PART SEVEN CREATING DRAWINGS FOR BUILDING REGULATIONS

Chartered Surveyor Ian Rock explains why you need Building Regulations drawings, who can produce them and how much they will cost

Most of us are aware that you need to submit aset of scale drawings with planning applications in order to illustrate your proposed design. But the next stage in the process, which involves producing detailed construction drawings, can be abit of agrey area that sometimes gets skimped on or overlooked, risking serious problems occurring further down the line.

BUILDING REGULATIONS EXPLAINED

By law, most construction work needs to be carried out in accordance with the Building Regulations. The main exemptions are for peripheral things like small porches, conservatories or detached garages (up to 30m² floor area). So once you’ve secured your planning approval, the focus needs to shift to proving that your design ticks all the right technical boxes. This is where detailed construction drawings come in, since their main purpose is to demonstrate compliance with the ‘Approved Documents’ which together comprise what are broadly termed the ‘Building Regulations’.

Traditionally, the main aim of the Building Regulations was to ensure that new buildings were structurally stable and safe to inhabit without risking life and limb. But in recent years their scope has broadened dramatically. Today the Approved Documents comprise aseries of detailed guidance manuals (ranging from Ato R) covering everything from structure and fire safety through to security and electronic communications. One area that particularly exercises the minds of designers is how to meet or exceed thermal efficiency targets.

In effect, the drawings show how your giant construction kit of abuilding or extension is all going to fit together, and as such, it makes these drawings well-suited for tendering and getting the project priced. It also means the builders will have an approved set of plans to work to, which should go along way to preventing potentially disruptive misunderstandings later on site.