It is the householder (the property owner) who is legally responsible for obtaining Building Control approval. Very often architects and builders will handle this for you. But you should check that it is being done and ask to use your local authority team who are independent, have local knowledge of sites and buildings and are always available to protect your interests should issues arise.
What are the Building Regulations?
If you are considering undertaking any development you must consider whether the project will need to have planning permission and/or a Building Regulations application. These are two separate applications and must be applied for individually. Building Regulations are the national standards in England and in Wales that apply to most types of building work, whether in homes or commercial properties. They ensure that the environment in which we all live is a safe and healthy place and that buildings are sustainable, energy efficient and that reasonable provision is made for people to gain access to and use the building and its facilities. Building Control approves plans and specifications and inspects building works as they proceed.
How to make a Building Control application
Remember that Building Control is different to ‘planning’ and requires a separate application. There are two types of Building Control applications. For larger projects, where you have plans drawn up, you make a ‘Full Plans’ application. However, for small quick projects, a ‘Building Notice’ may be used by your trades person or builder. It is easy; you simply go to your local authority website and search for Building Control. Then look for “applications”. Or you telephone or visit your council. Alternatively, go to the national LABC website www.labc.co.uk and put in your postcode – this will then provide the contact details for your local authority team
Planning your project
But there is a potential downside. Embarking on major works like taking down walls, or re-fitting kitchens and bathrooms can go horribly wrong if they’re not planned properly. Planning ahead Whatever type of project you’re considering, the key to success is thinking it through in advance – checking whether the proposed works will require Planning or Building Regulations consent, finding a good builder and, crucially, drawing up a realistic budget. Time spent at this stage can save a huge amount of heartache and expense further down the line. After all, it’s a lot easier to move a wall on a drawing than it is later on site! Minimising disturbance Some improvements cause little or no upheaval and can be done whenever the fancy takes you – such as insulating the loft. Other projects, like decorating or re-fitting a bathroom can be done on a room by room basis. But anything that’s likely to generate lots of dust, mess and noise, such as sanding, drilling or taking down ceilings, will need careful planning
When it comes to designing your conservatory, there are some general points to bear in mind:
• Better quality designs have base walls of cavity masonry construction laid to normal foundation depths, upon which the superstructure is fixed – as opposed to simply being erected upon a thin concrete slab (which can lead to problems with structural movement).
• Flues serving wall-mounted boilers are often located so they clash with the proposed conservatory. This normally means having to relocate the boiler so the flue is well clear of the building.
• Ventilated roof ridges should be incorporated to relieve air pressure and prevent ‘wind uplift’ that can push out lightweight roof panels.
• Try to avoid building the conservatory where it could hamper rescue by ladder in the event of fire to windows serving loft rooms.
Replacement of Conservatory Roofs Many conservatories are now reaching the end of their natural life or are starting to cost substantially more to heat. Homeowners are now looking for cost effective ways of retaining their existing floor space whilst improving the energy efficiency of the conservatory. To this end they are giving consideration to replacing their existing obsolete translucent roofs with solid ones. Conservatories have been exempt from compliance with Building Regulations for many years – as long as it is a lightweight structure comprising of predominantly glazed walls/roof and that the conservatory is thermally separated from the main dwelling. When building work is carried out to significantly reduce the proportion of glazing or level of translucence to the roof – the conservatory can no longer be classed as exempt from Building Regulations compliance. So, if you intend to replace your existing conservatory roof with either a
• Traditional timber roof construction with tile/slate covering immediately on top of the existing glazed conservatory frame
or a
• Lightweight composite roof immediately on top of the existing glazed conservatory frame - a Building Regulation application must be submitted. The main issues of awareness in your conservatory construction are:
Foundations – trial holes will need to be excavated in order to assess the existing conservatory foundations. This will be required to ensure that the foundation is suitable to support the new roof loading.
Roof construction – structural assessment of the existing conservatory framework will need to be carried out to ensure that it is suitable to support the new roof loading – It will be necessary to verify the type and extent of reinforcement within the existing vertical frames. If there is no suitable reinforcement in the existing frames to support the new roof loading – then it may be necessary to install new window frames or additional reinforcement installed abutting the existing frames.
Energy Efficiency – the new roof construction should be provided with satisfactory thickness of insulation so as to comply with current Building Regulations. The separating wall/doors between the conservatory and the main dwelling must always remain in position. Please contact your Building Control team to discuss the upgrading of your conservatory roof prior to commencing building work. You will be advised regarding the following:
• How to submit your Building Notice application – and appropriate fee.
• Arranging an initial site inspection from Building Control in order to discuss the project with you and your contractor.
• Providing trial holes so that your Building Control Surveyor can assess the suitability of your existing foundations
• Discussing and agreeing support to your proposed roof construction with your Building Control Surveyor.
