To ensure that your building works comply with Building Regulations and other relevant associated legislation, we will carry out inspections of building work as it progresses.
Once you or your builder have decided when to commence building work, you must give Building Control at least two days notice. Our Building Control Surveyor will call on site on the commencement date. He will introduce himself, discuss the job and answer any queries you may have.
If the job is being done under a Building Notice - you may be required to submit further details and/or drawings for consideration.
These inspections are not necessarily the only ones your Building Control Surveyor will carry out – we would also expect to be notified when the following are ready for inspection:
- Upper floor joists
- Structural steelwork
- First fix electrical wiring (dwellings only)
- Roof construction
The Surveyor may call unexpectedly at other times to check on the work in progress.
All inspections can be arranged by contacting the Building Control Office - same day inspections will be possible if you telephone before 9.30am.
You are advised to request the final inspection from Building Control before your builder leaves the job. Any problems can then be quickly and efficiently corrected.
Completion Certificates are issued on satisfactory completion of works.
The regulations require the that person carrying out building work must give us notice when the work has reached a particular stage. The prescribed stages are set out below. Notice may be given by post, phone or email:
Building Control
Civic Offices
St Peters Street
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 3JE
Telephone
01727 819289 or 819218 (direct lines)
01727 866100 (Main Switchboard, ask for Building Control)
Email
buildingcontrol@stalbans.gov.uk
Inspection stages
These are the stages at which notification should be given.
(Stage 6 is not mandatory but it is strongly recommended.)
- Commencement
- Foundation excavated
- Foundation constructed
- Damp proof course
- Ground floor oversite (before concrete is laid)
- Before covering any structural timbers, steelwork or concrete
- Drains, before backfilling
- Drains before backfilling (testing)
- Occupation before completion
- Work completed
Our promise
The standards set for the Building Control Service are challenging. For instance, we guarantee to carry out statutory inspections on the same day if the site inspection request is received before 9.30am. Even in times of high workload and staff shortages, we rarely fail to deliver this promise.