Free Advice Centre
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Our experts cover a range of Construction topics
from Design to Building Regulations
and Planning Approval, through to home safety advice and DIY tips. This
section is updated regularly, so call back to check what's new.
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The Building
Regulations Act (1991)
All building work carried out in the United Kingdom (except Scotland where
different rules apply) is covered by the Building Regulations Act (1991). The
Act and subsequent amendments, lays down standards for such things as sewage
disposal, damp proofing, fire safety, structural soundness and a host of
other building works.
These standards are designed to protect against insecure, substandard work,
all Builders and householders must adhere to them where they apply. Ignore
these regulations at your peril - if the lack of building regulation
compliance emerges during the sale of your house, you could find that your
property has been significantly devalued!
If you have a question on any aspect of Building Regulations, use our Online
Advice service to get an authoritative answer from our experts, or if you
feel that your builder is not complying with the rules, get one of our
Inspectors to check the work - see Design services - Domestic or Design Services -
Industrial for details of
Construction Inspections.
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Why you need a
written Contract.
We are constantly amazed at the number of people we meet who are having
Thousands of Pounds of building work being done yet they do not have a
written Contract.
They come to us with all sorts of problems: Disputes over the scope of work
originally agreed: Sudden additional charges for 'extra work': A "few
weeks work " has stretched to months. Whilst we can usually sort matters
out, the problems would probably never have arisen with a proper contract in
place.
Most reputable builders will be pleased to accept a contract for the work -
they have nothing to hide and everything is clear from the outset.
We cannot emphasise too strongly that however, friendly and amenable the
builder is when you meet, a 'Handshake Agreement' is not enough!
Use our printable Contract Form for your
own protection and if you feel you cannot negotiate the contract properly,
use our Contract Preparation service - details are in the Home Owner section.
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Choosing A
Builder or Tradesmen.
Simply picking names at random from Yellow Pages is not the best way of
finding a good builder. Ask friends, neighbours and work colleagues if they
have used builders they can recommend - or use our Find a Trade Service to get the names of approved builders.
If you are not having work done to a technical design or specification, take
the time to document your requirements in as much detail as possible before
contacting the builders.
Invite your shortlist of builders to come to the place the work is being done
to discuss the requirement (avoid builders who offer to quote purely on the
basis of your plan) and ask them to provide written quotations including
timescales.
Obtain at least three quotes - this may be difficult at busy times during the
building season, but it is often worthwhile delaying the job for a while,
rather than settling for the only builder who is available. However if you
are stuck for time, our Professional Inspection Service will give you the
peace of mind that your project is going smoothly.
Even if a builder comes highly recommended, ask him for reference sites and
check them out - a good builder will not mind showing off his work!
If you are unsure about choosing a Builder our Quotations Service can do this
for you.
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Rising Damp?
There are a number of reasons for damp patches or mould on walls and not all
of them are caused by rising damp, so before you suffer the expense and
disruption of installing a new damp proof course, read on.
Firstly do not rely on the readings from a battery powered Damp-meter (the
ones with two steel probes that you simply press on the suspect area), these
only check the surface dampness which may be caused by condensation or
dampness from another source.
The most reliable test for rising damp is done with a Hygrometer that
involves drilling a small hole in the wall and analysing the moisture and
salt content of the internal brickwork.
Apparent rising damp can be caused by:
a) Rain penetration.
b) Defective Plumbing.
c) Condensation.
d) External ground level too high.
e) Water from other sources.
In order to definitely determine that it is rising damp the answers to each
of the following tests should be positive
1. Is there a visible definition line damp to dry about 1 metre above ground.
2. Are salts present within the wall.
3. Is the wall damp internally.
4. Is the area free from mould growth?
5. Is the skirting damp or decayed?
To summarise you should be wary of quick investigation with a 'stab' meter
and seek further advice unless these five points are all positive.
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Domestic Gas
Safety.
Domestic gas can be an extremely dangerous substance and for that reason
there are stringent regulations that apply to it's use within the home.
All work on gas appliances and supplies must only be carried out by a CORGI
registered fitter - it is an offence for anyone else including the
householder themselves to undertake any repairs or installations.
A further regulation requires that the Landlord of a rented property
containing any gas appliances must pay for a gas inspection and provide the
tenant with a Certificate of Conformance on a yearly basis.
Gas regulations are ignored at your peril, non-compliance can result in heavy
fines and you may be signing you, your families and other peoples death
warrant.
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Grants &
Assistance.
