Building Regulations drawings and specification
A full Building Regulations package for your project, bringing the structural design together with the specification Building Control needs to approve the work.
About this service
Planning drawings show what a building will look like. They do not show how it will be built, insulated, ventilated, drained or protected from fire. Building Control needs that technical detail before it can approve the work, and your builder needs it to price accurately and avoid surprises. Our Building Regulations drawings and specification bring the structural design and the technical specification together in one coordinated package.
The service suits homeowners who have planning permission for an extension, loft or conversion and need to move to the next stage, and small developers who want one technical package for tendering. It is equally useful where a project does not need planning at all but still needs Building Regulations approval, such as internal alterations, structural openings and many loft conversions carried out under permitted development.
London projects often involve awkward existing buildings: solid brick walls, suspended timber floors, shared drains and tight boundaries. Fitting new work to old while meeting current requirements on structure, fire, insulation and drainage takes care. Keeping structure and specification in one set avoids the familiar problem of two sets of drawings that contradict each other on site, leaving your builder to guess which one is right.
Structural calculations and drawings within the package go through our three-step quality control process, with final sign-off by our Head of Engineering. We submit to Building Control and respond to their queries until approval. Fees start from £1,500 + VAT. Your fixed fee and the timescale (typically 10 working days) are confirmed in writing before work starts, so you can plan the builder's tender around them.
When you need it
- Your project has planning permission and needs Building Control approval
- Your builder needs a full technical package to price and build from
- You want one set of drawings that covers structure and specification
What's included
- Building Regulations plans, sections and details
- Written specification for the works
- Coordination with the structural drawings and calculations
- Submission to Building Control and responses to their queries
How it works
- Review approved plansWe start from your planning drawings and any planning conditions, then visit or review survey information so the technical drawings reflect the building as it really is, not as it was assumed to be.
- Develop the structural designWe design or incorporate the structural elements, such as beams, foundations, floors and roof, and feed them into the plans and sections so structure and layout agree throughout.
- Write the specificationWe set out the specification for walls, floors, roofs, insulation, fire protection, ventilation, drainage and other Building Regulations matters, keyed to the drawings so each item is easy to find.
- Check and coordinateStructural content passes our three-step quality control, with final sign-off by our Head of Engineering, and we check that every drawing and specification clause matches.
- Submit and respondWe submit the package to Building Control and answer their queries until the plans are approved, then issue the final approved set for your builder.
What you receive
Full plans application or building notice?
Building Control offers two main routes for domestic work. A full plans application is checked and approved before work starts, so you and your builder know the design complies. A building notice lets work start sooner but relies on inspections as the job progresses, with no approved drawings in advance. For extensions, lofts and anything with significant structure, full plans is usually the safer choice because problems are found on paper rather than on site.
You can use your local council's Building Control or a registered building control approver, and either will need the technical package. Some items, such as SAP energy calculations, are produced by specialists and sit outside our scope, so allow for them separately.
Drainage is a frequent source of delay. If your project is close to a public sewer, our build over or near sewer technical package can run alongside, and our guide to building over a public sewer explains the process.
Not included
- Building Control fees
- Third-party reports such as SAP calculations
Frequently asked questions
What are Building Regulations drawings?
They are technical drawings and a written specification showing how a project will meet Building Regulations, covering structure, fire safety, insulation, ventilation, drainage, stairs and more. They go into far more detail than planning drawings and are what Building Control checks before approving the work. Builders also use them to price and build.
Do I need Building Regulations drawings if I already have planning permission?
Usually yes. Planning permission and Building Regulations approval are separate. Planning deals with appearance and use, while Building Regulations deal with how the work is built. Most extensions, loft conversions and structural alterations need Building Regulations approval whether or not planning was required.
Can I start work before Building Regulations approval?
Under a building notice you can start shortly after giving notice, but without approved plans you carry the risk of having to change work after inspection. Under a full plans application you can technically start before approval, though most people wait. We recommend having an approved design before significant structural work begins.
Are structural calculations part of the package?
The package is coordinated with the structural drawings and calculations so the two always match. On many projects the structural design is carried out alongside it, for example as an extension structural package or a loft design. We confirm exactly what is covered when we fix your fee.
How much do Building Regulations drawings cost?
Our Building Regulations drawings and specification start from £1,500 + VAT. The fee depends on the size and complexity of the project. Building Control fees and third-party reports such as SAP calculations are separate. We confirm the fee in writing before any work starts, together with the timescale, which is typically 10 working days.