soapstar Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) Hello Folks, Got a few questions regarding the process involved in 'signing off' a build... My main reason to ask this is to find out what is the least we can have complete on our build before it is deemed 'habitable' (ie we can move in). I thought I knew the answer to this until someone recently told me I would require EVERYTHING as detailed on the plans to be complete before being 'signed off'. I find this hard to believe! Now the term signed off is getting me confused as from what I have gathered from reading on here and listening to various people there are 2 main signing off procedures, 1 being building control and the other a habitation certificate. Is this correct? Also when does the VAT reclaim process begin? As always thanks for the help! ? Edited June 17, 2019 by soapstar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 You need everything on the plans for sign off at completion. You can get a certificate of temporary habitation when the building is basically safe, has working heating, hot water, one working bathroom and a working kitchen. Some of us might have moved in before even doing that. You get 2 goes at the VAT reclaim. You can use the cettificate of temporary habitation as proof of complete for VAT, and submit your VAT claim within 3 months of that. Or you can wait until final completion and use the completion certificate as proof of completion and submit within 3 months of that. I am intending later this year to use a certificate of temorary habitation for the VAT claim. There might be some issues if it takes too long for final completion so that is a safer route under those circumstances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstar Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 @ProDave Thanks for your quick response. This is good to know that all we would require is the bare minimum (1 kitchen, 1 bathroom) for a temporary habitation certificate. You see we have 3 bathrooms and to reduce costs we would like to do just one and the kitchen obviously. In regards to the completion sign off requiring everything as detailed on the plans this makes me wonder how this effects mortgage. I assume the lender is lending on the assumption that everything is complete (including all bathrooms etc) and would not lend up to a point of temporary habitation? Your point on VAT reclaim is interesting, I would agree the temporary habitation certificate is a safer bet to reclaim VAT in case of any unforeseen delays to complete the build! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 There have been cases where hmrc have decided the building was "complete" before the VAT claim was submitted and refused it. We had a visit from the council tax assessor at the start of the year and he decided it was not complete enough for council tax. He will be coming back again later this year. The point at which he decides it is complete enough for council tax will be the point I get a temporary habitation certificate and do the VAT claim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_r_sole Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) . Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstar Posted June 17, 2019 Author Share Posted June 17, 2019 Thanks. I assume not having a completion certificate would prevent us getting our final payment from the lender given it wasn't deemed 'complete'? If we decided to fund the rest of the build, bathrooms etc over the next year or so? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divorcingjack Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 We are in this exact position now and having an absolute nightmare. Our building control officer/locality requires ALL bathrooms fully fitted, exterior access both to the entrance and from the STREET complete. No temporary solutions are acceptable, which is particularly difficult for us as we are approx 40m from the street, and up quite a hill. We weren't planning to landscape for quite some time as it will cost an absolute fortune. Our site insurance runs out tomorrow and they have refused to extend. I really don't know what to do, tbh. The officer said it was because it is no longer under his control and has to be signed off by a superior. Absolute madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_r_sole Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) . Edited September 26, 2019 by the_r_sole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
epsilonGreedy Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, ProDave said: You need everything on the plans for sign off at completion. It could be instructive to list outstanding elements of a build that are not relevant to building control sign-off. Decoration. Tiling. Carpets. Landscaping. Alarm system. Anything else? Edited June 17, 2019 by epsilonGreedy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 7 minutes ago, epsilonGreedy said: Landscaping Careful with that one. You may need landscaping such as paths to meet Part M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 For temporary habitation, BC here insisted that all rooms be plasterboarded but not necessarily finished (i.e taped or skimmed) They are not botherered about things like a pile of concrete blocks forming a temporary step to get into the house. They passed a house here for completion even though one entire wall only had the render scratch coat. 2 years later, it is still like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstar Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) 21 hours ago, divorcingjack said: We are in this exact position now and having an absolute nightmare. Our building control officer/locality requires ALL bathrooms fully fitted, exterior access both to the entrance and from the STREET complete. No temporary solutions are acceptable, which is particularly difficult for us as we are approx 40m from the street, and up quite a hill. We weren't planning to landscape for quite some time as it will cost an absolute fortune. Our