If you are considering making alterations to your home, you may need approval under building regulations.

You must let us know if you are planning any of the following types of work:

• building an extension
• removing inside walls or chimney breasts
• creating rooms in the loft space
• re-roofing and altering gables
• removing a chimney stack
• altering plumbing and drainage
• installing heating appliances
• replacing or installing windows
• rewiring your house
• supplying electrical power to a garage or outhouse
• providing external lighting or power sockets
• building a garage or carport on the side of the property
• building a detached garage or outbuilding

You may also need planning permission for your building work or alterations.

If in doubt, contact us.

You’ll also need to apply under building regulations if you want to change the use of a property:

• to a home
• to a flat
• to a hotel or boarding house
• for institutional purposes, for example:
  • a hospital
  • a nursing home
  • a home for caring for elderly people or children

You will not normally need building regulations permission for:

• small, detached single-storey buildings containing no sleeping accommodation, that is less than 30 square metres in floor area, is made of non-combustible materials and is at least one metre from the boundary, eg a detached garage or workshop.
• small detached buildings that contain no sleeping accommodation and are less than 15 square metres in floor area
• an extension at ground level with a floor area of less than 30 square metres which is used either as a porch, conservatory, covered way or carport (open on at least two sides)

Glazing in a porch or conservatory must meet the requirements of part N of the building regulations (safety glass).

Building Control Services

BuildingControl@befirst.london

Emails are monitored daily during the working week. If you need to talk to us sending a request for a call back from a member of the admin team or a surveyor is the best method.