Planning permission and Building Regulations are often confused, but they cover different things. Planning is about whether a project is allowed at all — size, position, appearance. Building Regulations are about how it’s built — structural safety, fire safety, insulation, ventilation and electrical and drainage standards.
Most structural work, including extensions, loft conversions and significant internal alterations, needs Building Regulations sign-off regardless of whether planning permission was needed, either through your local authority’s building control team or an approved independent inspector.
Skipping this step doesn’t just risk safety issues — it can cause serious problems when you come to sell, since solicitors routinely ask for completion certificates on structural work. We handle Building Regulations applications and inspections as a standard part of our process.
