Planning an extension, loft conversion or renovation? Building safety rules can affect ordinary home improvements, not just high-rise buildings. If you’re having building work done on your home in England, you have a part to play alongside your designer and builder.
The good news is that you don’t need to master the legislation. Start by understanding who is responsible for what, what information your team needs from you and how the work will be checked.
Building Safety Act for homeowners at a glance
- You have responsibilities as a domestic client when building work is carried out on your home.
- Choose people with the right experience for your project.
- Agree who will manage the design, building work and Building Control.
- Give the team working on your building project all relevant information and allow enough time and budget to do the work properly.
Download our guide to the Building Safety Act for homeowners →
What are my responsibilities as a homeowner?
Under the building regulations’ dutyholder rules in England, a homeowner having work done for domestic purposes is called a domestic client. This can include work on a family member’s home.
As part of your project, you may already be speaking to a designer and choosing a builder. These are just steps normal to any building project, but the rules make it important to understand who is responsible for each part of the project. As the homeowner, you need to appoint the people doing the work, cooperate with them and share relevant information you have – or can reasonably obtain – such as a previous survey, details of an earlier extension, or any known problems with your home.
You also need to allow enough time and resources for the work to meet Building Regulations. If a quote or timetable seems to leave no room for design work, checks or changes that may be needed, discuss it before you commit. Your designer and builder have their own legal responsibilities for their work – you’re helping them meet those responsibilities.
Who is responsible for the design and the build?
The regulations give names to the people responsible for overseeing the design and building work. These are:
- The principal designer plans, manages and monitors the design work so it meets Building Regulations.
- The principal contractor plans, manages and monitors the building work so it meets Building Regulations.
A designer or building company may be able to take on these roles, depending on the project and their competence. You do not necessarily need two separate businesses. Ask who will take each role and make sure everyone involved has the same understanding.
This matters when the plans reach your builder. Drawings prepared for planning permission may not contain all the detail needed to build the project. Your builder may need more information from the designer before work starts. Agreeing that early can help avoid delays and unexpected costs.
Five questions to ask before work starts
Take these questions to your designer and builder:
- Who will manage the design, and who will manage the building work?
- Are the plans detailed enough to build from?
- Who will arrange Building Control involvement and keep track of inspections?
- If I change the design during the build, who needs to review it?
- What checks and paperwork will be needed when the work is finished?
A change that looks simple on paper – such as moving a wall – may need your designer to review the plans before the builder can proceed. It could also affect the price or timetable. Ask your team how they will agree and record changes.
Building Control is worth discussing at the start, too. Find out who will make the arrangements and what you and your team will need to provide at completion.
Download the guide
For more detail, download our free guide to the Building Safety Act for homeowners. It explains the roles and includes a checklist to keep beside your project plans.
Building Safety Act FAQs for homeowners
Does this matter if my project does not need planning permission?
Yes, it can. Planning permission and Building Regulations are different. Work that does not need planning permission may still need to meet Building Regulations, so check the requirements for your project.
Can one company manage both the design and the build?
Yes, a company offering design and build services may be able to take both roles if it has the right competence. Ask how it will manage each part of the work.
What if I hire different trades myself?
If your builder, electrician and plumber are working on the same project, ask who will coordinate the building work as principal contractor. This is especially important if you appoint some trades directly. Agree how they’ll share information and who each trade should speak to if a change affects their work.
What if I do not appoint a principal designer or principal contractor?
For a domestic project, the rules say who takes on these roles if you do not make appointments: the designer in control of the design phase and the contractor in control of the construction phase. Discussing and agreeing the roles early makes the arrangements clearer for everyone.
Do the same rules apply across the UK?
This article explains the dutyholder rules for England. Requirements differ elsewhere in the UK. If your project is in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, check the rules that apply where the property is located.