Building regulations approval governs whether works are safely constructed, and applies to far more projects than planning permission does — including extensions, loft and garage conversions, removing load-bearing walls, and new drainage. A project can be permitted development yet still require full building regulations approval. The completion certificate issued at the end matters at resale.
Planning permission gets discussed constantly; building regulations get overlooked until a builder or building inspector raises them. Yet building regs apply to far more projects than planning does, and non-compliance causes real problems when you sell.
What is the difference between planning permission and building control?
They answer different questions:
- Planning permission asks: should this be built here? It considers size, appearance, overlooking, and impact on neighbours and the area.
- Building regulations ask: is this built safely and properly? They cover structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage and accessibility.
They're assessed by different people at different stages. A project can be permitted development — needing no planning application at all — while still requiring full building regulations approval. That combination catches people out regularly.
Which projects need building regulations approval?
Most structural and construction work, including:
- Extensions of essentially any size
- Loft and garage conversions
- Removing load-bearing walls or chimney breasts
- New or altered structural openings
- New drainage, and significant electrical or heating work
- Replacement windows and some re-roofing
Purely cosmetic work — decorating, replacing kitchen units, laying flooring — generally doesn't.
Should I use full plans or a building notice?
Full plans: you submit detailed drawings and calculations for checking before work starts. You get written approval, and the certainty that comes with it. Any issues surface on paper rather than on site.
| Full plans | Building notice | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Drawings and calculations checked before work starts | Council notified; work inspected as it proceeds |
| Certainty | High — written approval before building | Lower — issues surface on site |
| Speed to start | Slower | Faster |
| Risk | Issues resolved on paper | May require completed work to be opened up |
| Suitable for | Structural work and larger projects | Minor, non-structural works |
| Builder pricing | Priced against approved details | Priced against assumptions |
Building notice: you notify the authority and work is inspected as it proceeds. Faster to start, but riskier — a problem found at inspection stage may mean taking work apart. It also isn't suitable for larger or more complex projects.
For anything structural, the full plans route is usually the sensible choice. It's also what most builders prefer, because they're pricing against approved details rather than assumptions.
What is in a building regulations drawing package?
More technical detail than a planning drawing set. Typically:
- Construction sections showing floor, wall and roof build-ups layer by layer
- Structural calculations for beams, joists, lintels and foundations
- Insulation specifications demonstrating the thermal performance required
- Fire safety details — escape routes, fire doors, alarm provision
- Ventilation and drainage details
- Key junction details — how elements meet, where cold bridging and damp risks are managed
Why does the completion certificate matter?
When work is finished and passes final inspection, you receive a completion certificate. Keep it safe. When you come to sell, buyers' solicitors ask for it, and unregularised structural work is a common cause of delayed or renegotiated sales. Regularisation after the fact is possible but slower, more expensive, and sometimes means opening up completed work.
How much does a building regulations package cost?
Our Full Package at £1,650 covers planning drawings, engineer-signed structural calculations and a complete building regulations package in one fixed fee, delivered within two weeks. If you only need the structural element — for a knock-through or chimney breast removal, for instance — structural calculations start at £550.
Who carries out building control inspections?
Building control is carried out either by your local authority’s building control team or by a private approved inspector. Drawings and calculations are prepared to be acceptable to either route.
We issue building regulations packages for projects across Surrey, South London, Suffolk and the wider UK, coordinated with the structural calculations so that the architectural and engineering information agree.
Please note: this guide is general information for UK homeowners, not a formal planning determination. Rules vary by local authority and by property — conservation areas, listed buildings and Article 4 directions all change what applies. We confirm exactly what your project needs as part of your free quote.