Building Regs or not?

[mjc55]

We are building a "Pod" on our site which eventually will become a home office  and store.

 

It is around 22 sq. m. internally and more than a metre from the boundary.

 

Now we will be living in this whilst we build the main house and I would estimate that this will be 6 months or more of habitation.  For my part I don't think it requires building regs approval but would like to hear others views on this.  I have just received structural drawing from the SE and he has questioned the BR lack.  Not that he thinks that it definitely needs it but that he is unsure.

 

The reasons for doing this are twofold really I guess.  It will save us rental costs while we build the house and we are using all the same techniques and materials (flat/green roof, single storey, Ecobrick construction) on the Pod as we will the house.  This will allow us to a) test the ecobrick construction and b) reduce rental costs as we will be living on site.

 

Any thoughts welcome.

[Nickfromwales]

Eco bricks seem an odd choice. Not so great reviews in term of longevity?

 

Do you mean ecobrix (woodcrete ICF)?

[kandgmitchell]

Looking at Regulation 3 the BRegs apply to "the erection or extension of a building". Regulation 2 defines a building as "any permanent or temporary building but not any other type of structure or erection". I think you would have to agree that what is proposed is a building - not say a communications mast (which would be a structure for instance) or the Angel of the North which would be an erection.

 

Schedule 2 exempts certain types of "building" from the regulations and Class 6 covers small detached buildings. In your case it's over 1 metre from the boundary so the type of materials used aren't an issue and it's under 30m2. However, to be exempt it also should not contain any sleeping accommodation. That's the issue, your proposal will, so it cannot be an exempt building. If it's not exempt and it's a building then the BRegs apply. 

 

However....... if you are only going to use it for six months, it could take the LA that long to discover what the situation is and to react to it, if at all. Not suggesting you ignore the law of course but just pointing out the reality of modern life when LA resources are stretched. Once you stop sleeping in it then it's exempt.

[Russell griffiths]

22m is too small, I live in a cabin we have on site, it’s 6m x7m i would not want it much smaller, you could go 7x5 any smaller and I think it would be a painful experience. 

[mjc55]

I mean ecobrix.

[mjc55]

2 hours ago, Russell griffiths said:

22m is too small, I live in a cabin we have on site, it’s 6m x7m i would not want it much smaller, you could go 7x5 any smaller and I think it would be a painful experience. 

Understand that but we have lived for long periods (2 months) in our mobile home, which is significantly smaller.  We are not naieve enough to think that it won't be an "interesting" experience though.

[Temp]

If its got a bedroom I believe Building Control Approval is required. 

 

https://www.labc.co.uk/news/does-my-new-outbuilding-need-building-regulations-approval

 

Quote

To be exempt from the regulations they must have the features listed below and they must not contain any sleeping accommodation (no beds in sheds). 

 

continues..

 

Note Mobile homes and caravans don't need Building Control Approval but this doesn't sound like it will meet the rules for mobile homes?

Edited Friday at 20:08 by Temp

[Roger440]

As far as i can see it needs BR

 

However, if its for months, rather than years, id just crack on, unless you have particuarly nosey neighbours?

 

Even if it could to the point of enforcement, 6 months would be long since past.

 

But why not just get a mobile home, thus avoiding such issues?

 

[G and J]

Isn’t it just like putting a tent up and camping in your garden for a bit?

 

If you get on with your neighbours and you ensure they know it’s not permanent living accommodation and you won’t be moving peeps in there permanently then I suspect you are highly unlikely to have a problem. 
 

Start applying for building regs so it could be permanently lived in would be more worrying for the neighbours I’d have thought. 
 

Love the idea of it bringing a hands on prototype for the house. 

[ProDave]

Can you post details of this ecobricks you are planning to use?

 

While I can see you want a practice piece for the main build, if only you were to make this cabin out of an insulated timber structure, you could make it comply with the "caravan" rules and hence not need building regs. Remember a "caravan" does not need to be on wheels to meet the legal definition of a caravan.

[mjc55]

22 minutes ago, ProDave said:

Can you post details of this ecobricks you are planning to use?

 

While I can see you want a practice piece for the main build, if only you were to make this cabin out of an insulated timber structure, you could make it comply with the "caravan" rules and hence not need building regs. Remember a "caravan" does not need to be on wheels to meet the legal definition of a caravan.

https://ecobrix.co.uk/

 

 

[mjc55]

2 hours ago, G and J said:

Isn’t it just like putting a tent up and camping in your garden for a bit?

 

If you get on with your neighbours and you ensure they know it’s not permanent living accommodation and you won’t be moving peeps in there permanently then I suspect you are highly unlikely to have a problem. 
 

Start applying for building regs so it could be permanently lived in would be more worrying for the neighbours I’d have thought. 
 

Love the idea of it bringing a hands on prototype for the house. 

This is my view to be honest.  I know there is a chance that we could have some issues with the LA living there but am prepared to deal with that should it come up.

[ProDave]

4 minutes ago, mjc55 said:

This is my view to be honest.  I know there is a chance that we could have some issues with the LA living there but am prepared to deal with that should it come up.

The LA will almost certainly demand council tax from you.  

[mjc55]

5 minutes ago, ProDave said:

The LA will almost certainly demand council tax from you.  

Yes, I expect that and have no issue with it.  We are going to be living there and want all the normal services.

 

[saveasteading]

I would make it of timber stud, and looking as much like a hired cabin as possible, and raised on blocks. nobody will give it a second look, and is clearly temporary.

[mjc55]

The method of construction isn’t up for debate here, the point of constructing it in this way (as I said in the first post) is to use the same construction materials and methods as the main house.

 

I understand that to be exempt it shouldn’t contain sleeping accommodation - it doesn't, it's overall purpose is office/storage.

 

We may (or may not!) sleep in it for a bit.   

 

Schedule 2/ class 6 of the BR states

 

Quote

 

1.  A detached single storey building, having a floor area which does not exceed 30m2, which contains no sleeping accommodation and is a building—

(a)no point of which is less than one metre from the boundary of its curtilage; or

(b)which is constructed substantially of non-combustible material.

 

 

 

To my eye that means it doesn’t require BR approval.

[Temp]

Even "without" sleeping accommodation things like the electrics and possibly the plumbing (?) are notifiable. Typically your electrician will notify LABC about the work he does on it. 

 

When the BCO visits to check on your house best tell him the pod just being used as a site office and hide the airbeds 🙂

 

[ETC]

It’s not exempt.

[ETC]

If you use it to sleep in.

[ETC]

But make it safe and your BCO will probably not give you too much hassle.

[-rick-]

If you are building using the same construction techniques as the main building to practice, why not go through BC as practice of those elements? BC might point out something that causes you to avoid a costly issue for the main build.

 

If its concern over making detailled BC plans, why not just do it as Building Notice? (seperate from main build)

[mjc55]

2 hours ago, Temp said:

Even "without" sleeping accommodation things like the electrics and possibly the plumbing (?) are notifiable. Typically your electrician will notify LABC about the work he does on it. 

 

When the BCO visits to check on your house best tell him the pod just being used as a site office and hide the airbeds 🙂

 

As long as the electrics are done by a suitably qualified person they don't require BR.

 

[saveasteading]

Have you checked your planning permission? It is quite common for it to state that permitted development rights are withdrawn (ie you should have made it part of the application).

[mjc55]

it was  part of the planning permission.