Manual to the Building Regulations
The Manual to the Building Regulations was published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in July 2020.
This is a short manual on the Building Regulations, offering guidance to those considering building in England, and which has been split into two volumes. Volume 1 of the manual gives a high-level outline of how the Building Regulations system currently works, with Volume 2 providing more detail.
Please note that this manual is only a summary, and further information on building regulations can be found via the Planning Portal (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200128/building_control/38/building_regulations).
The government has also published a downloadable PDF of Merged Approved Documents, which can be obtained here. It is advisable to check that the version of each approved document being used is current as well as being correct for the project. If there are any queries regarding this, please refer to the MHCLG website to check, and confirm with your building control body if there is any doubt.
This article originally appeared on the CIAT website on 30 July 2020. It was written by Steven Hedley MCIAT, Vice-President Technical.
--CIAT
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- CIAT articles.
- Domestic building.
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
- Planning Portal.
- Proposed changes: MHCLG consultation on house building statistics.
- Residential definition.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Do you take the lead in a circular construction economy?
Help us develop and expand this wiki as a resource for academia and industry alike.
Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce
Risks of undermining UK’s energy transition due to lack of electrotechnical industry representation, says ECA.
Cost Optimal Domestic Electrification CODE
Modelling retrofits only on costs that directly impact the consumer: upfront cost of equipment, energy costs and maintenance costs.
The Warm Homes Plan details released
What's new and what is not, with industry reactions.
Could AI and VR cause an increase the value of heritage?
The Orange book: 2026 Amendment 4 to BS 7671:2018
ECA welcomes IET and BSI content sign off.
How neural technologies could transform the design future
Enhancing legacy parametric engines, offering novel ways to explore solutions and generate geometry.
Key AI related terms to be aware of
With explanations from the UK government and other bodies.
From QS to further education teacher
Applying real world skills with the next generation.
A guide on how children can use LEGO to mirror real engineering processes.
Data infrastructure for next-generation materials science
Research Data Express to automate data processing and create AI-ready datasets for materials research.
Wired for the Future with ECA; powering skills and progress
ECA South Wales Business Day 2025, a day to remember.
AI for the conservation professional
A level of sophistication previously reserved for science fiction.
Biomass harvested in cycles of less than ten years.
An interview with the new CIAT President
Usman Yaqub BSc (Hons) PCIAT MFPWS.
Cost benefit model report of building safety regime in Wales
Proposed policy option costs for design and construction stage of the new building safety regime in Wales.
Do you receive our free biweekly newsletter?
If not you can sign up to receive it in your mailbox here.























