If you’re planning building work, you may have heard the term private Building Control and wondered what it means or how it differs from using your local authority.

For many building projects in England, you have a choice over who provides your Building Control service. Complete Building Control Ltd (CBC) provides a professional Building Control service for domestic and commercial projects, working with homeowners, architects, developers and contractors from the design stage through to completion.

What is private Building Control?

Private Building Control allows you to appoint a Registered Building Control Approver rather than using the Building Control department of the local authority.

The purpose remains the same – to assess building work against the requirements of the Building Regulations.

These regulations cover a wide range of areas including structural safety, fire safety, drainage, ventilation, energy efficiency and accessibility.

It is also worth remembering that Building Control and Planning Permission are separate. Depending on the work you are undertaking, your project may need both.

What does CBC do?

Every project is different, which is why we tailor our Building Control service to the particular development.

Where required, we can undertake a detailed examination of the plans and supporting information. This helps designers establish whether the proposals demonstrate compliance with the Building Regulations before construction progresses.

For more complex projects, our Registered Building Inspectors can also work directly with the design team to look at practical ways of demonstrating compliance.

We can also manage the relevant statutory consultations with the Sewage Authority and Fire Authority on behalf of our clients, collating the feedback so that the design team can respond to any issues raised.

What happens once work starts?

Our involvement continues throughout construction.

Our Registered Building Inspectors carry out the necessary site inspections as the project progresses, working with the site team to make sure inspections take place at the right stages.

The inspections required will depend on the project, but the important point is that Building Control should be kept informed as work progresses. This means relevant elements of the construction can be inspected before they are covered up.

What happens when the project is finished?

Once the project has been successfully completed and the necessary paperwork and certification are in order, CBC can issue the Final Certificate.

This is why we encourage clients to think about Building Control as part of the whole project rather than something that only needs to be dealt with at the end.

Can you speak to CBC before submitting an application?

Yes, and on many projects this can be extremely useful. Our Pre-Application Advice service gives architects and developers the opportunity to discuss a project with us before making a full Building Regulation Application.

We can look at key areas such as fire safety, thermal requirements and accessibility, helping the design team identify potential issues at an early stage.

Often, dealing with an issue while a project is still on the drawing board is much easier and less costly than trying to rectify it once construction has started.

Looking for private Building Control?

Complete Building Control Ltd works across domestic and commercial developments throughout England.

Whether you’re planning an extension, converting an existing property or working on a larger development, our team can provide Building Control support from the early design stages through to completion.

Get in touch with Complete Building Control Ltd to discuss your project or request a quotation.