Plan Checking, Site Inspections, Retrospective Applications for Approval, Non Standard Forms of Construction
Our sister company Cook & Edwards Ltd have provided consultant services to corporate approved inspectors such as plan checking and site inspections for Building Regulations approvals as Chartered delegated inspectors.
Western Building Consultant’s team can guide your individual project through the process of building control approval, including providing technical specifications and plans. We are skilled in taking conceptual planning drawings provided by other parties such as planning consultants and working them into a technically viable solution. This includes where relevant improving the sustainability of projects and introducing new and innovative technologies and build processes. For example, we have integrated specialist building techniques such as ICF, straw bale and SIPS panels to several new build projects.
If you have a project that does not have Building Regulations approval and need strategic advice about how to get it signed off, we can advise you on the best way to tackle the application and provide any specific evidence such as structural calculations, drawings or U-value calculations to demonstrate compliance. Often the lack of approvals only come to light when a house is put up for sale or a complaint is made by neighbours, at Western we have dedicated professionals that have vast experience of both the private and public sector building control environment and will help to evaluate what your local council will require to sign the project off.
If you wish to find out if your project requires Building Regulations Approval, please contact our offices on 02922679366
Once your agent (Western Building Consultants) submits an application to an approved inspector, the Approved Inspector is required to submit an Initial Notice to the Local Authority, to check the details and register the work there for future property searches. They require five working days for this during which building work should not start on site (otherwise the Notice will be void).
Once sent to the council, the Local Authority should check the details of our Initial Notice within 5 working days – the LA can reject the notice if the details are found to be incorrect. If there are no objections to the IN format within this time works can then commence on site.
If your agent requests a plan check letter the plans and details provided will be checked and accepted to comply with the Building Regulations. Where they may request amendments or consultations with other professionals such as engineers or fire safety experts.
The AI usually has to consult the Fire Authority regarding commercial properties and where flats have communal areas.
Your Approved Inspector should consult the Sewerage Undertaker, to ensure that there are no public sewers in the vicinity (usually within 3m). For this reason, a location plan (at a scale not less than 1:1250) needs to be provided; the application for Building regulations approval cannot be processed without the location plan showing the proposed construction. New buildings also need to also show the proposed connections to sewers on the location plan.
The developer, client or builder should notify the approved inspector directly at the relevant stages of building work so that inspections can be made (including notifications for commencement, foundations, drains, damp proof courses, etc).
Once finalised to the satisfaction of your Approved Inspector, they will issue a Final Certificate to the Local Authority for their records, it is important to note that for this to occur all documents proving compliance needs to be in order. This includes electric certificates, Gas Safe Certificates, Air Pressure Test, Fan Test, Drain Tests & Acoustic Tests etc.
Western Building Consultants can be appointed to administer the application procedure with your chosen approved inspector and take out some of the hassle of applying and complying. Call 02922679366 now for a quotation.
Being socially responsible and promoting excellent ethics is at the forefront of our business. Our staff are happy and content and this is shown through our positive approach to your project. We work to the highest professional standards as required by both the RICS and CIAT. You can rest assured that when you employ WBC you will be supporting an organisation that champions local, national and international projects through schemes such as FairTrade, Mentoring Plus and the Bath percent club. This is backed up by a rigorous Corporate Social Responsibility Policy. We sponsor many grass roots sports clubs such as Combe Down Rugby Club, Frome Park Bowls Club & Cardiff Harlequins.
We are realistic with timescales and honest about what you will receive. Most people underestimate the time involved with a building project, but we are upfront about what is involved and will be clear about how long a project might take. Throughout the project we will continue to update you about progress and will advise you if there will be a disruption in the timetable.
We have vast planning experience and are adaptable to most architectural styles and ages of buildings. We are perfectly able to adapt to the style of your property from contemporary to traditional, urban to rural. We have designed projects in most styles and can use our broad experience to help design the best solution for your property, using whatever construction technology best suits your needs. Whether you plan a modest alteration or something spectacular WBC can help you achieve your project goals.
We employ qualified professionals with a variety of skill sets and the latest training. many of our employees have specialist post graduate qualifications. We also train selected staff through university programmes and professional qualifications to ensure our clients get the best trained surveyors and up to date advice. You will receive a professional, comprehensive and cohesive consultation and guidance throughout the project, ensuring that your development is handled with a consultant level of knowledge.
We are here for you when you need us, with our survey to completion guarantee. You won’t be left alone, we will fit in wherever you need us in the project or guide you through the whole process. You will have the knowledge that someone is always at hand whatever level of service you need.
Whilst offering exceptional value for money we also bring a positive, approachable, pragmatic, realistic and well rounded attitude to your project. You will feel at ease discussing issues with your project, our pragmatic approach to design and refurbishment means that we can often deliver built in VALUE. One example of this is recognising where cost savings can be made in the design without compromising the overall scheme and offering a higher standard of technical specification over many of our competitors, this reduces the need for outside engineering input and ultimately saves you money in fees. We are grounded which means that we can deliver a build in a cost conscious manner in order to make sure our projects are buildable.
Where we do not have the in house skills to tackle an element of a project we are well networked locally to utilise outside consultants that we have built up relationships with over many years. You will get the best of local knowledge and be introduced to like minded trusted suppliers with excellent professional services.
We can provide the majority of services required for a small project in house, making us practically a one stop shop. Having most services in house means that we are often fully accountable for the professional services on your project, this ensures simplicity, communication and efficiency. By utilising a multi-disciplinary approach we are able to keep professional costs for the project extremely competitive and hassle free, essentially you only pay for one set of overheads.
We have unparalleled technical knowledge and produce comprehensive architectural designs and surveys. You will be getting market-leading technical advice that has been approached with imaginative problem-solving techniques. This helps us to identify potential problems with a build before they arise.
Our knowledge adds value, an example of this is that most architects do not provide any advice on the structure of a building during the building regulations approval stage, relying on a structural engineer to produce all work relating to the super structure. At Western Building Consultants we provide structural advice on many areas, such as timber design for floors and roofs, limiting the scope of the engineers work and saving you money.
Having a large team of surveyors means that your project is unlikely to be held up due to other circumstances, there will always be at least two surveyors familiar with the project therefore continuity and a personal service will be retained. On larger schemes a bigger team will be assembled with the required specialist knowledge to fully support your project.
Merlin House
No 1 Langstone Business Park,
Priory Drive
01633982588
Commerce Park, Unit R17, Marshall Way
01373488566
Western House,
2 Rush Hill
01225789307
Sophia House,
28 Cathedral Road
02922679366
Kingston House,
Lydiard Fields
01793234516
Studio 1a,
31 Berkeley Square
0117 3294290
Unit 2, Byre Workshops, Winterbourne Court Farm Barn, Church Lane, Winterbourne
0117 3294290
