Most of us are aware that you need to submit a set of scale drawings with planning applications in order to illustrate your proposed design. But the next stage in the process, which involves producing detailed construction drawings, can be a bit of a grey area that sometimes gets skimped on or overlooked, risking serious problems occurring further down the line.
BUILDING REGULATIONS EXPLAINED
By law, most construction work needs to be carried out in accordance with the Building Regulations. The main exemptions are for peripheral things like small porches, conservatories or detached garages (up to 30m ² floor area). So once you’ve secured your planning approval, the focus needs to shift to proving that your design ticks all the right technical boxes. This is where detailed construction drawings come in, since their main purpose is to demonstrate compliance with the ‘Approved Documents’ which together comprise what are broadly termed the ‘Building Regulations’.
Traditionally, the main aim of the Building Regulations was to ensure that new buildings were structurally stable and safe to inhabit without risking life and limb. But in recent years their scope has broadened dramatically. Today the Approved Documents comprise a series of detailed guidance manuals (ranging from A to R) covering everything