Picking windows
The choice of new windows on the market is extensive. You can buy anything from quaint replica box sashes to conventional side or top hung casements or even exotic ‘tilt-and-turn’ units. These are available in a variety of materials such as softwood, hardwood, UPVC, painted aluminium or galvanised steel, as well as in a range of colours and glazing styles. It’s worth noting that although UPVC windows are sold as ‘maintenance free’, and don’t need periodic decoration, they typically have a useful life of only around 30 years. But double glazing offers other important benefits, such as improved security, sound proofing and reduced condensation. As a general rule it is worth trying to emulate the original window architecture of the house. Fitting cheap plastic windows into a period cottage is likely to slash its market value as well as, quite possibly, contravene planning laws. The quality of original windows in older properties is generally far superior to modern equivalents. They can also be an important part of the building’s character, so it’s usually a better option to restore them. In contrast, softwood windows dating from the 1960s to 1980s can be especially prone to rot, and likely to require complete replacement.
Glazing
Glazing technology has made great advances in recent years, and even super slim units can achieve excellent performance. There are three key features that help thermal performance:
• Gas filling reduces heat transfer across the glazing cavity.
• Low-E (emissivity) coatings reduce heat loss across the glazing cavity.
• Super-insulated frames incorporate ‘warm edge’ spacers to reduce heat loss via thermal bridging.
Where historic windows in older properties need to be retained, a good alternative is to install internal secondary glazing. These can comprise double glazed units that open inwards to the room. Secondary glazing also has superior sound deadening qualities to double glazing. Alternatively, special super-slim double glazed units can sometimes be fitted to existing window frames in period houses, retaining much of their period charm.
Cold bridges
The vertical sides of the walls around window and door frames (the reveals) sometimes suffer from damp and mould. This is due to ‘cold bridging’ where the brick or blockwork is ‘returned’ around the corner forming a bridge between outdoors and indoors. To avoid this when re-fitting windows, special insulated plastic ‘cavity closers’ filled with polystyrene foam can be inserted to ‘close the cavity’. This also has the advantage of forming a vertical DPC and some types can provide a fixing point for window frames.
Structural issues
It’s important that replacement window contractors carry out key checks in advance. For example, many properties built from the 1940s to 1970s have no lintels over window and door openings because the original frames were designed to support the walls above, with no need for lintels to the outer leaf. But replacement windows aren’t designed to support such loadings. So if there is no lintel, suitable temporary support must be provided and a new lintel inserted. A similar but more serious problem can occur with bay windows particularly to 1930s houses. The original windows often had integral columns supporting heavy loadings from roofs etc. So it’s important that replacement windows are designed to provide sufficient structural support.
Demolition
As well as checking in advance whether there’s a suitable lintel supporting the masonry walls above the window, there are a number of key points to bear in mind before cutting out the old windows:
• Before removing the old windows ensure you have the new replacement windows ready on site and sufficient temporary propping in place (where necessary).
• When removing old glazing protect yourself by wearing goggles and gloves. A useful tip is to cover both sides of the Payback Around two million windows are replaced in the UK each year despite the fact that recouping the installation cost from consequent savings in energy bills can take well over half a century! This exceeds the lifespan of many modern windows. More worrying is the fact that some recently fitted sealed units have suffered from ‘misting’ due to condensation penetrating the seals, shortening the lifespan of the windows even further – hence the importance of ensuring new installations are covered by a valid insurancebacked warranty.
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• The frame can then be cut into manageable lengths and prised away from the brick reveals and the opening made ready for installation of the new replacement unit.
Frame fixing
Various methods have been used to anchor frames into the surrounding masonry such as special frame fixing screws, galvanised steel brackets or dual cavity closer/ subframes. But whatever method is used, the screws must not be overtightened and cause distortion to the frames. With UPVC frames it is especially important to leave a suitable gap to allow for expansion. A strip of DPC should be provided around the opening, including sills, prior to installing the frame. This is essential for timber frames, which also need to be primed, knotted and undercoated before fixing. The gaps between the frames and the surrounding walls are then sealed with a suitable silicone mastic. If the outer wall surface below the window is tiled or timber clad, a lead ‘apron’ should be fixed under the sill and dressed down over the tiling or cladding. One design factor that affects the look of the house but is frequently overlooked, is the question of how far back the new windows should be recessed within the opening. Traditionally, windows were set back about 100mm which helped protect them from the weather, whereas modern windows are typically rebated only about 25mm. The best approach is normally to match the original pattern of the existing windows, which means that for many older properties they need to be set fairly well back. This decision will also affect the outer sills, which must project well clear of the wall below so rainwater can disperse without causing damp
C & L Windows and Conservatories Ltd
48, Stroud Road
48, Stroud Road
Gloucester
Gloucestershire
GL1 5AJ
01452 526028
