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About Booking a Site Inspection

Before booking a site inspection, please read and understand when a surveyor must visit the site.

Image of the Local Authority Building Control Logo

When can work start?

After submitting a Building Notice or Full Plans application, work can start on site 48 hours after giving notice to the local authority.

Throughout work, booking a site inspection online  is available 24/7.

Place a request by 7pm the day before your requested inspection for next day inspection.

When urgent, same-day inspections may be available. Please call building control by 10.00am on the day and our team will try to accommodate your request. This is not guaranteed.

Which Stages of Building Work Require Inspection 

We will inform you when the application is made what inspection we will require for your project. Generally for extensions the following are required.

You or your builder must notify building control at any of the following stages:
1.    Work has started on site 
2.    Excavation of foundations
3.    Before laying further bricks - damp-proof course
4.    Before concrete is poured - preparation for the over site of concrete
5.    Before backfilling - drain runs 
6.    After covering and with a water / air test applied - drain runs 
7.    Timbers for roof / floors 
8.    The occupation of new work (or part of it) 
9.    When work is completed 

There maybe some test certificates required as well such as electrical or gas safe installations.

After work has completed, make sure to receive a completion certificate. This provides proof to banks and solicitors that any building work meets building regulations, to a satisfactory standard. 

Building control cannot supply a completion certificate without seeing all the necessary parts of the project. 

Application Time Limits

If work has not started within three years of the deposit of the plans, the council may, by notice (under Section 32 of the Building Act 1984) declare the plans to be of no effect.

If you still wish to proceed with work a new application must be submitted. This new application will have to be to the standards applicable at the time of deposition and will require a further fee.