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Site Inspections

Site Inspections pdfs

The Inspection Process

To ensure that your building works comply with the Building Regulations, the Council's Building Control Surveyors carry out inspections of your work as it progresses on site.

What happens?

When you have submitted an application and you are ready to start work, you must notify us at various stages of the work, we will advise you of the key notification stages and when we may need to inspect the works on site.

Expected Key Stage Inspections and when to notify

The number of key notification stage inspections for your project will be dependent on the level of risk and the type of complexity of the building works that you are undertaking. As a guide, the expected key stages that we may wish to inspect are outlined below (for typical range of building types) but these will vary depending on the particular scope and complexity of works involved.

Following submission of your application we will therefore confirm the relevant number of key stages to inspect, to enable us to identify possible areas of non compliance and to highlight particular construction details that may need special attention during the course of the works.

Key Stages - DOMESTIC EXTENSIONS AND ALTERATIONS

Foundation excavations - to assess ground conditions, required depths, foundation concrete thickness
DPC/DPM - to include below ground brickwork; preparation of oversite slab; floor insulation
Drains - before covering over and to ensure drains as laid confirm to approved specifications
Brickwork/external walls - at 1st lift to assess general standards, insulation, wall ties, timber frame (where applicable)
Roof structure and installed steelwork
Pre-plaster to assess wall finishes, reveal details, party wall details, internal walls, floor joists including fixings and penetrations, bracing and fixing of roof timbers, electrics (where applicable Competent Person Scheme CPS)
Completion - drains test, finishes, accessibility issues, ventilation, dpc levels relative to finished ground, roof insulation, appliances (e.g. Part G), any certificate where needed.

Key Stages - COMMERCIAL, MIXED USE AND INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS

Subterranean structures to include foundation, excavations, pile/ground remediation and compaction measures and placing of concrete and or piles
Tanking and basements to include preparation of formwork and placing of concrete or other enclosing construction
DPC/DPM -to include preparation of oversite slab; floor insulation
Drains - before and after covering over together with any tests deemed necessary
Superstructure - first, second and subsequent levels
Pre-plaster - to assess wall finishes, reveal details, party and compartment floor/wall details, services and fittings
Completion - drain tests, finishes, accessibility issues, venilation, dpc levels relative to finished ground, roof insulation, appliances (e.g. Part G), any certificate where needed.

Key Stages - DWELLING HOUSES AND LOW RISE FLATS

Foundation excavations - to assess ground conditions, required depths, foundation concrete thickness
DPC/DPM - to include below ground brickwork; preparation of oversite slabe; floor insulation
Drains - before covering over to ensure drains as laid confirm to layout shown on approved drawings
Brickwork/external walls - at 1st lift to assess general standards, insulation, wall ties, timber frame (where applicable)
Completed roof structure, before striking scaffold - to assess covering, flashing details, verges, ridge, valleys, dormer and ventilation
Pre-plaster - to assess wall finishes, reveal details, party wall details, internal walls, floor joists including fixings and penetrations, bracing and fixing of roof timbers, electrics (where applicable CPS)
Completion - drains tests, finishes, accessibility issues, ventilation, dpc levels relative to finished ground , roof insulation, appliances (e.g. Part G), any certificate where needed.

Following the submission of your application we will profide a Notice of Commencement for you to complete. This is provided either with your Approval Notice ( Full Plans Applications ) or alternatively with our acknowledgement letter ( for Building Notice Applications ) to notify us of your commencement date and who your builder is. This must be given at least two days before the work starts on site. After which a phone call to our 24 hour inspection hotline on ( 01628 ) 796885 is all that is needed for each subsequent stage.

A Building Control Surveyor may call on the commencement date, even though there may be nothing to inspect, to introduce themselves, briefly discuss the job and answer any questions. If the work is being done on a Building Notice, they will ask how the work is to be constructed, the type and size of materials etc. This will help to give some basic information in the absence of detailed plans. This doesn't mean that details cannot be altered later, but it does act as a basis for the design information and site inspections that will be required.

It is in your own interest to agree a specification with your builder and to enter into a formal contract prior to starting.

Progress inspections made during the course of the work, help to provide reassurance that your building works comply with the Building Regulations.

What do we do?

RBWM Building Control Consultancy is here to help you. If you are in any doubt over Building Regulation requirements or require further information, please telephone, email or call into the Building Control Consultancy to see your area Building Control Surveyor.

Remember, work may be shown on building plans to be in accordance with the Building Regulations, but it is the work on site, which frequently departs from the approved drawings, that is required to be in conformity with the Building Regulations.

For this reason, we place great emphasis on the inspection process and our Customer Commitment is based on carrying out all statutory notification inspections. We also undertake to carry out additional non-statutory notification visits whenever possible e.g roof level.

If you are a developer, we believe that it is in your interest that first class inspections of your property take place. This will ensure that any faults found are corrected at that time, rather than costly problems occurring later.

If you are a building owner, we also believe that we are acting in your interest to ensure that you do not inherit any problems, by way of major defects becoming apparent later.

How can I contact you?

You may arrange site visits by any of the following means; either by direct dial telephone, 24 hour answerphone hotline, fax or email. If you request a visit before 10.00 am ( 09.30am for email requests ), we will endeavor to see your building work the same day (please note earlier time concerning email requests)

Tel : 01628 796870

Fax : 01628 796886

24 hour inspection hotline : 01628 796885

EMail : building.control@rbwm.gov.uk

Our Email Site Inspection Request Form is provided below, for you to complete and send in to arrange a site inspection.

We believe our response times are second to none, and because we have a good communication system, we are fully responsive to the needs of our customers. We regard this service as probably the most important that we undertake. If you feel that our performance is less than it should be our Building Control Consultancy Manager would be pleased to hear from you. Please refer to our Customer Feedback section for contact details.

Complete our Online Inspection Request form.

What do I need to do as owner?

It is essential that the Commencement and Completion Notices are given. You are recommended to take a personal involvement in the work by arranging to meet the builder and Building Control Surveyor together on site. This will ensure that any Building Regulation problems can be resolved before the builder leaves the site.

The purpose of these inspections is to establish that work complies with the Regulations, particularly work which is quickly covered up. Hence the need to give prior notice for inspection.

When the work is completed, please ensure that you notify the Building Control Surveyor, who will then arrange a final inspection of the work and issue a Completion Certificate. We recommend that any final payments to builders are only made after the Building Control Surveyor has carried out a satisfactory completion inspection.

Please note that Planning Permission may be required before work can start on site. Please check with our planning colleagues for help and advice on whether your proposals require consent.

Site Inspections

Our Customer Guide 17 will help explain everything you need to know about the site inspection process.

Customer Guide 17 - Site Inspections (pdf) 162kb

EMail Site Inspection Requests

Requests for Building Control Inspections can be made by telephoning the Building Control Consultancy on 01628 796870. Alternatively, please download and complete the form below, then e-mail it to building.control@rbwm.gov.uk . To ensure we can undertake the inspection on the day requested, any email notice should be received by no later than 10.00a.m. on that day, Monday to Friday (excluding inspection requests for 'Drains backfilled and ready for test' and 'Final Completion' where the statutory notice periods of 5 days should be given). Any received after 10.00 am will carry over to the following working day.

Building Control Inspection Request (pdf) 22kb