Quick Answer
Most building work in England and Wales needs building control notification before you start. You have three routes: submit a building notice (quick, minimal paperwork), apply for full plans approval (detailed, gives legal protection), or use a competent person scheme to self-certify if you are registered. Skip notification and you risk enforcement action, fines of up to £5,000 per offence, and problems when the property is sold. Since October 2024, private building control bodies are now called Registered Building Control Approvers under the Building Safety Regulator.
Table of Contents
- What Is Building Control and Why Does It Matter?
- When You Need Building Control Approval
- Building Notice vs Full Plans: Which Route to Choose
- Competent Person Schemes: Self-Certify Your Work
- The Inspection Process: What Happens on Site
- Building Control Fees: What You Will Pay
- Completion Certificates: Why They Matter
- Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- LABC vs Registered Building Control Approvers
- Recent Changes: What Is New in 2025 and 2026
- Helpful Videos on Building Control
- What the Community Thinks
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Building Control and Why Does It Matter?
Building control is the system that ensures construction work in England and Wales meets minimum safety, health, energy efficiency, and accessibility standards set out in the Building Regulations 2010. These regulations are made under the Building Act 1984 and apply to almost all building work, from new houses to kitchen extensions to boiler replacements.
The system exists for one reason: to protect people. Buildings that do not meet structural, fire safety, or energy standards put occupants at risk. As a tradesperson, understanding when and how to notify building control is not just about avoiding fines. It is about doing the job properly and protecting your reputation.
The regulations are split into Approved Documents (Parts A through S), each covering a specific area. The ones most relevant to trades include Part B (fire safety), Part E (sound), Part F (ventilation), Part G (sanitation), Part H (drainage), Part J (combustion appliances), Part L (energy efficiency), Part M (access), and Part P (electrical safety). If your work falls under our Part L building regulations guide, you will need to understand the notification process covered here.
When You Need Building Control Approval
The general rule is simple: if you are doing anything beyond basic maintenance, you probably need building control approval. Here is a clear breakdown.
Work that always needs approval
- Building a new house or structure
- Extensions of any size (including conservatories with heating)
- Loft conversions
- Structural alterations (removing load-bearing walls, adding steels)
- Underpinning foundations
- Installing or replacing a heating system (boiler, heat pump)
- Adding extra radiators to a heating system
- Replacing a fuse box (consumer unit) and connected electrics
- Changing electrics near a bath or shower
- Installing a bathroom with new plumbing
- Replacing roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs
- Replacing windows and external doors
- Installing fixed air conditioning
- Converting a garage to habitable space
Work that does not need approval
- Most repairs, replacements, and like-for-like maintenance (unless it involves heating, electrics, or glazing)
- Replacing baths, toilets, basins, and sinks (no new plumbing runs)
- Adding insulation in roof spaces or under timber floors
- Replacing gutters and downpipes
- External doors where less than half the door is glazed
- Some hot water storage systems under 15 litres
Planning Permission Is Not Building Control
A common source of confusion. Planning permission controls what you can build and where. Building regulations control how it is built. You might need both, one, or neither. An extension within permitted development rights still needs building control approval. Do not assume that because you do not need planning permission, you are exempt from building regulations.
Building Notice vs Full Plans: Which Route to Choose
When you decide to notify building control, you have two main routes. Each has distinct advantages depending on the project.
| Feature | Building Notice | Full Plans Application |
|---|---|---|
| What you submit | Simple form, site plan, fee | Detailed drawings, structural calculations, specifications |
| When you can start work | 2 days after submission | After approval (5 weeks, or up to 2 months by agreement) |
| Upfront design approval | No pre-approval of design | Yes, plans checked before work starts |
| Legal protection | None. If work fails inspection, you fix it at your cost | Approved plans provide legal defence |
| Best for | Small alterations, straightforward jobs | Extensions, loft conversions, complex structural work |
| Validity | 3 years from submission | 3 years from deposit date |
| Typical cost | £670 to £1,140 | £530 to £1,130 (split: plan check + inspection) |
When to Use a Building Notice
A building notice works well for straightforward jobs where you are confident the work will comply: boiler replacements, small internal alterations, garage conversions. You skip the paperwork delay and can start within 48 hours. But remember, there is no safety net. If the inspector finds non-compliance during or after the build, you tear it out and redo it at your own expense.
When Full Plans Make More Sense
For anything involving structural changes, extensions, or complex projects, full plans give you peace of mind. The plans are checked before a single brick is laid. If the inspector later disputes something that was shown on the approved plans, you have a legal defence. For work related to CDM regulations, full plans are almost always the right choice.
Competent Person Schemes: Self-Certify Your Work
Competent person schemes (CPS) are government-authorised programmes that let registered tradespeople self-certify that their work complies with building regulations. Instead of submitting a separate building control application and paying for inspections, a CPS-registered installer notifies the local authority on your behalf after the work is done.
This saves time and money. On average, CPS membership saves £241 in building control fees per notifiable job. For busy tradespeople doing multiple installations per week, that adds up fast.
