UPDATE

 

COMPLETION CERT SUPPLIED BY BC, NO EV CHARGER REQUESTED.  DITTO GULLY FOR BINS.

 

WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT THE WARRANTY PROVIDER'S BC SAY (ALTHOUGH THEY WOULDN'T CARRY OUT THEIR FINAL INSPECTION UNTIL NORMAL BC HAD PROVIDED COMPLETION CERT).

 

WARRANTY PROVIDER AT THIS LATE STAGE IS ASKING FOR A DRAIN TEST 😔

Well that's a result and goes to show how inconsistent regulation can be. We supplied a statement by the plumber that he had tested the drains upon completing the works to building control and that was accepted. Could you try the same with your warranty provider. Plugging the top end of an installed svp when all the scaffolding has gone is a real pain.

1 hour ago, kandgmitchell said:

Well that's a result and goes to show how inconsistent regulation can be. We supplied a statement by the plumber that he had tested the drains upon completing the works to building control and that was accepted. Could you try the same with your warranty provider. Plugging the top end of an installed svp when all the scaffolding has gone is a real pain.

Thank you.  We can do the test but I just wonder why they ask this type of thing at this late stage when they have visited many times before.  Well we are nearly there, glad we have BC completion cert, just the warranty to deal with.

On 28/04/2026 at 11:34, Square Feet said:

I don't know where you live, but here in Scotland we try to be nice to our friends.  It's likely to cost less than the price of a bottle of wine and is the least I can do if someone is helping me out. Also if they come to visit me then it's nice to be nice.  I honestly can't stand the mentality of 'what's in it for me?'  Just be a nice human.

I also live in Scotland, so I’m intrigued to learn when we collectively decided electricity was complimentary.

 

It was a joke—but even in reality, there’s a difference between hospitality and quietly footing someone else’s ongoing costs.

 

And I actually agree with you—constantly asking “what’s in it for me?” isn’t a great mentality. But that’s not what this is. I’m usually the one giving up time, tools, and know-how to help people out—fixing things, sorting problems, no questions asked. That is being a nice human.

 

The flip side of that is not taking that generosity for granted, or framing basic boundaries as selfishness.

 

Being decent goes both ways.

On 27/04/2026 at 12:15, Post and beam said:

The 'rule' is an unfair and ridiculous burden on the house builder.

Hear,hear! It just makes houses even less affordable to buy and encourages vehicle ownership and thus further damage to society and the planet.

10 hours ago, Hastings said:

Hear,hear! It just makes houses even less affordable to buy and encourages vehicle ownership and thus further damage to society and the planet.

 

Yes, only just read this thread. Completely agree with post and beam.

 

I did read recently that the cost of building a house now exceeds its completed value in 40% of the country. If we keep adding new burdens, that will get worse. The eventual endpoint is obvious.

Another Building Regulation that unnecessarily works to increase housing costs is the requirement for the water supply being capable of providing profligate quantities of water.

 

My recent 2/3 bed new build in West Scotland was restricted (at completion) to maximum occupancy of 2 people (1 bedroom) because the rainwater collection system installed is deemed unable to provide a supply of at least 250L/day/person throughout the year to more than 2 people.

3 minutes ago, Hastings said:

a supply of at least 250L/day/person throughout the year to more than 2 people

500L/day   every day.   Even in Scotland that aint happening.

 

Have i missed something here?

478L/day is the average potential collection achievable in that location according to Met Office 10yr data with the roof area we have. There is a 10,000L storage tank.

 

478L/day for max 2 people was only accepted by Public Health Dept. because it is not needed for any outside use (car washing, garden etc) as we have borehole water (un-treatable for household use) for that.

 

The daily in-house use is around maximum 75L/day/person because there are no baths. A bath installation (or two or more) is not a regulation but you are nevertheless required to be able to fill one or more of them at least every day (as apparently now with electric cars) even if they are not present.

Have i got this correct?   You are required to collect rain water and use it within you house?

13 minutes ago, Post and beam said:

Have i got this correct?   You are required to collect rain water and use it within you house?

 

I guess they are not on mains water.

On 12/10/2026 at 11:01, Hastings said:

My recent 2/3 bed new build in West Scotland was restricted (at completion) to maximum occupancy of 2 people (1 bedroom) because the rainwater collection system installed is deemed unable to provide a supply of at least 250L/day/person throughout the year to more than 2 people.

Well Scotland is certainly a foreign country. The English regs state that water use must not exceed 125 litres/person/day with a lower limit (as we have) of 115 litres if required by the planning permission. Never seen a minimum requirement but then few locations around here are without mains water.

1 hour ago, kandgmitchell said:

The English regs state that water use must not exceed 125 litres/person/day

Well i certainly have this as well in North Hertfordshire. But i dont have any planning conditions about water harvesting.

I dont understand how they can enforce this usage limit, not in practical terms anyway.

Frankly, now that i have to pay a pretty penny for every measured litre i will use whatever i like.

On 12/10/2026 at 11:51, Hastings said:

478L/day is the average potential collection achievable in that location according to Met Office 10yr data with the roof area we have. There is a 10,000L storage tank.

 

478L/day for max 2 people was only accepted by Public Health Dept. because it is not needed for any outside use (car washing, garden etc) as we have borehole water (un-treatable for household use) for that.

 

The daily in-house use is around maximum 75L/day/person because there are no baths. A bath installation (or two or more) is not a regulation but you are nevertheless required to be able to fill one or more of them at least every day (as apparently now with electric cars) even if they are not present.

There has got to be more to this story? Do you fancy furnishing us with more detail? 

 

How did Environmental Health get involved, or had your BC gone on a course, but not understood what they were getting taught? 

10 hours ago, Gus Potter said:

more detail? 

If you can give us the exact wording and whether it is a requirement or suggestion?

At the steading we have a spring which feeds 3m3 of storage. That seems sensible in case of drought.

14 hours ago, Gus Potter said:

How did Environmental Health get involved, or had your BC gone on a course, but not understood what they were getting taught? 

Environmental Health, not Building Control, regulate Private Water supplies in Scotland. A specialist contractor report is required to design and sign off a new supply.

Edited Friday at 12:042 days by Hastings

14 hours ago, Gus Potter said:

There has got to be more to this story? Do you fancy furnishing us with more detail? 

I honestly can't think of any more detail just now. What did you have in mind? It's getting very off-topic too.

 

I really just wanted to reinforce the fact (for those that believe regulations are not to be questioned) that UK building regs are inevitably a bit behind the times, frequently contradict each other and are sometimes inappropriate to the very wide variety of cases they are applied to.

 

During my experience with agreeing our water supply with the local authority I was driven to contact a solicitor to help, because I felt I was being blocked from building a supply that would create the least environmental impact, in direct (I felt) conflict with the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 as well as that authority's Local Plan.

By their nature regulations tend to be reactive. Take the Summerland fire and more lately Grenfell. In earlier days it was more about disease prevention covering drainage etc. Part of the issue now is how the control of development is fragmented across several regulators, be that the planners, building control, environmental health and now the building safety regulator.

 

I have no issue in having rules for structural stability, weather/damp resistance, fire protection etc but begin to balk at being told to fit an EV charger or the right amount of internet to an individual house build.  Developers perhaps, because they are selling a product to a third party for profit. Myself, I don't need the planners telling me what plants I have to landscape the garden with etc

On 16/10/2026 at 13:03, Hastings said:

Environmental Health, not Building Control, regulate Private Water supplies in Scotland. A specialist contractor report is required to design and sign off a new supply.

Thank you for updating my knowledge base, much appreciated. I stand corrected. Every day is a school day at my end.