Building regulations application

How to apply

Building regulation fees are assessed on an individual basis for each application.

Contact a surveyor

Email us at buildingcontrol@tunbridgewells.gov.uk about your application and for a fee quotation.

Before you start

• identify which form you need to complete
• ensure that you have completed the right information
• attach relevant files including drawings and other supporting information

Submit your application

Building regulation applications can be submitted by email to buildingcontrol@tunbridgewells.gov.uk or bcr@tunbridgewells.gov.uk

Alternatively, applications can be submitted online via Submit-a-Plan.

Application forms

Our application forms can be downloaded using the links below and submitted by email or post.

Full plans

The full plans route

The principal advantage of using this method is that once your plans have been approved you and your builder can work to those drawings without fear of contravening the regulations during the building.

Information that should generally be shown on the plan includes:

• elevations
• floor layouts
• detailed sectional views of the proposed construction
• site location plan
• adequate building specification details
• drainage details

You may also need to submit calculations for:

• structural members, for example, steel beams
• thermal insulation values

The information is then checked to ensure that the details given comply with building regulation requirements. When we have checked your proposals we will either approve the details given or notify you of any additional information required or alterations that may be required to the plans. When these have been received and found to be satisfactory the plans will then be approved.

You will be asked to pay in two stages for a full plans deposit:

• Payment is made when you initially submit your application for approval. This is called the plan fee.
• The second stage happens when our staff have made their first visit on site. This second element, the inspection package fee, is a one-off payment, regardless of how many further visits are made to determine compliance.

Building notice

The building notice route

The building notice route is the alternative to the full plans route. The fundamental difference between the two methods is that this route does not require the submission of detailed plans.

This system requires you to submit:

• a building notice application form
• a scaled site location plan

The building notice route does have some disadvantages:

• No plan approval is given for the proposals - some financial institutions may require full plans approval proof to release funds.
• If you choose the building notice route then you should be sure that you have agreed what the builder will build and what is to be included in the price.
• It places emphasis on you and your builder to ensure work complies with the building regulations.

Using this system only one fee is payable and this is made when you initially submit the application.

Points to remember

Whatever option you choose, once the building work is underway, a Building Control Surveyor will inspect the work at various stages to check that building regulations are being met. When the works have been completed satisfactorily, we will issue a completion certificate.

Once we have received your building regulations application, you have three years to start. After that time you will need to re-apply.

Fees

Please note building regulation fees are assessed on an individual basis for each application.

You will have to pay charges to apply for building regulations approval. Certain work for the sole benefit of a registered disabled person is exempt from fees.

Building regulation charges for all works are determined on an individual basis having regard to the type and complexity of works.

Contact us about fees

Alternatively, you can email buildingcontrol@tunbridgewells.gov.uk. If you are emailing us please include request for a building regulation fee quotation in the subject of the email together with a description of the proposed works and your contact telephone number. We will aim to contact you within 24 hours.

With a full plans application the fee is generally payable in two stages:

• the plan fee is payable when you send us your plans
• the inspection package fee is payable when work starts on site

Most people prefer to make a full plans application. The building notice route is more suited to straightforward domestic building projects.

Ways to pay

You can pay your fees:

• online
• by cash or card payment in person at The Amelia Scott

A building regulations application can be withdrawn as long as work has not commenced. For a building notice, the fee paid will be refunded less any costs already incurred for administration of the application. A building regulations application that has not had a site inspection for three years or more will automatically become archived.

Once an application is archived it will then need reactivating before any further site inspections can take place. A reactivation charge of £150 (No VAT) is payable and this fee increases to £210 (no VAT) for applications over 10 years old.