Building control drawings - future optional jobs after extension

[Col3232]

I am in the processing buying a bungalow that needs a fair bit of work. The first thing we plan to do is to add a side extension under Permitted Development. We will get a LDC to cover that too then submitt a full set of building control drawings. Depending on how much we end up spending on the extension and how long it takes, we are likely to want to do various jobs on the existing structure - e.g. remove chimney breasts, move a couple of walls, external insulation. Should we include everything we might want to do in the initial set of building control drawings and then if we decide later not to do it then just stop and a get a completition certificate for what we have done? Or should we wait and submit a seperate application for the existing structure at a later date when we are clear on what we can afford? More money in fees I guess. Any pros / cons either way?

 

[frutbunn]

Its probably cheaper in the long term to put them all on one app, Certainly this would be the case at my last authority, but Local Authorities all have different charges these days.

 

[DevilDamo]

The more you add to a BR application, the fees overall would normally be cheaper as they can offer a discount when works are being carried out at the same time. However, if you have included various alterations under one BR application but only want to or get round to completing some of them, BC wouldn’t normally issue you a Completion Certificate until ‘all’ the works stated/approved have been carried out.

On the other hand, if you did only complete some of the works and BC agreed to issue you Completion Certificate for those works, they’d charge you separate and therefore additional fees should you get round to carrying out the rest of the works. That way, you’d end up paying the same as if you were to split the jobs up in the first place.

Apart from the fees, there isn’t really any major benefit in combining different aspects of works under one application. Planning however is a slightly different story and does have its benefits.

 

[frutbunn]

The more you add to a BR application, the fees overall would normally be cheaper as they can offer a discount when works are being carried out at the same time. However, if you have included various alterations under one BR application but only want to or get round to completing some of them, BC wouldn’t normally issue you a Completion Certificate until ‘all’ the works stated/approved have been carried out.

On the other hand, if you did only complete some of the works and BC agreed to issue you Completion Certificate for those works, they’d charge you separate and therefore additional fees should you get round to carrying out the rest of the works. That way, you’d end up paying the same as if you were to split the jobs up in the first place.

Apart from the fees, there isn’t really any major benefit in combining different aspects of works under one application. Planning however is a slightly different story and does have its benefits.

The 4 local authorities I've worked at would provide a letter confirming that parts of the work are complete and issue a cert when all the work has been completed with no additional charge.

 

[DevilDamo]

The LABC I worked at didn’t and neither do others local to me so it may be up to the discretion of that particular LABC. Not sure how AI’s would deal with it.

The thing about no additional charge... If you’re carrying out (for example) a single storey side extension, two storey rear extension and loft conversion with a dormer in one phase, LABC would normally offer a discount on the fee, in particular the Inspection fee element as they’d only be carrying out one set of inspections. If you only complete the single storey side extension and LABC issue you a letter for that element, that means they’d have to carry out more inspections for the rest of the work and they’d therefore have to obtain the additional fees somewhere. If as a matter of principle they don’t charge anything extra, applicants may as well bundle it all on one application, get the discount but have it signed off in stages.

 

[^woody^]

Submit for what you want to do now, then add the other stuff later to that initial application. You or may not be charged, and it's unlikely you'll need to provide drawings for that other work - it will just get inspected and signed off

 

[frutbunn]

Submit for what you want to do now, then add the other stuff later to that initial application. You or may not be charged, and it's unlikely you'll need to provide drawings for that other work - it will just get inspected and signed off

Can't speak for every authority but its never worked like that at any of the authorities I've worked. It requires a new app for the additional work once the first app has been processed.

 

[^woody^]

Can't speak for every authority but its never worked like that at any of the authorities I've worked. It requires a new app for the additional work once the first app has been processed.

The chaps around here do it no problem, it just comes down to agreeing any extra fee - despite there being no extra plan checking and in most cases no extra visits either.

 

[Col3232]

Thanks for your replies. It sounds like it may be dependent on the LA, so perhaps I need to just have a chat to them about it and be upfront.