Planning and building control
Do you need building regulations approval?
Do you need building regulations approval?
Building regulations approval is different from planning permission. You might need both.
You must check if you need approval before you construct or change buildings in certain ways.
Work covered by building regulations
The Building Regulations 2010 cover the construction and extension of buildings.
You might also need building regulations approval for many alteration projects, including if you plan to:
- replace fuse boxes and connected electrics
- install a bathroom that will involve plumbing
- change electrics near a bath or shower
- put in a fixed air-conditioning system
- replace windows and doors
- replace roof coverings on pitched and flat roofs
- install or replace a heating system
- add extra radiators to a heating system
You could need approval, or to follow special rules, for works not listed here – so always research your particular project.
Find out whether your home improvement or large scale commercial project needs planning permission or building regulations approval. Use the Planning Portal to find what permissions you might need.
You do not need to get approval yourself if you use someone registered with a competent person scheme.
Find a ‘competent person’
Find a tradesperson, or check that they belong to a scheme