Key schemes by trade
| Trade | Scheme(s) | What they cover |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA, BESCA | Part P electrical installations (consumer units, new circuits, bathroom electrics) |
| Gas | Gas Safe Register | All gas work (boilers, cookers, fires). Legally required, not optional. Our Gas Safe guide covers this in detail |
| Oil heating | OFTEC | Oil-fired boilers and storage tanks (Part J) |
| Solid fuel | HETAS | Wood burners, biomass boilers, flue installations |
| Windows and doors | FENSA, CERTASS | Replacement windows and doors (Part L energy efficiency) |
| Roofing | CompetentRoofer | Roof recoverings (Part L compliance) |
| Plumbing and heating | APHC, BESCA | Unvented hot water systems, bathroom installations, heating systems |
| Ventilation | BESCA | Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (Part F) |
You Cannot Retrospectively Sign Off Someone Else's Work
A CPS-registered tradesperson can only certify work they personally carried out (or their employees under their supervision). You cannot ask a mate who is NICEIC-registered to sign off electrical work you did yourself. This is illegal and scheme members who do it risk being struck off.
The Inspection Process: What Happens on Site
Once you have notified building control (either via a building notice, full plans approval, or the work has started on a notified project), you need to book inspections at key stages. Miss a stage and the inspector may require you to expose completed work for checking, which means ripping out plasterboard, digging up finished floors, or uncovering drainage runs.
Standard inspection stages
- Commencement notice: Notify building control at least 2 days before starting any work on site. This is a legal requirement under Regulation 16.
- Foundation excavation: Before pouring concrete, let the inspector check the trench depth, width, and ground conditions. They will verify compliance with the structural engineer's design.
- Damp-proof course (DPC): The inspector checks the DPC is correctly positioned before walls are built above it.
- Oversite concrete: Before the ground floor slab is poured, the inspector checks the hardcore, insulation, and membrane placement.
- Drainage: Before backfilling trenches, the inspector checks pipe runs, falls, connections, and may request a water or air test.
- Structural steelwork: Before any steels or lintels are hidden by plaster or cladding, the inspector verifies they match the approved structural calculations.
- Pre-plaster / pre-board: Before plasterboard goes up, the inspector checks insulation, vapour barriers, fire stopping, and any concealed services.
- Completion: A final inspection before the building is occupied. The inspector checks everything meets regulations and issues a completion certificate if satisfied.
Never Cover Up Work Before Inspection
This is the single biggest mistake tradespeople make. If you plasterboard over steelwork, backfill drainage before testing, or lay a floor over insulation before the inspector has seen it, they can require you to expose it. That means time, money, and materials wasted. Book your inspections and wait for the green light before covering anything up.
Building Control Fees: What You Will Pay
Building control fees vary by local authority, but they follow a predictable structure. Most councils split fees into a plan check fee (paid on submission) and an inspection fee (paid before the first inspection). Building notice fees are paid as a single upfront charge.
Typical domestic fees (2025/2026)
| Work type | Building notice | Full plans (total) |
|---|---|---|
| Extension under 10m² | £670 to £840 | £530 to £660 |
| Extension 10 to 40m² | £830 to £1,020 | £670 to £820 |
| Loft conversion (no dormer) | £760 to £1,080 | £630 to £750 |
| Loft conversion (with dormer) | £920 to £1,080 | £780 to £930 |
| Garage conversion | £670 to £840 | £530 to £660 |
| Window replacement (up to 10 units) | £310 to £360 | £250 to £360 |
| Heating installation (boiler) | £310 to £360 | £250 to £360 |
| Electrical work (full rewire) | £760 to £1,010 | £700 to £950 |
Regularisation Costs More
If you did work without notifying building control and need retrospective approval (regularisation), expect to pay 30% to 60% more than the standard fee. A £670 building notice becomes £900 to £1,100 as a regularisation application. Regularisation is only available through local authorities, not private inspectors, and there is no guarantee the work will pass. If it does not, you pay to fix it on top of the fee.
Completion Certificates: Why They Matter
A completion certificate is the document that confirms your building work complies with the building regulations. It is issued by the local authority or registered building control approver after the final inspection.
This certificate matters more than most tradespeople realise. Without it:
- Property sales stall. Solicitors routinely check for completion certificates during conveyancing. Missing certificates can delay or kill a sale. Some mortgage lenders refuse to lend without them.
- Insurance problems. Home insurance may not cover damage related to uncertified building work.
- Enforcement risk. The local authority can serve an enforcement notice requiring the work to be altered or removed, even years after completion. Under the Building Safety Act 2022, the enforcement window has been extended from 12 months to 10 years.
- Your reputation. If a client cannot sell their house because you did not get building control sign-off, expect difficult conversations and potential legal claims.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
After speaking with building control officers and reading hundreds of forum threads from tradespeople, these are the mistakes that come up again and again.
