Building regulations checker
Tick what you are doing and see which parts of the Building Regulations apply, who signs it off, and what paperwork you should end up holding.
Last updated July 2026 · built by working UK builders
Guidance for England and Wales. Scotland uses a building warrant system and Northern Ireland has its own regulations — the principles are similar, the process is not. Always confirm with your building control body before starting.
The parts of the Building Regulations, in plain English
| Part | Covers |
|---|---|
| A | Structure — will it stand up, and stay up |
| B | Fire safety — escape routes, fire doors, alarms, spread of flame |
| C | Site preparation and resistance to moisture — damp-proofing, ground conditions |
| E | Sound insulation between dwellings and rooms |
| F | Ventilation — extraction, trickle vents, air changes |
| G | Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency |
| H | Drainage and waste disposal |
| J | Combustion appliances and fuel storage — boilers, flues, stoves |
| K | Protection from falling — stairs, ramps, guarding, glazing |
| L | Conservation of fuel and power — insulation, air tightness, efficiency |
| M | Access to and use of buildings |
| O | Overheating in new dwellings |
| P | Electrical safety in dwellings |
| S | Infrastructure for electric vehicle charging |
Three routes to approval
Full plans application
Drawings and structural calculations submitted and approved before work starts. Slower, but you get a decision notice, your builder has something specific to work to, and disputes on site become much rarer. The right choice for anything structural.
Building notice
No drawings — you give 48 hours' notice and the inspector checks as the work proceeds. Fine for small, well-understood jobs. Risky for anything complicated, because non-compliance is discovered after it has been built.
Competent person self-certification
A registered installer certifies their own work and notifies the council. Applies to electrics, gas, windows, insulation, solid fuel appliances and a few others. Verify registration on the scheme's own register — Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT, FENSA, CERTASS, HETAS — rather than trusting a logo on a van.
The certificate is the point
Building regulations approval is not bureaucracy for its own sake. It is the paperwork that makes your work saleable. When you come to sell, the buyer's solicitor will ask for a completion certificate for every extension, loft conversion, structural opening, boiler, rewire and set of windows. Missing certificates mean an indemnity policy at best, a renegotiation at worst, and a stalled sale in the middle.
If you are buying rather than building, ask for those certificates at the viewing. Theviewing checklist has the full list.
Frequently asked questions
What building work needs building regulations approval?
Most structural work, extensions, loft and garage conversions, new bathrooms, drainage changes, replacement windows, boilers, heat pumps, electrical circuits and replacing more than 25% of a roof or a wall covering. Redecoration, replastering and like-for-like repairs generally do not.
What is the difference between a building notice and full plans?
A building notice is quick and needs no drawings — the inspector checks as you go. Full plans means submitting drawings and calculations for approval before you start, which takes longer but gives you certainty and a document your builder must work to. Full plans is the right choice for anything structural.
What is a competent person scheme?
Registered installers in schemes like NICEIC, NAPIT, Gas Safe, FENSA, CERTASS and HETAS can self-certify their own work as compliant and notify the council on your behalf. You receive a compliance certificate in the post. It is faster and cheaper than a building control application — but only if the installer is genuinely registered, which is worth checking on the scheme’s own website rather than taking their word.
What happens if work was done without building regulations approval?
It surfaces when you sell. The options are a regularisation application — which means opening the work up so the council can inspect it — or an indemnity policy, which covers the financial consequence without fixing anything. Lenders and buyers accept indemnity for older, minor breaches and are far less relaxed about structural work.
How much does building control cost?
For a domestic extension, typically £600–£1,200 including plan checking and inspections, whether you use the council or an approved inspector. Smaller jobs are less. It is a small fraction of the build cost and it is the document that makes your work saleable.