When you have submitted an application and you are ready
to start work you must notify us at certain stages so we can carry
out site inspections.
You can request a site inspection by using our
online site
inspection report form, or you can contact our
Building Control
team.
If you fail to do this you will be breaking the law and may face
a fine of up to £5,000 for each offence.
It may also mean we cannot issue a Completion Certificate and
this is likely to cause problems when you try to sell your
property.
The stages will depend on the nature of the work being carried
out. If you are unsure about which stages are relevant contact our
Building Control
team.
You must give us notice at the following stages:
Stage 1 – Commencement (at least 48 hours
notice)
- This is the first statutory notification. We normally visit
when the work starts. However, in certain circumstances we may
agree not to inspect the site until a further notice is
received.
Stage 2 - Foundation excavations
- For conventional foundations the foundation trench should be
dug, levelled and cleaned to remove ground water before asking for
an inspection.
- For special foundations, such as a raft foundation or piled
foundations, contact
our Building Control
team to agree an inspection programme before the work
starts.
Stage 3 - Foundation constructed
- Notice must be given when the concrete has been placed. It is
advisable to have the corners of the building marked out to show
the position of the walls on the foundations. Our Building Control
Surveyor will be looking to see that the walls will be positioned
correctly on the concrete. Sometimes it is possible to start
building the walls before this inspection, but you should discuss
this with your Building Control Surveyor.
Stage 4 - Damp proof course laid
- You must notify us before any damp proof course is covered
up.
Stage 5 - Oversite ready for concreting
- For solid ground bearing floor slabs it is the hardcore,
insulation and damp proof membrane that we will inspect before
concrete.
- In the case of suspended timber floors it is the ground below
the oversite concrete that we need to inspect before it is covered
by the floor.
Stage 6 - Structural members
- We must inspect before you cover any structural members, for
example floor joists, roof timbers or steel beams etc
Stage 7 - Drains laid
- The drains must be inspected before they are covered up so we
can check the layout and construction. All drainage work should be
inspected. This includes foul drainage and surface/rainwater
drainage to the building.
- We also advise you to test the drains are watertight before you
cover them up.
Stage 8 - Drains test
- When the building is complete we will usually ask you to test
the drains while we watch to check that they are
watertight.
Stage 9 - Completion
- You should request an inspection when the building work is
fully complete (or for new buildings, before occupation).
- We will issue an inspection programme for your building work
before you begin which will list the stages of work we need to
inspect.
- However, the inspection programme is the minimum number of
inspections and we may call at other times to check the work while
it is in progress.
- Provided we have seen all the relevant stages of work, and they
comply with the Building Regulations, a Completion Certificate will
be issued.
We recommend any final payments to builders are only made after
the Building Control Surveyor has carried out a satisfactory
completion inspection.
Some building work will need extra specific inspections, such as
fire protection, thermal insulation and electrical installations.
We would rather inspect your work too often than risk refusing to
issue a Completion Certificate because of something we have not
been asked to inspect.
For more information contact
our Building Control
team.
