Building Regulations are a set of guidelines of which a builder/designer must incorporate into their design for the work you are wishing to have done. They are split in to 15 approved documents for each area of the build/design process (These are listed below in more detail).

The approved documents help designers/builders see the level of material performance, structural stability and building standards required for extensions and new developments in the UK. Almost all building work carried out in the UK requires some form of approval from building control in terms of building regulations. This is achieved by an application initially with the details and drawing specifications for the project being submitted, then an inspector will make several visits to the site address to check the work is as required while it is being carried out. At completion additional items such as certificates for electrical work carried out by an approved person will also be submitted to building control. After those are received, building control will issuse a certificate of completion which you will need for morgages/insurance and to re-sell the altered property afterwards.

Part A. Structure

This Part requires buildings to be designed, constructed and altered so as to be structurally safe and robust, and also so as not to impair the structural stability of other buildings.

Requires buildings to be built in a way ensuring no collapse will occur disproportionate to its cause.

Ground movement such as freezing of subsoil will not impair the stability of the building.

Part B. Fire safety

The Regulations consider five aspects of fire safety in the construction of buildings:

Requires safe means of escape from the building.

Requires the stability of a building to be maintained in a fire, both internally and externally.

Internally - The wall lining i.e. plaster, plasterboard or wooden boards on the walls and ceiling will resist the spread of flames and give off reasonable levels of heat, if on fire.

Internal stability will be maintained during fire and fire spread will be prohibited.

Fire and smoke will be prohibited from spreading to concealed spaces in a buildings structure.

Externally - The external walls and roof will resist spread of fire to walls and roofs of other buildings.

The building will be easily accessible for fire fighters and their equipment.

Part C. Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture

Nothing should be growing on the ground covered by the building.

Precautions must be taken to stop gases and dangerous substances from previous land use from entering the building and endangering the health and safety of occupants.

Subsoil drainage will be in place, if needed, to stop the passage of ground moisture to the interior of the building and to prevent damage to the fabric of the building.

The walls, floors and roof of the building shall prevent moisture passing to the inside of the building.

The building must have provision to prevent condensation occurring in the roof structure.

Part D. Toxic substances

Part E. Resistance to the passage of sound

Part F. Ventilation

Standards for ventilation and air quality requirements for all buildings are included in this part of the building regulations

Part G. Sanitation & Hygene & Water Efficiency

Adequate sanitation facilities i.e. toilet.

A house must have either a bath or shower with ability to heat hot water.

Unvented hot water storage systems - restrictions apply to who can install the system.

Part H. Drainage and waste disposal

An adequate system to carry water used for cooking, washing, toilet, bath or shower to a sewer, cesspool or settlement tank must be in place.

An adequate system to carry rainwater away from the roof of a building e.g. guttering carrying water to a sewer.

A place to put a wheelie bin or dustbin. The place must not harm anyone's health.

Part J. Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems

Must have an adequate air supply for combustion and for efficient working of a fluepipe or chimney.

Appliances shall discharge the products of combustion to the outside.

The appliance, fireplace and chimney shall reduce the risk of the building catching fire.

Part K. Protection from falling, collision and impact

Part K sets minimum standards for the safety of stairways, ramps and ladders, together with requirements for balustrading, windows, and vehicle barriers to prevent falling from floor edges, etc. Glass and Glazing Safety is also covered.

Also included are requirements for guarding where there is a risk of falling, pedestrian and vehicle barriers, and requirements to prevent injury from (opening) doors and windows.

Part L. Conservation of fuel and power

Approved documents L1 is specific to dwellings and L2 relates to all buildings other than dwellings.

As of 6 April 2006 (2010) (2014) split into four sections:

• L1A New dwellings
• L1B Existing Dwellings
• L2A New Buildings other than Dwellings
• L2B Existing Buildings other than dwellings

Part L controls the insulation values of building elements, the allowable area of windows, doors and other openings, air permeability of the structure, the heating efficiency of boilers and the insulation and controls for heating appliances and systems together with hot water storage and lighting efficiency.

In addition to insulation requirements and limitation of openings of the building fabric, this part considers solar heating and heat gains to structures, it controls heating, mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting efficiency, space heating controls, air permeability, solar emission, the certification, testing and commissioning of heating and ventilation systems, and requirements for energy meters.

Air permeability is measured by air tightness testing ^[5] for new dwellings (based on a sampling regime), all new buildings other than dwellings and large extensions to buildings other than dwellings.

These four Approved Documents must be read in conjunction with the supplemental official and industry documents (the 'second tier' guidance documents).

Part L New Requirements Lighting, ventilation, solar heat gain and possible overheating will all impact on the potential to hit the 25% reduction target but until now have not really troubled us. As U-values falls (see table) and airtightness levels increases, heat loss through 'thermal bridges' becomes more significant. The new regulations give these issues more emphasis. They also require designs to avoid solar gains, leading to excessive summer temperatures.

Part M. Access to and use of Buildings

Part M requires the inclusive provision of ease of access to and circulation within all buildings, together with requirements for facilities for disabled people.

Buildings should have reasonable provision:

• For all people to gain access and use the building.
• Toilets provision shall be made available for all.
• If a building has seating such as audience or spectator seating, reasonable provision should be made for people with disabilities.

Part N. Glazing - safety in relation to impact, opening and cleaning

(Note: These Measures were moved into a new Part K in 2013) Glazing that people come into contact with whilst in a building, should, if broken, break in a way unlikely to cause injury, resist impact without breaking or be shielded or protected from impact.

Part P. Electrical safety - Dwellings

New rules for electrical safety in the home, the garden and its outbuildings. This part only applies to dwellings (in some cases, buildings that would be exempt but which take their electrical supply from a dwelling). Several government approved competent persons schemes support Part P.

Reasonable provision shall be made in the design, installation, inspection and testing of electrical installations in order to protect persons from fire or injury.

Sufficient information shall be provided so that persons wishing to operate, maintain or alter an electrical installation can do so with reasonable safety.

Installers who are members of a certified "Competent Persons Scheme" may carry out electrical work without the need to submit a formal building regulations application.

Exempt buildings

Exempt buildings include:

• CLASS I Buildings controlled under other legislation e.g. Any building the construction of which is subject to the Explosives 5 and 1923. Or Nuclear related buildings.
• CLASS II Buildings not frequented by people (unless close to an existing building).
• CLASS III Greenhouses and agricultural buildings (Not used for Retail).
• CLASS IV Temporary buildings (Erected for less than 28 days).
• CLASS V Ancillary buildings.
• CLASS VI Small detached buildings [Garages, garden storage sheds/huts] (less than 30 square metres floor area with NO sleeping accommodation therein).
• CLASS VII Extensions - Porches, Covered Ways, Conservatories, (less than 30 square metres floor area).

The Building Regulations 2000 have been amended five times since the original statutory instrument was published. A new consolidated edition was published in 2010 = Building Regulations 2010. These have also now been amended 5 times since 2010. It is good practice to have exemption confirmed by the relevant local authority prior to starting construction works or alterations. The latest Statutory Instrument gives the full conditions of exemptions (and newly controlled buildings, see below).