Internal Staircase may not comply with building regs?

[rufusgti]

98elise said:

This. You can live in a house/extension/conversion that has not been signed off, but it will make it hard (but not impossible) to sell. Unless its dangerous the council will just wait for you to call them in and get it signed off.

When we did our extension, the inspector told me his record was 25 years between a extension being started, and it finally being signed off!

I really should know about all this, I just somehow and shamefully don't.

Why on earth does it matter when selling? I've bought houses with shocking great gaps in balustrades. Friends have just bought one with no balustrade. I keep hearing and reading about building regs not being signed off making it hard to sell but have never met anyone who this has happened to buying or selling. At what point do they get involved? and why? If I buy a house with over a 100mm gap on the stairs surely thats up to me. are we saying building control could stop me?

[98elise]

rufusgti said:

98elise said:

This. You can live in a house/extension/conversion that has not been signed off, but it will make it hard (but not impossible) to sell. Unless its dangerous the council will just wait for you to call them in and get it signed off.

When we did our extension, the inspector told me his record was 25 years between a extension being started, and it finally being signed off!

I really should know about all this, I just somehow and shamefully don't.

Why on earth does it matter when selling? I've bought houses with shocking great gaps in balustrades. Friends have just bought one with no balustrade. I keep hearing and reading about building regs not being signed off making it hard to sell but have never met anyone who this has happened to buying or selling. At what point do they get involved? and why? If I buy a house with over a 100mm gap on the stairs surely thats up to me. are we saying building control could stop me?

If the property was originally signed off, but there has been a minor change then its really not an issue. If there has been a planning permission or building control project that hasn't been signed off, then it will show up in the searches and the solicitor will ask you (its a standard question)

It may then prevent you getting a mortgage, or at least limit your choices and it will certainly spook some buyers. Its probably wrong of me to say it will be hard to sell. It will make it harder.

Ultimately if you have the funds you can buy pretty much anything you want, in any condition

BC will only get involved when you want to get something signed off, or you are doing something dangerous.

Edited by 98elise on Wednesday 23 April 19:54

[98elise]

Little Lofty said:

98elise said:

This. You can live in a house/extension/conversion that has not been signed off, but it will make it hard (but not impossible) to sell. Unless its dangerous the council will just wait for you to call them in and get it signed off.

When we did our extension, the inspector told me his record was 25 years between a extension being started, and it finally being signed off!

That makes me feel better, I started my loft conversion about 5 years ago, its liveable but not yet signed off

I assume they know you've started it? The regs are fixed at the point you start (not apply) so if things change mid build build you only have to comply with the regs in place at the time.

[Little Lofty]

rufusgti said:

I really should know about all this, I just somehow and shamefully don't.

Why on earth does it matter when selling? I've bought houses with shocking great gaps in balustrades. Friends have just bought one with no balustrade. I keep hearing and reading about building regs not being signed off making it hard to sell but have never met anyone who this has happened to buying or selling. At what point do they get involved? and why? If I buy a house with over a 100mm gap on the stairs surely thats up to me. are we saying building control could stop me?

It depends when the work was carried out and if it was part of work that required building regs approval.For instance the loft conversion I carried out on my house is obviously an addition to the original house, when I sell I need to complete legal forms stating what work has been carried out and if it needed building regs, if it does then the completion certificates are forwarded to the buyers solicitors.Many smaller jobs around the house don't require building regs and can be done by anyone to varying standards.When I bought my house I pointed out to the site agent that the Juliette balcony had a larger than 100mm gap at its base, baring in mind I had a 1 year old at the time and the balcony was about 15' high I wasn't going to sign for the house until it was sorted.I had a face to face argument in front of the lads on site with the site agent and a surveyor from the company about it and both were adamant it was correct.I rang the NHBC and informed them so that the inspector could have a look when he came to sign off the house.The house failed, the builder had to lower the balcony to close the gap on my house and about 10 others on the estate, they also had to go back and do another two whole estates, how I laughed.

[Little Lofty]

98elise said:

I assume they know you've started it? The regs are fixed at the point you start (not apply) so if things change mid build build you only have to comply with the regs in place at the time.

Yes, all the major stages were passed (steel etc), so it's just the final sign off.I had to add an additional fire door downstairs and install extra smoke alarms as I added a forth floor, I haven't added the extra door yet so haven't had the building inspector back.I often bump into him on other projects, he doesn't even ask about it now as he knows the answer

[andy43]

It's all fairly academic anyway - a baby's head is fairly flexible and can be squished into all sorts of small gaps, so the strict 100mm rule is a bit daft imho.

<waits for social workers knock at the door>