Building regulation drawings, UK-wide
Building regulation drawings, also called building control drawings, are the full technical drawing pack and written specification that proves how your project is built safely and legally, and the set your builder prices and builds from. We prepare them for projects anywhere in the UK from our Durham office, from your own planning drawings or ours.
Who this is for
Building regulations set the minimum standards for how a building is constructed, and they apply whether or not you need planning permission. Extensions, loft and garage conversions, removing walls and forming new openings all need building control approval. The package we prepare does three jobs at once: it satisfies building control, lets builders quote like-for-like, and gives the trades a clear set to work from on site.
- Foundations and ground floors, with damp-proofing and insulation
- External walls, structural openings and upper floors
- Roof structure, coverings, ventilation and insulation
- Drainage, windows and doors, flues and fire safety, including fire doors and escape routes where a storey is added
- A written construction specification and Building Regulations notes
- A complete building regulations drawing pack: plans, sections and construction details
- The written specification builders price from
- Structural calculations and drawings from our in-house engineers, prepared as a separate stage alongside
- Support with technical queries from building control and your builder through to completion
From drawings to approval, step by step
Your survey, or your planning drawings
We work from our own survey and proposed drawings, or from planning drawings you already have. Upload yours through the instant quote tool and we send a fixed written proposal after reviewing them.
Technical design
Our architects and technologists produce the drawings and write the specification, while our structural engineers design the structure in parallel as stage 5, so the two never contradict each other.
Pack issued
The building control package is typically prepared within 2–3 weeks. You receive one set that works for approval, for like-for-like builder quotes and for the trades on site.
Building control application
We submit to the council or a registered building control approver as your agent for a fixed admin fee, answer their queries and, on most projects, fulfil the Principal Designer duties under the CDM Regulations.
How our fees work
Every stage is a fixed fee, agreed in writing before it starts, and you only pay for the stages you use. The figure depends on the type of project, the size and type of your property and where it is: site visits outside our local postcode areas (NE, DH, DL, TS and SR) carry a travel charge, projects inside the M25 are priced higher, and listed buildings and conservation areas involve extra work. Council and building control fees are separate and paid directly to them.
- Site visit and measured survey
- Existing and proposed drawings
- Planning application, submitted as your agent, where required
- Building regulations drawings and specification
- Structural design and calculations
- Optional extras such as 3D visuals, party wall notices and site support
The instant quote tool prices every stage separately for your property in about two minutes, with no obligation. If you already have planning drawings, upload them and we send a fixed written proposal.
What building control needs to see
A building control application is usually made up of detailed building regulation drawings plus a structural design package. Between them they must show compliance across the whole build: foundations sized for the ground conditions and for nearby trees and drains; stable, insulated ground floors; external walls that are stable, weather-tight and thermally efficient; beams and lintels where walls are opened up; joist sizes and restraint for upper floors; roof structure, coverings, ventilation and insulation; and the detail of windows, doors, flues, drainage and ventilation.
Where we handle the application we act as your agent: we submit it, deal with the surveyor's queries and keep it moving to a decision. Your builder arranges the site inspections as work reaches each stage, and the council or inspector issues the completion certificate once the work is finished and approved. Without it, a future sale or remortgage can be held up.
Real building regulations packs
Our example project page shows real, anonymised building regulations packs: a first-floor extension with garage conversion, a house extension with internal remodelling, and a whole-house extension with a dormer loft and remodel. Each shows the sections, construction details and written specification your builder prices from. See the example building regulations drawings.
Building regulation drawings, answered
Is a building control drawing the same as a building regulations drawing?
Yes. Building control drawings and building regulations drawings are two names for the same technical pack: the drawings and specification used to get building control approval and to build from. Some people also call them building control plans or building regs drawings.
Do I need building regulation drawings?
Most structural work, extensions, conversions, removing walls, forming new openings, needs building regulations approval, even where planning permission is not required. We check your project and confirm.
Are building control fees included?
The council's or registered building control approver's own fees are separate from our work and paid directly to them. Our optional fixed admin fee covers preparing, submitting and managing the application. We tell you what to expect up front.
How long does the pack take?
We typically prepare the package in around two to three weeks, depending on the project. The structural design is usually produced in parallel, so both arrive together.
What is the difference between planning permission and building regulations?
Planning permission is about whether you can carry out the work and how it looks and affects the area. Building regulations are about how it is built: safely, soundly and legally. Many projects need both, and we handle each stage for you.
Can I start building regulations before planning is granted?
Usually we recommend waiting for the planning decision first. If your project is permitted development, or is fairly straightforward, you may choose to begin the building regulations stage in parallel to save time.
Can you work from my existing planning drawings?
Yes. If you already have planning drawings, we can prepare your building control drawings and/or structural design from them. Upload them through the instant quote tool and we send a fixed written proposal, usually within a couple of working days.
How much do building regulation drawings cost?
Fees are fixed per element and agreed in writing before we start. They depend on the project, your property and its location, and are priced separately from the survey and the structural design so you can see each stage. The instant quote tool gives the exact figure for your home, and if you already have planning drawings you can upload them for a fixed written proposal.
Read more before you start
Ready to get started?
Tell us about your project and we'll talk you through the right stages, the likely route and what to expect.