Building Regulations apply to almost all building work. Ensuring your project complies isn't just a legal obligation — it protects the quality and safety of your building, your investment, and ultimately your peace of mind. We prepare and submit all necessary drawings and applications on your behalf, coordinating with structural engineers and liaising with Building Control from start to finish.
Your responsibility as a building owner
Whether you're the owner of the building, the person carrying out the work, or both — it's important to understand that the responsibility for compliance ultimately rests with you. If building work does not comply with Building Regulations, an enforcement notice can be served on you as the building owner, even if a contractor was responsible for the work.
If you're employing a builder, confirm at the very outset that they will be responsible for ensuring compliance — and don't assume. If you're carrying out work yourself, you need to understand exactly how the Building Regulations apply to your specific situation before you begin.
Building Regulation approval is separate from planning permission. You can have planning permission without Building Regulation approval, and vice versa. Both may be required for your project — and we'll advise you on what applies in your case.
How Building Regulation approval works
Approval is issued by Building Control Bodies (BCBs) — either through your Local Authority or via a private Approved Inspector. You have the choice of route, and we'll advise you on which is most suitable for your project.
- Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Your application is reviewed and approved by the council's Building Control team. The most common route for residential projects in Northumberland, Newcastle and North Tyneside.
- Private Approved Inspector An accredited alternative to the Local Authority route. Often used for larger commercial projects where a dedicated inspector is beneficial.
- Competent Person Schemes For certain specified minor works, a contractor registered under a competent person scheme can self-certify the work directly with the BCB — meaning you don't need to apply separately. We'll advise if this applies to your project.
What we do for you
We prepare your Building Regulation drawings and coordinate with your structural engineer at the appropriate stage of the design process. Our drawings are prepared to the level of detail required for submission, and we manage all liaison with the Building Control Body through to approval.
For most projects, a structural engineer needs to be involved early — we'll manage that relationship as part of our service, or advise you on appointing one if you don't already have one in place.
Once your project is on site, we can continue to liaise with Building Control and your contractor to ensure inspections are arranged and conditions are addressed as the build progresses.