at least have known about it, even if they'd just "assumed" the home-owner had done the official/right things.

I'd expect a tradesperson, attending for a quote, to say "That'll cost you £X,000 Guv - and you'll need to have building regs for this. Have you sorted that yet, or shall I give you a form?" and have a box of forms in their van (to help them secure getting the work because they appear professional/knowledgeable).

...Or they'd keep their mouths shut in order to undercut the ones that do things properly.

PasturesNew

Doozergirl wrote: »

...Or they'd keep their mouths shut in order to undercut the ones that do things properly.

That's the trouble here in the UK, you've no real idea who you're dealing with. "Anybody" can say they're a builder, roofer, whatever.

camptownraces

"If I did need to inform the council it is now too late as the work is completed. What can I do/should I do? Will I have a problem when I come to sell the property in 5 - 10 years? (Probably won't sell earlier than 5 years)."

Yes it's a bit late now. If you sell the property in 5-10 years, your buyer may want to see the Building Regs signoff.

Replacing an odd tile or slate is OK, but doing the whole roof is different, it generally requires lining under the tiles, and some insulation. It might be possible to have it retrofitted - you'd have to enquire. Or you take a chance that, in 5 years time, you get a naive buyer who doesn't have a survey done.

Tradesmen on "Checkatrade" are there because they pay for an advert.
There are better ways of finding reliable tradesmen.

Mocha61

The Planning Control of your local council will advise you, my daughter had a builder in to do work who was not upto date on Building Regulations and told her council did not need to be contacted. A couple of months later she realised he was wrong and rang the council, they were very helpful and have supported her through a very stressful time because the work done was classed as dangerous, the council have taken the builder to court and he has been fined. They will also need a replacement room soon and have been told that planning control will need to be contacted.

haf1

If you replace like for like, I would not expect to require planning permission

You do not normally need to apply for planning permission to re-roof your house or to insert roof lights or skylights as the permitted development rules allow for roof alterations subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Any alteration to project no more than 150 millimetres from the existing roof plane.
• No alteration to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.
• The permitted development regime for solar panels has different limits on projections and in relation to protected areas.

For the full link (I don't have rights to post URL, yet), see planningportal dot gov dot uk, under permission, commonprojects, roof

Unless I am mistaken and this does not apply?

Davesnave

haf1 wrote: »

If you replace like for like, I would not expect to require planning permission

We are not discussing planning permission.

That's different from building regs.