Building Control Application: Full Plans vs Building Notice & Inspection Stages

Summary

Building control ensures that building work meets the minimum standards set out in the Building Regulations 2010. The regulations cover structural stability (Part A), fire safety (Part B), ventilation (Part F), energy efficiency (Part L), accessibility (Part M), and around 15 other areas. Building control inspectors check work at key stages to confirm compliance, and issue a Completion Certificate when the project is satisfactorily completed. Without a Completion Certificate, selling the property can be complicated and mortgage lenders may refuse to lend.

There are two main routes to building control approval for most domestic projects: Full Plans and Building Notice. Full Plans involves submitting detailed drawings and specifications for approval before work begins. The local authority (or an Approved Inspector/Registered Building Control Approver) reviews the plans and issues a decision notice. Work can then begin with confidence that the design is compliant. Building Notice is a simpler, faster route where you notify the building control body 48 hours before starting work, without submitting full plans. The risk is that you discover compliance issues during the build rather than at design stage.

The Building Safety Act 2022, which came into force in stages from 2023–2024, has significantly reformed the building control system, particularly for higher-risk buildings (buildings over 18m or 7 storeys with residential use). For most domestic extensions and alterations, the practical changes for everyday building control are around registered competent person schemes and improved documentation requirements.

Key Facts

• Building Act 1984 — the primary legislation authorising Building Regulations; gives local authorities enforcement powers
• Building Regulations 2010 — the statutory instrument setting out the actual technical requirements (the Approved Documents provide guidance on how to comply)
• Full Plans application — drawings and specifications submitted before work; LA has 5 weeks (or 2 months with agreement) to issue a decision; plan approval issued if satisfactory
• Building Notice — notification 48 hours before work; no plan approval; suitable for smaller domestic projects; not permitted for commercial, higher-risk buildings, or work near sewers
• Completion Certificate — issued after final inspection; must be obtained; no certificate = property not signed off = potential problems on sale
• Regularisation — if work was done without building control, a regularisation application can be made retrospectively to the local authority (not Approved Inspectors); more expensive; may require exposing works for inspection
• Approved Inspector (now RBCA) — private sector building control; Registered Building Control Approver under BSA 2022; can handle most domestic work
• Competent Person Schemes — allows registered tradespeople (NICEIC, Gas Safe, FENSA, etc.) to self-certify their own work without a building control application; most common for windows, electrics, and heating
• Inspection stages — commencement, excavations for foundations, foundations before covering, DPC level, oversite, drainage, structural steelwork, and completion
• Fees — LA building control fees are set locally; private RBCA fees vary; Full Plans generally costs more than Building Notice due to plan checking
• 48-hour notice — commencement notice must be given to the building control body at least 48 hours before starting work (not including weekends and bank holidays)
• Lapse of plans — a Full Plans decision lapses after 3 years if work has not started
• Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) — separate from building control; may be payable on extensions over 100m² or certain new builds; check with the LA planning department

Quick Reference Table

Detailed Guidance

Choosing Full Plans vs Building Notice

Use Full Plans when:

• The project is complex (extension over 30m², loft conversion, basement, structural steelwork)
• You want certainty that the design is compliant before breaking ground
• The work is near a public sewer (this is a legal requirement — Building Notice cannot be used)
• You need to demonstrate compliance for a mortgage lender or sale
• The project involves drainage, structural calculations, or fire safety measures

Use Building Notice when:

• The project is straightforward — a bathroom refit, internal partition walls, a new boiler installation (if not covered by Gas Safe self-certification)
• Speed is important and the design is simple enough that an experienced builder can be confident of compliance
• You are doing work that an inspector can easily assess on site without plans (replacing a roof with like-for-like materials, for example)

Do not use Building Notice for:

• Work within 3m of a public sewer (Full Plans + drainage approval required)
• Higher-risk buildings
• Commercial or mixed-use buildings
• Buildings used for public entertainment

The Full Plans Application Process

1. Prepare drawings — site location plan (typically 1:1250), block plan (1:500), and detailed drawings of the proposed works (typically 1:50 or 1:100). Drawings must show existing and proposed layouts, structural details, insulation specifications, and ventilation.

2. Submit to the building control body — local authority planning portal or direct to a Registered Building Control Approver. Pay the application fee.

3. Checking period — the LA has 5 weeks to check the plans (or up to 2 months if both parties agree in writing). Private RBCAs may be faster.

