Building regulations approval
When you need approval
You must check if you need approval before you construct or change buildings in certain ways.
You do not need to get approval yourself if you use someone registered with a competent person scheme.
Find out about the rules in and .
Building regulations approval is different from planning permission. You might need both.
Work covered by building regulations
The cover the construction and extension of buildings.
You might also need building regulations approval for many alteration projects, including if you plan to:
- replace fuse boxes and connected electrics
- install a bathroom that will involve plumbing
- change electrics near a bath or shower
- put in a fixed air-conditioning system
- replace windows and doors
- replace roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs
- install or replace a heating system
- add extra radiators to a heating system
You could need approval, or to follow special rules, for works not listed here - so always .
Check with a building control body if you cannot decide if you need approval.
You do not need advance approval for or heating system, but there are rules you must follow.
Penalties and problems
The person doing the work could be prosecuted and fined with building regulations.
Your local authority could make you pay for faulty work to be fixed.
Without approval you will not have the certificates of compliance you may need when you want to sell your home.