I requested a visit from building regs surveyor and they told me not required as building less than 30 meters sq. Surveyor phoned me and said could go ahead form concrete base as no regulations. Base formed in reinforced cement. Had to put in two drains into existing system. All carried out as per requirements. Two months later Building Regs Surveyor makes a visit ad hoc. Then he sends e mail saying we should have got full regs as garage connected to house. When surveyor phoned and gave go ahead initially I sent him an e mail confirming the telephone call. He is now trying to say e mail does not exist although he used it to reply to me. Now saying drains sould have been inspected so should reinforcing on 150mm deep screed. He wants to inspect but cannot facilate as covered in Concrete now. Is there ways he is able to inspect, I have said to him he should have carried out inspections as I requested but he will not accept this your help please.
Building Regulations officer or surveyor? A Building Regs officer should know that a structure of 30m2 linked to the house and made of combustible material is notifiable work and so needs Regs approval. If it’s a surveyor, he’s trying to wriggle out of making the wrong call. My advice is always to check with your local authority building control as to what they want to see before work starts. Building control are not the enemy. I would pick up the phone and speak to them, it saves so much hassle in the long run!
Mike Hardwick (Build It expert)