Hello all!

[Mike Mike]

Hello all

Am currently  preparing building warrant application for a self-build, off grid dwelling in Scotland. We will do the assembly ourselves (a kit cabin-type building) but get professionals to do base/foundation, electric, plumbing and such. I see that much time and effort can be saved during application if I have 'approved certifiers'.

Newbie question: Are all professional builders/tradesmen approved certifiers who are able to certify that the work they will do meets building regs? Or are 'certifiers' a different breed who check and accept/reject the work of others? I have done a few searches but keep turning up inconsistent info...

Cheers!

Mike

 

[markc]

Good afternoon and welcome

[jamieled]

1 hour ago, Mike Mike said:

Newbie question: Are all professional builders/tradesmen approved certifiers who are able to certify that the work they will do meets building regs?

 

In a word, no. There are two separate sets of certifiers in Scotland, certifiers of design (for example an SER engineer), and approved certifiers of construction (the people who do the work). There is a website somewhere where you can find a list of all the approved certifiers of design/construction. However, in my experience there isn't a lot of additional work when using a tradesperson who isn't on that list. You end up paying a bit more to building control, they inspect a bit more at completion but it's not a lot of hassle or extra money and gives you a bit more freedom in finding folk to work with you.

[saveasteading]

Hi, welcome.

You get about 10% at most off the warrant application fee if you use certified designers. 

Our project is being submitted this week, is by a Chartered Engineer  (me) and Chartered Architect, but not registered in the system as working in England. It would have cost about £2,000 each and a lot of effort to get on the registry.

 

I will report on how it goes.

If I was the building inspector I would look at the qualifications, at a few details to spot check information and design knowledge, and approve it. But they are entitled to send it out to as many consultants to check as they like. 

 

I did I don't have any problems with being checked, but it takes time, and there is always more than one way to do something.

 

I did 3 projects in Scotland but before the registry , and it was much more a matter of trust than in England. 

 

 

The local builders say they have seldom seen a BCO. That is understandable in Highland Region as they could be on the road 95% of the time due to distances.

Some on Buildhub say that they simply send reports and photos, which the BCO may or may not look at. 

I guess it mostly comes down to trust and confidence.  It is that in England too, where perhaps 5 visits cover the project and it isn't by spot-check but invitation.

 

So you will save 'much time and effort' mostly by having a good design. If you are not a building designer then you need someone who is, as the BCO only checks bits and pieces, and doesn't do the design for you.

 

Cross fingers for us please, and good luck for your project.

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Mike Mike said:

...

Are all professional builders/tradesmen approved certifiers who are able to certify that the work they will do meets building regs? Or are 'certifiers' a different breed who check and accept/reject the work of others?

...

 

Welcome first of all.

I'm only half Jock , so wait til the full-on ones come along. They'll all know.

Irrespective of the answers you get from anyone, in each and every case, you must always do your Due Diligence. The term 'professional' is somewhat loose.

 

Anyway, here's chapter and verse.

Edited November 9, 2021 by ToughButterCup

[Mike Mike]

Many thanks!

[Mike Mike]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

Hi, welcome.

You get about 10% at most off the warrant application fee if you use certified designers. 

Our project is being submitted this week, is by a Chartered Engineer  (me) and Chartered Architect, but not registered in the system as working in England. It would have cost about £2,000 each and a lot of effort to get on the registry.

 

I will report on how it goes.

If I was the building inspector I would look at the qualifications, at a few details to spot check information and design knowledge, and approve it. But they are entitled to send it out to as many consultants to check as they like. 

 

I did I don't have any problems with being checked, but it takes time, and there is always more than one way to do something.

 

I did 3 projects in Scotland but before the registry , and it was much more a matter of trust than in England. 

 

 

The local builders say they have seldom seen a BCO. That is understandable in Highland Region as they could be on the road 95% of the time due to distances.

Some on Buildhub say that they simply send reports and photos, which the BCO may or may not look at. 

