Introduction

In a nut shell Building Regulations cover any aspect of any item of work you may wish to carry out in your home. The regulations apply to most new buildings and many alterations of existing buildings in England and Wales, and they exist to promote:

• Standards for most aspects of a building's construction, including its structure, fire safety, sound insulation, drainage, ventilation and electrical safety (which was added in January 2005 to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and fires caused by faulty electrical installations).
• Energy efficiency in buildings.
• The needs of all people including those with disabilities, by requiring new buildings to be accessible and hazard-free wherever possible.

Clearly they can be a bit of a minefield, however it is worth persevering to understand them a little better, since by law all building work carried out must, if applicable, comply with the building regulations – this means that if you are the owner of the building it is ultimately you who may be served with an enforcement notice if the work carried out does not comply.

This may sound daunting but don’t be put you off, by understanding the regulations you will ultimately save time and money – which is the most important aspect of DIY!

The 14 building regulatory areas

Use the links below for summaries of the key components of each part, the full document can be downloaded from the respective summary page.

• Part A: Structure
• Part B: Fire safety
• Part C: Site Preparation
• Part D: Toxic Substances
• Part E: Resistance to the passage of sound
• Part F: Ventilation
• Part G: Hygiene
• Part H: Drainage and waste disposal
• Part J: Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems
• Part K: Protection from falling, collision and impact
• Part L: Conservation of fuel and power
• Part M: Access to and use of buildings
• Part N: Glazing safety, impact, opening and cleaning
• Part P: Electrical Safety

Further information and useful links

• Making structural changes to your property
• Regulations & permissions for extensions
• Current wiring regulations
• Successfully damp proofing your home
• Building works topics
• Choosing a registered heating engineer

• Find a Builder near you
• Find an Architect near you
• Find an Chartered Surveyor near you

• Building Regulations an explanatory booklet (odpm.gov.uk)
• Impact of the Party Wall Act 1996 (odpm.gov.uk)
• Wind Load - the effects of wind pressure or wind suction odpm.gov.uk)