Rules And Regulations Regarding Home Extensions

When you are both stuck on the property ladder and stuck for space in your home you can get around the situation by having a home extension fitted.

Home extensions such as conservatories and orangeries will make your home more desirable when you accumulate the finances needed to relocate and put your current property on the market. They’ll also make it considerably more spacious.

But before you give the green light to the construction of an additional building, you need to be mindful of building regulations.

What are building regulations?

Building regulations are put in place to ensure that all aspects of a building are safe and covers things like structural integrity, fire safety, energy efficiency, damp proofing and ventilation. They set the standard for building design and construction.

If the extension you have in mind is a conservatory then it will be exempt from building regulations in the following circumstances:

• They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in floor area.
• The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality walls, doors or windows.
• There should be an independent heating system with separate temperature and on/off controls.
• Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements

How do I get building regulations approval?

You need to get in touch with the building control services at your local authority or an approved building inspector.

Approaching the local building control officer at the soonest opportunity will be beneficial as they will often provide you with invaluable guidance to ensure that everything is done exactly to the letter.

When you choose to contact your local authority you will simply need to submit an application. The application should give them a comprehensive outline of the proposed extension. You will usually hear back from them within 5 weeks which is then they will either give you the go-ahead or instruct you to make modifications to your plans.

Why you need to do it

Failure to comply with building regulations could result in the following:

• You may receive a heavy fine from your local authority and could even be imprisoned in some circumstances.
• Your local authority may order you to have the structure torn down at your own expense.
• Selling your home could be an issue as you won’t have the relevant certificates of compliance to pass onto anyone interested in purchasing the house.

Anything else I need to know?

You mustn’t forget about planning permission which is something entirely separate from building regulations.

Unless your proposed home extension is considered to be a “permitted development” you will need to apply for planning permission from your local planning authority.

Orion will organise everything for you

Whether it’s building regulations or planning permission that’s causing you concern, leave all the hard work to Orion Windows. Contact us to advise us of your preferred home extension and we will handle everything on your behalf.