I guess it mostly comes down to trust and confidence.  It is that in England too, where perhaps 5 visits cover the project and it isn't by spot-check but invitation.

 

So you will save 'much time and effort' mostly by having a good design. If you are not a building designer then you need someone who is, as the BCO only checks bits and pieces, and doesn't do the design for you.

 

Cross fingers for us please, and good luck for your project.

 

 

Fortunately someone else has designed it! Your comments and best wishes (and everyone's) much appreciated. Fingers crossed as requested.

[ProDave]

No "certifier of construction" tradesmen were used on my build.  I didn't see it caused BC to make more visits or inspect more carefully.

 

I am an electrician and when the COC scheme was being introduced I attended a seminar at Highland Council headquarters.  I directly asked the question at that seminar "is the scheme compulsory?" and the answer was no it is voluntary.  The bribe is you get a small discount off the building warrant, but you are likely to find COC tradesmen harder to find and more expensive.

 

Re inspections by BC, as far as I can remember, foundation trenches pre pour and at DPC, ground drainage installed and witness pressure testing. Iinspection of bare completed timber frame.  Then there was a long gap with just 2 more inspections, one for a temporary habitation certificate and one for completion, where they wanted to witness another drain pressure test.   I invited them to inspect the treatment plant being installed but they did not want to see that.

 

Paperwork required for temporary habitation: Electrical certificate, Fas safe certificate, G3 UVC sign off.  Additional paperwork for completion: Air test result and as built SAP and EPC

[Mike Mike]

40 minutes ago, ProDave said:

No "certifier of construction" tradesmen were used on my build.  I didn't see it caused BC to make more visits or inspect more carefully.

 

I am an electrician and when the COC scheme was being introduced I attended a seminar at Highland Council headquarters.  I directly asked the question at that seminar "is the scheme compulsory?" and the answer was no it is voluntary.  The bribe is you get a small discount off the building warrant, but you are likely to find COC tradesmen harder to find and more expensive.

 

Re inspections by BC, as far as I can remember, foundation trenches pre pour and at DPC, ground drainage installed and witness pressure testing. Iinspection of bare completed timber frame.  Then there was a long gap with just 2 more inspections, one for a temporary habitation certificate and one for completion, where they wanted to witness another drain pressure test.   I invited them to inspect the treatment plant being installed but they did not want to see that.

 

Paperwork required for temporary habitation: Electrical certificate, Fas safe certificate, G3 UVC sign off.  Additional paperwork for completion: Air test result and as built SAP and EPC

Many thanks! You're not anywhere near KW14 are you? :-)

[ProDave]

1 hour ago, Mike Mike said:

Many thanks! You're not anywhere near KW14 are you? ?

Afraid not, that's 2 hours drive on a good day and I am not doing jobs that need me to stay over.

[ETC]

I’m not in Scotland but I think @ProDave has hit the nail on the head in relation to the registration scheme and BCO inspections.
 

Where I am located we don’t have a registration scheme requirement for design or construction of construction projects to be inspected by BC.

 

In my experience a BCO will have a certain number of basic - statutory if you will - inspections to carry out and the rest will be spot or interim inspections to look at the works in progress - mostly, but not always at the request of the contractor or applicant.

 

The first inspection will be to look at the ground condition for foundations, then once the sub-floor block work is built an inspection to look at the hardcore/fill. Drainage (layout, cover and falls) will be inspected, DPCs, DPM, insulation, the roof structure and the cavity walls will also be inspected. This is a very basic run-through but essentially everything that can be covered over will be inspected. The drains, SAA, HAA and CO alarms and extract fans will also be tested on completion.

 

Documents at completion as @ProDave suggests will include EPC, SAP and all commissioning certificates.

 

Interesting to see what you guys need there compared to what we need here.

 

Thanks for reading.

[Mike Mike]

Thanks for that. Always good to hear from people with experience. 

Cheers: Mike