Tests & Certs Needed For Building Regs

DaveDave

Hi all,

I'm in the process of buying a new build and am trying to figure out what documentation I should be recieveing so that I know everything has been tested and is in compliance of the building regulations.

I keep hearing this word - Building Control Amendment Regulations (BCAR) certificate - so I assume I'm looking for these, but can't find what they should cover.

From what I've seen there should have been a:

-mandatory air tightness/permability test
-mandatory sound insulation test
-Building Energy Rating Certificate (BER)

What am I missing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Dave

Gumbo

DaveDave wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm in the process of buying a new build and am trying to figure out what documentation I should be recieveing so that I know everything has been tested and is in compliance of the building regulations.

I keep hearing this word - Building Control Amendment Regulations (BCAR) certificate - so I assume I'm looking for these, but can't find what they should cover.

From what I've seen there should have been a:

-mandatory air tightness/permability test
-mandatory sound insulation test
-Building Energy Rating Certificate (BER)

What am I missing?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Dave

The developer will have his assigned certifier issue certs of compliance to the building control authority through the BCMS system.

The CCC (Completion Cert) will then be on the register and your solicitor will most likely get a copy of that.

That’s all you are entitled to but you may receive a copy of the BER. The air tightness test may or may not have been carried out on your particular house if they have test another built in the same way. Same goes for the sound transmission test.

Ronney

Usually the process would be something as follows.

Architect would be the assigned certifier.

He would gather all the Ancillary certs from the relevant other designers, Structural Engineers, M&E Engineers and material certs from the builders.

He then applies to the local Council for the BCar cert


To add to the above in my experience Air tightness would be done on all houses. A certain value needs to be obtained to achieve a required BER rating. (This effects things like insulation thickness required and number of solar panels etc.)

Sound tests tend to cover 6/7 houses

Gumbo

Ronney wrote: »

Usually the process would be something as follows.

Architect would be the assigned certifier.

He would gather all the Ancillary certs from the relevant other designers, Structural Engineers, M&E Engineers and material certs from the builders.

He then applies to the local Council for the BCar cert


To add to the above in my experience Air tightness would be done on all houses. A certain value needs to be obtained to achieve a required BER rating. (This effects things like insulation thickness required and number of solar panels etc.)

Sound tests tend to cover 6/7 houses

A/T tests are only carried out on a limited number of properties in the same development. For example, one of my sites has over 100 houses. Test was required on about 10 of them due to the same style and construction method being used.

The value of the A/T test is separate to the BER. The minimum can be achieved without any special consideration and constructing to standard details. It’s only when you go below 5ACH and even lower then the materials required to achiev this plays their part.

DaveDave

Thanks kceire and Ronney.

This is a one off build, so sounds like it should have all the tests performed, and then I should have a look for this complition certificate.

Thanks for the help.

Dave

Gumbo

DaveDave wrote: »

Thanks kceire and Ronney.

This is a one off build, so sounds like it should have all the tests performed, and then I should have a look for this complition certificate.

Thanks for the help.

Dave

Then you should get a copy. May be no sound test as it’s not connected to any other property but BER and air tightness test will have to be carried out.