BCMS start date etc

annemarieR

What if any are the consequences of commencing demolition etc for an extension two weeks before the BCMS start date? All roles have been accepted but our engineering firm failed to pay the €30 charge before Christmas and there is no option to contact the BCMS people again before January 2nd. The Engineering firm have told us we now cannot begin anything before at least 16th January but the builder and ourselves are very anxious to start on January 3rd. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Max Moment

I would adhere to your assigned certifier’s advice and not start until everything is in place and above board.

That being said, nothing to stop your AC making contact on the 2nd Jan with their Building Control counterpart and getting agreement to allow demo works start earlier as you wish. I would get this permission in writing however to prevent any issues down the line. I would clarify to them that no actual permanent works will be carried out until the time period has been observed.

You do not want to start off on the wrong foot with building control as they can be difficult if they want but generally work with you once you don’t step out of line.

Hope this helps.

Gumbo

annemarieR wrote: »

What if any are the consequences of commencing demolition etc for an extension two weeks before the BCMS start date? All roles have been accepted but our engineering firm failed to pay the €30 charge before Christmas and there is no option to contact the BCMS people again before January 2nd. The Engineering firm have told us we now cannot begin anything before at least 16th January but the builder and ourselves are very anxious to start on January 3rd. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Your engineer has to certify the building in compliance with the building control regulations. If you go against their advice they may not certify it
And may remove themselves from the project leaving you in a position that you may not be able to get another to replace them.

What council is it?

Max Moment wrote: »

I would adhere to your assigned certifier’s advice and not start until everything is in place and above board.

That being said, nothing to stop your AC making contact on the 2nd Jan with their Building Control counterpart and getting agreement to allow demo works start earlier as you wish. I would get this permission in writing however to prevent any issues down the line. I would clarify to them that no actual permanent works will be carried out until the time period has been observed.

You do not want to start off on the wrong foot with building control as they can be difficult if they want but generally work with you once you don’t step out of line.

Hope this helps.

You won’t get this in writing from a BCO.
Demolition generally doesn’t require a CN but it all depends on the structural works that support any remaining structures on site.

Max Moment

I have gotten such confirmation in writing previously on a project from building control which involved pre demolition and some enabling / temporary works to allow us start on site (Tower crane bases etc.) in a very built up area. This was with DCC with whom the AC had a good working relationship with.

It was important we had this as building control, planning and environmental depts had received several complaints that we had started works prior to CN being in place even though we were only carrying out demo and enabling works. We were able to produce the email when challenged.

Appreciate this is on a much smaller scale but my advice is still for the AC to contact the BCO to get agreement. Agreed, I wouldn’t be going against the AC / Engineer as they will be signing off.

annemarieR

Thanks for all the advice. Hopefully the engineering firm will get permission to go ahead with the demolition tomorrow. The extension is to a house in Cork city.