Building regulations

Under Part L of the Building Regulations, improvements have been made to help decrease carbon dioxide emissions.

This has improved the energy efficiency of new houses and existing houses so that less fuel will be consumed making energy bills cheaper, but still keeping your house at a comfortable temperature.

What are building regulations?

Building Regulations deal with the minimum standards required for buildings. They contain a list of requirements designed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings, as well as providing for energy conservation. Building Regulations ensure that any work carried out meets the minimum health and safety standards.

You may need to apply for Building Regulation approval when:

• building an extension on your home
• carrying out a loft conversion
• making certain alterations within your home
• installing new, or changing the positioning of old heating appliances
• fitting hot water storage
• replacing windows or doors

Standards

Under Part L of the Building Regulations some domestic products are required to meet new energy efficiency standards. Some, such as boilers and heating systems, will also need to be certified as being installed and commissioned correctly by a competent person who has the relevant industry accreditation.

The regulations also indicate a minimum standard of thermal insulation for replacement windows. This means that low thermal emissions, or low E double glazing is likely to be needed for all new replacement installations.

The regulations also have an amendment that requires gas-fired boilers, installed or replaced, to be condensing boilers rated SEDBUK A or B.

In exceptional circumstances it is permissible to install a non-condensing boiler instead of a condensing boiler. A non-condensing boiler can only be installed if there has been assessment of the property by a competent person who has confirmed that the additional cost is exceptionally high or it is impractical to install a condensing boiler.

How do I get certification of installations?

All installations need to be certified as being installed and commissioned by a competent person. This can be done through:

1. A competent person certifying the work using an approved commissioning certificate.
2. Applying for approval through the local Building Control Body.

The Government regulations define a competent person as:

1. CORGI registered installer for gas.
2. OFTEV registered technician for oil.
3. HETAS registered installer for solid fuel systems.
4. Registered operatives who comply with Building Regulation G2 for hot water systems.
5. FENSA registered installer for glazing.

To ensure the work is carried out in compliance with Building Regulations you should ask the installer for one of the following:

1. Benchmark Certificate for Central Heating a CORGI, HETAS, OFTEC installer should be asked to leave a Benchmark certificate at the end of their work in your house.
2. Certificate from FENSA for glazing if you choose a company registered with FENSA (Fenestration Assessment Scheme), a certificate will be supplied by the FENSA database. A certificate of compliance will also be forwarded to your Local Authority.
3. A completion certificate from the Building Control body. 

It is important that these documents are collected and kept safe as they may be required as proof of compliance if the property is to be sold.

To find out more see the planning and building control contacts page for our building control contact details.

Page last reviewed 26 Feb 2008