Structural Certificate

Lex Luthor

We had a 2 bedroom extension built about 2 yrs ago above our converted garage & living room. All the usual procedure for PP was followed and approved and the build was carried out by a local reputable builder.

Someone mentioned to me recently did I get a structural cert from teh builder as I'll need it when/if I ever want to sell.

Is this true? Who fits the bill for this?

rooferPete

Hi Lex,

Sounds like somebody got their wires crossed, your Architect is supposed to issue you with an opinion on compliance also payment certs for the completed works.

I believe the builder could be deemed to have a conflict of interest if he certified his work, also most builders don't carry Professional Indemnity insurance to make such certs worth the paper they are written on.

Call on your Architect to issue the cert while the project may be still fresh in his mind, you may have difficulty selling the house until you get a cert of compliance.

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Lex Luthor

rooferPete wrote:

Hi Lex,

Sounds like somebody got their wires crossed, your Architect is supposed to issue you with an opinion on compliance also payment certs for the completed works.

I believe the builder could be deemed to have a conflict of interest if he certified his work, also most builders don't carry Professional Indemnity insurance to make such certs worth the paper they are written on.

Call on your Architect to issue the cert while the project may be still fresh in his mind, you may have difficulty selling the house until you get a cert of compliance.

.

Pete, at the time the drawings were completed by my brother in law who was doing his studies for architecture..he is now in his final year so maybe I should ask him is he allowed to issue the cert?

rooferPete

Hi Lex,

By all means have a chat with him, I expect he may not be in a position to issue the cert yet as he most likely has no Professional Indemnity insurance in place.

They are available from Architects should you need one in a hurry, the "key word" in the whole process is "Opinion", many people believe the cert of compliance to carved in stone, they are nicely worded documents that are opinions on compliance.

Your Solicitor will advise you should you need one at any time, I understand they have a statute of limitations as legal documents after 7 or 8 years which means after that time you have no recourse in law to a bad / faulty opinion on compliance.

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