Completion approaching, what is required?

[dysty42]

Hi all,

I've been working on a self build in my current garden for about 18 months, it's quite close to done now. But I am a bit unclear on what I actually need for completion. For example do I need an internet connection? (currently just bouncing it from next door)

Does anyone know of a list of what's required? I assume,
> Gas certificates
> Electrics certificates
> EPC

Anything else? Is there a set list of things building control check(I guess this may be a stupid question and the answer may be 'yes, they check for building regs compliance')..

Do the planners ever come back?

At what stage can a house be occupied? It's decent enough to live in now, but is it against the rules to do so without as completion certificate?

 

[Declan52]

Your building control guy will come and visit and tick off what ever you have completed. So you could get them out knowing that you are only 95% finished and they will then give you a list of what still needs to be done before it's completed and can be signed off. They will check everything from safety glass on low Windows and doors to ramp access and door widths for wheelchairs. You will need to provide any cert needed for gas/electrics and have an as built sap report. 

An internet connection isn't needed.

It's against the rules to live in a house that isn't signed off but plenty do. It's just a game of cat and mouse with how long you could get away with it before some council official knocks your door.

[MAB]

Without the final completion certificate on a house or extension from Building Control, it can cause problems if you ever sell the house as the buyers solicitor usually asks for evidence of it to ensure everything has been done to the correct standards. A friend of mine whose builder failed to get one on his extension had major delays when selling a few years later, as he had to get local BC to come back and sign off the drains, etc retrospectively before they would issue a cert. Luckily they did not insist on him uncovering the pipe work under his new paving but the delay almost broke the chain of waiting buyers and sellers. I had to chase my local Building Control office to issue a certificate, I don't think they would ever have knocked on my door to add to their workload. My BC officer said the property did not have to be fully decorated but all essential services must be finished and working but I remember he said my walk in shower needed to be plumbed in but did not need the glass panel, etc fitted. He also checked the Electrical Certificate and noted the spec etched on the safety glass panels on my Juliet Balcony.

 

I have never had a Planning officer return to check anything after construction has started and they rarely seem to talk with Building Control officers, I suspect they are too busy and only come out if a neighbour complains about something. Another friend had his builders make the foundations for his kitchen extension half a metre too far out into the rear garden by mistake. The Building Inspector said if your neighbours don't mind just carry on. His neighbours did not mind so his kitchen is bigger than the approved plans and as over 4 years has passed I think that is the cut off period for anything out of planning spec to be challenged?

Edited September 30, 2020 by MAB

[nod]

3 hours ago, dysty42 said:

Hi all,

I've been working on a self build in my current garden for about 18 months, it's quite close to done now. But I am a bit unclear on what I actually need for completion. For example do I need an internet connection? (currently just bouncing it from next door)

Does anyone know of a list of what's required? I assume,
> Gas certificates
> Electrics certificates
> EPC

Anything else? Is there a set list of things building control check(I guess this may be a stupid question and the answer may be 'yes, they check for building regs compliance')..

Do the planners ever come back?

At what stage can a house be occupied? It's decent enough to live in now, but is it against the rules to do so without as completion certificate?

 

We were pretty much finished apart from disabled access and landscaping But only had BC sign off six months after moving in 

[Temp]

+1 to a final inspection by the BCO. Ours wanted to test/check/observe..

 

A pressure test on the drains (Screwfix/toolstation sell a kit).

Kite/EN marks on all toughened glass. Some of ours was hard to see. Normally its in a corner.

Coating on all external glass (he had a thing like a damp meter he applied to every single pane)

Also asked about ventilation for our wood burners. Was satisfied with me pointing to an MVHR vent in the corner. Your mileage may vary.

Clear opening widths on all opening windows.

 

He ignored wires hanging from the walls where there were missing light fittings. Apply chock block and tape!

[Temp]

Remember the clock starts ticking on the 3 months for your VAT reclaim from the date of the completion.

 

If you applied for the CIL exemption I think you have another form to submit. Check the timescales for that.

[Thedreamer]

5 hours ago, dysty42 said:

Hi all,

I've been working on a self build in my current garden for about 18 months, it's quite close to done now. But I am a bit unclear on what I actually need for completion. For example do I need an internet connection? (currently just bouncing it from next door)

Does anyone know of a list of what's required? I assume,
> Gas certificates
> Electrics certificates
> EPC

Anything else? Is there a set list of things building control check(I guess this may be a stupid question and the answer may be 'yes, they check for building regs compliance')..

