Stroma Building Control is one of the largest private Approved Inspectors based throughout the UK. We are a Construction Industry Council (CICAIR) approved alternative to using Local Authority Building Control, providing a comprehensive Building Regulation approval process to check compliance of your projects both at plan and site stage where appropriate. Stroma Building Control is approved by the CICAIR to provide Building Control on all types of construction projects, and is able to provide the necessary Professional Indemnity and Public Liability cover as required by the CICAIR.
A Dedicated Service
Our role at Stroma Building Control is to operate as an independent third party to assess plans and building work to satisfy the requirements of the Building Regulations, as set out in the Government’s Approved Documents. Our service is time and cost effective and can help you to achieve high standards of sustainability, design and quality in addition to meeting statutory obligations.
As with all building work, the owner and occupier of the property or land are ultimately responsible for satisfying the Building Regulations. However, a Building Control body, such as Stroma Building Control can determine whether your development projects are achieving these requirements.
The majority of building work requires Building Regulations approval.
We can provide a Building Control service for:
Erection of most building types
(inc. residential & commercial)
Extension of most building types
(inc. residential & commercial)
Most building work that affects the physical structure or internal layout of a building
Change of use of an existing building to a dwelling, flat, hotel or an institutional building
Material alterations such as drainage, ventilation, new lintel and structural openings
Building works that change the number of dwellings a building contains
Installing cavity wall insulation or replacement windows (not covered by a CPS Scheme)
Conversions of existing spaces (e.g. loft conversions and garage conversions)
The Stroma Building Control Service
At Stroma Building Control we consider proactive advice at the early design stage to be very much part of our service. Our qualified Building Control Surveyors are pleased to support clients through the project conception stage, providing the confidence of approval from the outset. Our service is designed to support clients in building strong lasting relationships.
Application
You can apply to Stroma Building Control at any stage of the process, however applications should be made at least 5 working days before works start on site. Our applications are valid for 3 years before any work needs to start on site.
Applying early can often guarantee a reduced fee. We will then submit an Initial Notice to the relevant Local Authority to inform them that we have your permission to carry out the Building Control on your development with Building Regulations approval.
Plans Check
You can submit any drawings, produced by your architect, project manager or structural engineer, upon your initial quote request or Building Control application.
It is helpful if we receive these as soon as possible to be able to appraise them against the requirements of the Building Regulations and return them to you for comments.
Initial Notice Approval
Once we lodge the Initial Notice with the Local Authority registration department, legally we must allow 5 days for the notice to be registered.
Once the registration is complete works may then commence on site and will be checked and inspected by our service with no input from the Local Authority Building Control department.
Site Inspections
Our inspection service is provided to support our clients and is therefore often available at concept stage. For further information contact your local building control office. Following the Initial Notice acceptance, you can request a site visit for the Site Inspections to be carried out.
Site Inspections are generally carried out on Foundations, Damp Proof Course, Below Ground Pipework (before backfilling), Pre-Plaster Check (structural beams and lintels, roof joists restrain straps and thermal insulation) and Completion.
Final Certificate
A Final Certificate will be issued, following satisfactory completion inspection by our Building Control Surveyor, within 8 weeks of the completed works being occupied (4 weeks for commercial premises). A final certificate indicates that, within the remit of our inspections and checks, we have satisfied ourselves that compliance has been achieved with the requirements of the regulations; including the Building Regulations outlined in the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) guidance notes which cover various elements of building works. This Final Certificate is a very important document and is required should you ever choose to sell your property.
Please note: An Initial Notice cannot be used for retrospective works or works which have started. Works must not start before the Initial Notice is submitted and accepted.
