The world of Building Regs

BDEE

BDEE

BDEE

Soldato
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21 Apr 2011
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Little help from anyone experienced in building regs please?

I am building (well, it's actually finished) a 5mx2m single storey side extension. I got my planning, hadn't appreciated the difference to building regs at the time. When the founds were dug out the building inspector came and advised on the requirements for the application which was duly completed the same day.

I have had a nightmare getting the council to accept what I am sending them. They have all the plans and that is all fine - I had these drawn up by an architect.

What they will not accept is the specification. Essentially I have send a list of the materials from which everything is made, sizes of everything etc. They knock it back saying it isn't specific enough, but when I ask them to be specific in telling me what isn't specific enough, all they do is send back a generic specification which is written as if I was building an estate of 300, 15 storey buildings.

It is just a basic single storey extension - Trying to find a service that will write me a valid spec but all I can find is templates or companies looking after full on large projects who wouldn't be interested in my little 1 page spec. The templates are all well and good but I don't have any knowledge of what to take out / change / put in and what technical values apply to my materials - I just have what the builder has told me has been used, which is all compliant (and has all been checked and signed off by building control at every required stage of the build).

Any help appreciated. Thanks
 
One of the things they will looking to check u-values for walls/floors/roof/doors and windows. Doors and windows are pretty easy in that you simply ask the manufacturer to adhere to the required u-values, floors / walls / roofs are a little harder because you should be looking at how the extension acts as a whole but in truth for something so small they usually accept limiting elemental values (see link)

http://www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk...ilding-regulations---Kingspan-Insulation.aspx

You would be looking on the domestic / UK / Extension

Wall 0.28 W/m2K
Floor 0.22 W/m2K
Pitched Roof - Ceiling Level 0.16 W/m2K
Pitched Roof - Rafter Level 0.16 W/m2K
Flat Roof 0.18 W/m2K

To work these out you need to know the specific conductivity values of the materials you are putting in (W/mK) and their thickness.
http://www.changeplan.co.uk/u_value_calculator.php

Isn't a bad place to start if you fancy having a go yourself. It gets considerably more complicated if you have a lot of glass as you would need to undertake a weighted calculation and possibly increase the insulation spec/thickness if you are failing.
 
Just to add it might be worth asking exactly which parts of the regs they are asking you to submit information for.
 
Not much help to you but this is why we've used third party building regs companies on our last two pieces of work the council departments are awful!
 
Thanks for comments. I am at the stage of just wanting to give it all to someone to do as the whole doing it myself thing is giving me a headache. It looks like it should be so simple, yet perplexing at the same time.

a1ex, did you use local companies or are there big firms that deal in this kind of thing? When I was searching I kept finding big firms of architects who I am sure wouldn't be interested in my job
 
BDEE said:
Thanks for comments. I am at the stage of just wanting to give it all to someone to do as the whole doing it myself thing is giving me a headache. It looks like it should be so simple, yet perplexing at the same time.

a1ex, did you use local companies or are there big firms that deal in this kind of thing? When I was searching I kept finding big firms of architects who I am sure wouldn't be interested in my job
Click to expand...

We used a pretty big company they are interested in any old job as it's all money!
 
The architect is Swedish (an online friend of mine who) so doesn't do building regs.

I think I may have found someone locally now cheers.
 
BDEE said:
The architect is Swedish (an online friend of mine who) so doesn't do building regs.

I think I may have found someone locally now cheers.
Click to expand...

Odd way to do things?

So much easier in Scotland when you submit plans you need to provide anything prior to starting any works. Cuts out all the guff which can be covered by a simple Amendment at the end if it differs from the drawings during the process.
 
Pringle W said:
Odd way to do things?

So much easier in Scotland when you submit plans you need to provide anything prior to starting any works. Cuts out all the guff which can be covered by a simple Amendment at the end if it differs from the drawings during the process.
Click to expand...
Its the same in England, some folk don't though ;)
 
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