Do the planners ever come back?

At what stage can a house be occupied? It's decent enough to live in now, but is it against the rules to do so without as completion certificate?

 

 

Where are you in UK?

[dysty42]

Thanks for all the replies.

Declan52 I think I am pretty much there, barring the very annoying need for level access. My plot is on a hill, and I don't have much room for a ramp at the front. It's only 2 bed currently(with a warm loft that I can't use currently due to fire regs).. but I still have to have 2 parking spaces which make the ramp tricky. So intending to do at the side french doors. I was thinking it was best to get this done before I have them out.. though I may regret if they don't like it(plan was composite deck, as I was going to have composite deck here anyway, though concerned they may view as temporary). I think I am ok on door widths and have glass on the stairs, but assume it should be compliant(though I've not noticed any marking on it).

Yes @ cat and mouse, I've had a woman from the council making surprise visits(her last one was a virtual whatapp one, which seems entirely pointless), though I think her main remit is to stop anyone occupying the place without paying council tax.

MAB I'm complete on services, and most decorating.Though I have no cooker, washing machine, fridge etc. Sounds like they are hot on the glass, so I'll check mine. Good to hear that planning don't routinely come back, some of my dimensions might be generous relative to the permission, but I think there is pretty much zero chance of anyone complaining as I am friends with most of my neighbours.

nod Interesting, did the building control officer not say anything about the signs of habitation? I live next door, but it's annoying having a nicer house on my door step that I can't live in because I've not built a suitable ramp for wheelchairs!

 

Temp Now I think about it I think my BC guy mentioned a pressure test on drains. Is that something I have to do then? By 'opening width on windows', do you mean that all windows open fully? Is this fire escape related?

Glad you mentioned VAT, I thought it was 6 months. And yes @ CIL, I've got that one covered at least, needs to be done within 6 months.

Thedreamer I'm in Reading.. one of the worst boroughs in the country for self builders imo.

[Roundtuit]

22 hours ago, dysty42 said:

I live next door, but it's annoying having a nicer house on my door step that I can't live in because I've not built a suitable ramp for wheelchairs!

I don't think there's any reason you can't move in then.  We moved in as soon as physically possible, and then finished the things required for a completion certificate over the following 9 months (inc ramp...). We registered with the council for tax purposes (needed the wheely bins) when we moved in with no problem.

[Bored Shopper]

We moved in 2 weeks ago, expecting certificates next week or so. As we were renting locally and paid council tax on rental, we advised the council of end of rent, cancelled DD and informed that we moved in and happy to start paying tax on the newbuild as soon as they tell us how much. The council graciously accepted and said no worries, we'll get it assessed in due course, in the meantime you can either wait, or pay a small amount towards the tax anyway and it would be levelled out once the proper assessment is done.

[dysty42]

Interesting. It'd be really good to move in there. And all is fine to be lived in, heating, plumbing, electrics etc - I just assumed you have to be building control complete before it was allowed.

I've also put my house next door on the market, so was kind of concerned that if this sold, and I had problems getting the last few bits finished next door - I could end up with no where to live. But if I can just move straight in there and get the last few bits finished over the coming months, that's a great relief.

So I don't need to hide signs of habitation when building control comes!?

[Big Jimbo]

The only other thing i would want to know. If you move in without a completion cert. Does the 3 months for vat reclaim start from when you move in, or when the completion cert is issued. The reason i ask is perhaps you might make One bedroom habitable, with perhaps an on-suite. Camping stove etc. You could still be buying plasterboad etc, etc for the next couple of years to finish the house. If you phoned the council, re council tax, and had been paying that for the passed couple of years, would HMRC has an issue with your vat reclaim 2 years later, when you finish the house, get a completion cert, and make a claim for vat refund ?

[joe90]

35 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Does the 3 months for vat reclaim start from when you move in,

this has been on threads before with HMRC arguing about when the three months start so make sure you get it right (search fir VAT threads). 

Edited October 2, 2020 by joe90

[Big Jimbo]

3 minutes ago, joe90 said:

this has been on threads before with HMRC arguing about when the three months start so make sure you get it right (search fir VAT threads). 

Exactly Jo90. you don't want to screw up your vat claim. The other thing is insurance.....Most of them will take anything they can find to not pay out. So if your camping stove burns the place down, i can see the insurance company saying. "No completion cert" You should not have been living there.