Building control bodies BCB

The building regulations set out legal requirements for specific aspects of building work and the notification procedures that must be followed when starting, carrying out, and completing building work. In England, the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) is responsible for the Building Regulations.

The building regulations require that a project's compliance with the regulations is independently verified. Building Control Bodies (BCB’s) are responsible for checking building work to verify that it complies with the regulations. Their role might include:

• Providing the client with advice on the building regulations.
• Giving advice regarding the information that needs to be submitted.
• Checking proposals for compliance with the building regulations.
• Issuing a plans certificate if that has been requested.
• Inspecting work as it progresses.
• Issuing a final certificate.

Building Control Bodies may be:

• The building control department of the Local Authority.
• An Approved Inspector.

The person carrying out the building work can choose whether they would prefer to use the Local Authority or an Approved Inspector. Approved inspectors can be individuals or organisations.

In March 2014, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and Welsh Government Ministers transferred responsibility for approving Approved Inspectors to CICAIR Limited, a subsidiary of the Construction Industry Council (Ref CIC, CIC launches CICAIR Limited 27 March 2014).

A set of building control performance standards have been prepared by the Building Control Performance Standards Advisory Group (BCPSAG) to help ensure competition between local authorities and approved inspectors does not drive down standards and to encourage the consistent application of building control functions.

NB Competent person self-certifications schemes (or competent person schemes) introduced in 2002 allow registered installers (mostly small firms or sole traders) who are competent in their field to self-certify certain types of building work.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Approved documents.
• Approved inspector.
• Building control Northern Ireland.
• Building control performance standards.
• Building Regulations.
• Competent person schemes.
• Fire authority.
• Fire and rescue service.
• Health and safety executive.
• How long it takes to get building regulations approval and how long it lasts.
• Local authority.
• Local planning authority.
• Planning permission.
• Statutory approvals.

[edit] External references

• Building Control Performance Standards Advisory Group.
• CIC, CIC launches CICAIR Limited 27 March 2014
• Gov.uk Providing effective building regulations so that new and altered buildings are safe, accessible and efficient.
• DCLG circular 01/2010 explaining how the 2010 regulations differ from the 1998 regulations.
• Circular letter providing general guidance on implementation of the 2010 regulations for building control bodies.