- Assuming "like for like" means no approval needed: Replacing a boiler with a different model is not like-for-like. Replacing windows with different frames is not like-for-like. If the specification changes, you likely need approval.
- Covering up work before inspection: The most expensive mistake. Always book inspections and wait for sign-off before plastering, backfilling, or boarding.
- Confusing planning permission with building regulations: They are completely separate systems. You might need both, one, or neither. Check both before starting.
- Not checking whether the customer's contractor is CPS-registered: If you are subcontracting electrical or gas work, make sure the sub is registered with a competent person scheme. If they are not, someone needs to notify building control.
- Forgetting to notify commencement: You must give 2 days notice before starting on site. Starting without notice is a breach of the regulations.
- Using a private building control body that goes bust: Since the Building Safety Act changes in October 2024, private building control bodies must now be registered as Registered Building Control Approvers. If yours closes mid-project, your project reverts to the local authority. Get documentation as you go.
LABC vs Registered Building Control Approvers
You have two choices for who inspects your work: the local authority building control service (LABC) or a Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA), formerly known as an Approved Inspector.
Since October 2024, the private building control sector has been restructured under the Building Safety Act 2022. Private inspectors are now regulated by the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) and must meet stricter competence requirements.
| Feature | Local Authority (LABC) | Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Always available for your area | You choose from a national register |
| Regularisation | Can handle retrospective approval | Cannot do regularisation |
| Enforcement power | Can serve enforcement notices directly | Must refer enforcement to local authority |
| Speed | Variable. Some councils are faster than others | Often faster response times |
| Cost | Set by council fee schedule | Competitive, may offer fixed quotes |
| Higher-risk buildings | Not permitted since BSA 2022 | Not permitted since BSA 2022 (BSR handles these) |
Tip for Tradespeople
For standard domestic work, either route is fine. If you are doing a lot of projects in one area, building a relationship with your local authority building control team can pay dividends. They know the local ground conditions, common issues, and can give informal guidance before you submit. If speed is critical and you need a fixed price, an RBCA might suit better.
Recent Changes: What Is New in 2025 and 2026
The building control landscape has changed significantly. Here are the key updates every tradesperson should know.
Building Safety Act 2022 (now in force)
- Enforcement window extended from 12 months to 10 years for non-compliance
- Private inspectors now regulated as Registered Building Control Approvers under the BSR
- Higher-risk buildings (7+ storeys or 18m+ with 2+ residential units, hospitals, care homes) handled exclusively by the BSR
- Duty holder requirements: designers and builders must be demonstrably competent
Future Homes Standard (December 2026)
- New-build homes will need to produce 75-80% less carbon than current standards
- Effectively phases out gas boilers in new builds
- Major implications for heating installers, electricians, and insulation contractors
Digital submissions
- The Planning Portal's Building Control Portal has processed over 20,000 applications and £11 million in fees
- Online submission is now available for both building notices and full plans in many authorities
- Expect digital-first processes to become the norm, similar to how fire safety compliance is moving online
Building Safety Levy (October 2026)
- New levy on building control applications for residential developments of 10+ dwellings
- Expected to raise £3.4 billion over 10 years for building remediation
- Primarily affects developers but will influence project costs across the sector
Helpful Videos on Building Control
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What the Community Thinks
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Replacing or installing a heating system requires building regulations approval under Parts J and L. However, if your installer is registered with Gas Safe (for gas boilers) or OFTEC (for oil), they can self-certify under the competent person scheme and will notify building control on your behalf. If using a non-registered installer, you must submit a building notice or full plans application separately.
Your buyer's solicitor will flag it during conveyancing. Some mortgage lenders will refuse to lend without one. You may need to apply for regularisation (retrospective approval) before the sale can proceed. Alternatively, indemnity insurance can sometimes satisfy the buyer's lender, but this is not a proper fix and may cost £200 to £500. The safest approach is always to get a completion certificate at the time the work is done.
Yes, through a regularisation application. This is only available via the local authority (not private inspectors). Fees are typically 30-60% higher than a standard application. The inspector will need to assess the completed work, which may require exposing hidden elements. There is no guarantee the work will be approved; if it fails, you will need to bring it up to standard at your own cost. Regularisation only applies to work carried out after 11 November 1985.
It depends. A conservatory is exempt from building regulations if it is at ground level, under 30m², separated from the house by external-quality walls/windows/doors, has an independent heating system with separate controls, and the glazing and electrics comply with the relevant standards. If you add a radiator connected to the house's central heating or remove the separating wall, it is no longer exempt and becomes a normal extension requiring full building control approval.
A building notice lets you start work 2 days after submission. A full plans application must be decided within 5 weeks, or up to 2 months if you agree to an extension. The actual inspection process then runs alongside the build. Completion certificates are typically issued within 8 weeks of the final inspection passing.
Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building regulations systems. Scotland uses Building Standards under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 with a warrant system. Northern Ireland operates under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 1979. The principles are similar but the processes, forms, and competent person schemes differ. This guide covers England and Wales only.