site insurance runs out tomorrow and they have refused to extend. I really don't know what to do, tbh. The officer said it was because it is no longer under his control and has to be signed off by a superior. Absolute madness. Sorry to hear that @divorcingjack, that sounds like a total nightmare! This was exactly the reason I asked this question. It would seems everyone gets different treatment depending on the council they are working with. I know you must be having a hard time right now but it would be very helpful if you kept us up to date on this issue, im sure it would help many others. What part of Scotland are you in? Aberdeenshire by any chance? Edited June 18, 2019 by soapstar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstar Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 19 hours ago, epsilonGreedy said: It could be instructive to list outstanding elements of a build that are not relevant to building control sign-off. Decoration. Tiling. Carpets. Landscaping. Alarm system. Anything else? 19 hours ago, PeterW said: Careful with that one. You may need landscaping such as paths to meet Part M Say for example you have trees on your plan, surely these dont have to be planted for signing off the build?! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 8 minutes ago, soapstar said: Say for example you have trees on your plan, surely these dont have to be planted for signing off the build?! ? That is the difference between planning completion and building regs sign off. Building regs may be impacting on the landscape plans where paths and gradients are required. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstar Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 I think I may contact building control to ask what the minimum requirements are in our area...Got a feeling I wont get a straight answer though! If anyone has experience of this in the Aberdeenshire area it would be great to hear your experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzie Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 We are in England so may be different but we needed the access sorted...level path/driveways, we didn't need the final surface on though we just had compacted binder on the drive ready for the resin and concrete slabs outside doors waiting for the tiles. Inside we had all heating and ventilation working, bathrooms and kitchen installed and we had to provide the gas and electric certs. I dont think we have the habitation cert here its either signed off or not as far as I know. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapstar Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 As expected the response was vague to say the least...They may consider a temporary certificate with only 1 bathroom complete but would need to see the build first to decide So it would seem there is no black and white answer for my question.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna Susskind Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 On 17/06/2019 at 09:19, ProDave said: You need everything on the plans for sign off at completion. You can get a certificate of temporary habitation when the building is basically safe, has working heating, hot water, one working bathroom and a working kitchen. Some of us might have moved in before even doing that. You get 2 goes at the VAT reclaim. You can use the cettificate of temporary habitation as proof of complete for VAT, and submit your VAT claim within 3 months of that. Or you can wait until final completion and use the completion certificate as proof of completion and submit within 3 months of that. I am intending later this year to use a certificate of temorary habitation for the VAT claim. There might be some issues if it takes too long for final completion so that is a safer route under those circumstances. Hey ProDave, Do you know what certificates you need for a temporary habitation certificate? We are looking for this now... we have the heat pump MSC, working bathrooms and kitchen, it's all as good as safe, but the electrics are not complete. We do have one of those safe switchboards though, can't remember what it's called, but it default trips often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 You will need an EIC from the Electrician (Electrical Instalation Certificate) He can issue that even if it is not all complete, he can issue it on the basis of all the circuits that are completed and tested so far, and then issue another one when the house is finally finished. Gas safe certificate if there is any gas, we had that just for the LPG hob fed from a pair of bottles. G3 unvented cylinder sign off The rest is down to the BC inspector. They will expect the building to be safe, stairs and handrails etc, Some will ask to witness a drain pressure test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna Susskind Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Really helpful, thank you! We have gas bottled installed (LPG) but no certificate... Will contact the guy again. We have no hand rail on the stairs so suppose we should get that sorted! Thanks again. Joanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 Yes your gas safe engineer should issue a certificate. They will want a stair handrail, the property has to be basically safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 If you only do one bathroom, make sure it's the accessible one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna Susskind Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Thanks Jilly! Both done. Do they need doors?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Joanna Susskind said: Do they need doors?! I'd say so... Edited April 1, 2021 by Jilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanna Susskind Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 LOL. Months without doors, just curtains...! But do we need the doors for temp habitation sign-off? Ta again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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