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Q&As
Do I need permission from building control to make changes to our already approved drawings?
We have just started our self build project and there are two changes i would like to do to the approved drawings.
1. Currently the drawings include a wood burner. I was wondering whether building control would need to be notified that we no longer want this. An air source heat pump is our primary source of heating so i cant see it being an issue by ditching the burner.
2. I would like to change a window on the ground floor bedroom to a door.
I would appreciate if someone would kindly let me know if these changes mentioned above would need to go back to building control to action.
Thanks in advance
One Answer
Hi Justin,
It is always a good idea to keep your team up to date, and this includes building control. I expect that removing the woodburning stove will not be an issue, as there are a number of regulations that would apply if you were to have it fitted, including air supply, size of hearth and installation certificates. You will need to incorporate the change into your as-built Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and I expect that this will be improved by the omission. If there was to be a chimney to house the flue, you will need to consider how this will be blocked up so that you retain the desired airtightness levels for your build and don’t lose any heat through this.
In terms of changing the window on the ground floor bedroom to a door, I’m sure this would also be fine. Strictly speaking, the area of the door is going to be bigger than the window, so will impact your SAP marginally. I assume that you were able to comfortably pass in the design SAP, so this should not be a big issue for the as-built SAP. Without having the context of your design, if the ground floor bedroom is an accessible bedroom, it may be prudent to make the door opening wide enough to accommodate wheelchair access so that it’s easier for someone to enter and exit the space independently. I also assume this is not works to a listed building or visible in a conservation area, which may otherwise introduce planning issues rather than building control matters.
Best of luck with your project,
Opinder Liddar (Build It’s architecture and design expert)