A number of grants are available to householders (either owners or tenants),
these can vary according to location but in brief they are:
Home Energy Efficiency Grant (HEES) for cavity wall
insulation, draught proofing to windows & doors and loft insulation. The
grants are normally available to anyone over 60 and those on Benefit. The
grant is not means tested. Click here to see details of grants available NOW Save Energy site.
Electrical Rewiring Grant available to anyone over 65 for
improving or replacing wiring and sockets within the home.
Dripping Taps most Water Supply companies operate either a
free or low cost (about £10) repair service for dripping taps in the home.
Mains Sewerage If your property is not connected to mains
sewers you may be eligible for free or low cost connection under the 1991
Water Industry Act. You need to ask your water company for an assessment and
if they consider there is any risk of pollution they will instigate a
connection scheme.
Contact Building Advice for more details on any of these subjects.
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The Planning
Approval Process.
The Town & Country Planning Act requires that certain building works must
be granted Planning Permission before they are started.
The Act applies throughout the UK except for Scotland who have their own
regulations and is administered by the Local Authority Planning Department
(who are civil servants) in conjunction with the Planning Committee (Elected
Councilors). In certain areas other official bodies, such as the Environment
Agency and National Park Authorities, are also involved in the planning
process.
There are additional regulations that apply specifically to Listed Buildings,
Conservation Areas, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB's) and Areas of
Specific Scientific Interest (SSI's).
Not all building works require Planning Approval, these are known as Permitted
Developments and can include some small extensions, some garages,
some porches etc. etc. A variety of factors influence these exemptions
including the size of the property, location of the building in relation to
the main building, domestic curtilage, proximity of public highways etc.
Failure to obtain Planning Permission where it is required can result in you
paying for demolition of the offending structure and ignorance of the
regulations is no excuse.
If you are unsure whether or not you need planning permission, use our Online
Advice service to obtain a definitive answer. We can also get one of our
Planning advisors to have an informal chat with the Planning Officers in your
area; this will help keep the Planners informed of your intentions (always a
wise move) and obtain valuable feedback on attitudes and expectations of the
Planning Department.
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Planning Documents.
The main documents associated with the Planning Process are:
Certificate of Lawful Building - This is issued by the Planning
Department and certifies that the building or works you are undertaking are
permitted developments not requiring permission. Whilst it is not mandatory
to obtain this certificate, it can be useful for avoiding problems if your
work is in any way controversial and likely to upset neighbours.
Outline Planning Permission - is a useful way of establishing whether
or not your building project is likely to obtain permission without the time
and expense of making a full formal application. Although Outline Approval
carries a lot of weight, it is not an absolute guarantee that you will get
full permission - especially in circumstances where the political makeup of
the Planning Committee is likely to change.
Full Planning Permission - this is your go ahead to start your
building project, to obtain it you need to submit detailed construction plans
and elevations together with details of wall & roof finishes. Remember
permission is only granted for 5 years and your work must start within this
time otherwise your approval expires.
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The Law and Building
Works.
We've already covered the law regarding Building Regulations and Gas
Installations. Health and Safety Legislation must also be complied with. Both
the builder and the client have obligations related to safety during the
works.
In addition to these
specific regulations, the Supply of Goods & Services Act 1982 also
applies to building work and gives you the following protection:.
The work must be
carried out with reasonable care and skill.
In the absence of a pre-agreed price, the work should be be carried out for a
reasonable charge.
In the absence of an agreed time schedule the work should be carried out in a
reasonable timescale.
Materials and Goods used in the building must be of satisfactory quality and
fit for purpose.
Materials and Goods must be as described in the contract.
All Tradesmen working on your property should have their own Public Liability
Insurance, it is important to check that they have this, as you might be held
liable if they cause a problem and are not insured.
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While the Builders are
on-site.
Professional tradesmen should be courteous and tidy. They should keep you
informed as to how the work is going and if there is a problem you should be
told about it.
If you have changed your mind about something, the tradesman needs to know
about it well in advance so that he can plan and quote for the change. Record
any changes in writing.
If you are unhappy about any aspect of the work, discuss it with the
tradesman and if you can't get satisfaction arrange for an Inspection by one
of our professionals.
The main point we make in this section is that things usually go wrong
because of bad communications, as they say "It's good to talk!" but
remember if you say anything at all to the builder regarding changes or
extras, record it in writing.
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Smoke Detectors.
We make no apology for devoting a whole paragraph to something you already
know: Smoke Detectors Save Lives! They only cost a few pounds each and can be
easily fitted by almost anyone - yet thousands of people are still killed in
their sleep by fire.
If you know anyone who still hasn't got the message - tell him or her to
fit smoke detectors!
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