4. Decision — three outcomes: full approval; approval with conditions; or rejection. Rejection requires resubmission. Conditions are common (e.g. "structural calculations to be submitted and approved before frame erected").

5. Commencement notice — when work is ready to start, give 48-hour notice to the building control body.

6. Inspections — request inspections at each stage (see table above). Do not cover work before the inspector has visited.

7. Completion — once all inspections are passed, the building control body issues a Completion Certificate. Retain this permanently — it will be required when the property is sold.

Building Notice Application Process

1. Submit the building notice form — available from the local authority or RBCA. Include description of work, site address, and basic information. No drawings required, though you may need to provide structural calculations.

2. Pay the fee — Building Notice fees are generally lower than Full Plans fees as no plan checking is required.

3. Start work after 48 hours — work can begin 48 hours after the notice is received (not counting weekends or bank holidays).

4. Inspections — as with Full Plans, contact the building control body before each inspection stage. The inspector visits and advises on compliance.

5. Risk — if the inspector identifies a compliance issue on site (e.g. wrong insulation specification, beam incorrectly sized), work may need to be altered or demolished and rebuilt. This risk is higher than with Full Plans because there is no upfront plan approval.

Common Inspection Stages for Domestic Extensions

For a typical single-storey rear extension:

1. Excavation — inspector visits before concrete is poured to check depth and width of trenches. In clay soils, foundations must be deep enough to avoid swelling/shrinkage (typically 1.0m minimum; more in areas with trees). In made-up ground, engineered foundations may be required.

2. Foundation concrete — inspector checks concrete is at the correct level and quality before backfill.

3. DPC — inspector checks damp-proof course is installed at least 150mm above external ground level and is continuous.

4. Oversite — before ground floor slab is poured; checks insulation specification, DPM continuity, and concrete specification.

5. Drainage — before backfilling drainage trenches; checks gradient (1:40 for 100mm drainage), pipe material, joint quality, and connection to existing drainage.

6. Structural steelwork — if RSJ beams are used, inspector checks beam is correctly supported on padstones, and padstones are adequately supported by masonry.

7. Completion — final inspection; checks all elements including energy efficiency measures, ventilation, fire safety, and any conditions on the approval notice.

Regularisation

If work has been carried out without building control (unpermitted work), the property owner can apply for regularisation from the local authority (not from Approved Inspectors/RBCAs). The LA will require access to inspect as much of the work as possible. In some cases this means cutting investigation holes in walls and floors to check hidden elements. The LA then issues a regularisation certificate if the work is deemed satisfactory.

Regularisation is more expensive than applying before work starts and there is no guarantee a certificate will be issued if the work does not meet the Regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does building control approval replace planning permission?

No — these are two separate systems. Planning permission controls whether you can build something (affecting neighbours, the street scene, and land use). Building control ensures what you build meets safety and technical standards. You may need both, one, or neither depending on the project. Many domestic extensions are permitted development (no planning needed) but still require building control.

Can I sell my house without a Completion Certificate?

Technically yes, but it creates problems. Solicitors will ask for it; buyers' solicitors will flag its absence; mortgage lenders may refuse. The seller may need to obtain indemnity insurance to cover the absence of a certificate. It is far better to obtain the certificate when the work is done.

My builder says I don't need building control for my extension — is that right?

Extensions generally do require building control. Small detached outbuildings under 30m² in certain conditions may be exempt, but a typical attached single-storey extension does require Building Regulations approval. Check the specific exemptions in Schedule 2 of the Building Regulations 2010. When in doubt, apply — the cost is modest compared to the problems of unpermitted work.

Regulations & Standards

• Building Act 1984 — primary legislation; gives enforcement and entry powers to building control bodies

• Building Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2214) — the current statutory instrument; Approved Documents A–S provide guidance

• Building Safety Act 2022 — reformed building control system; introduced Registered Building Control Approvers; stricter regime for higher-risk buildings

• The Building (Registered Building Control Approvers etc.) (England) Regulations 2024 — updated registration and compliance requirements for private sector building control

• Planning Portal — Building Regulations Applications — Online building control applications and Approved Documents

• LABC — Local Authority Building Control — LA building control guidance and fee information

• CICAIR — Approved Inspectors Register — Registered Building Control Approvers list

• HSE — Building Safety Act Guidance — BSA 2022 implementation guidance

• building control — Quick reference: what work needs building control

• structural calculations — When structural engineers are needed

• planning permission — Permitted development and planning permission

• structural steel — Beam installation and building control inspection