Find a Shop Fitter you can trust in Andover.

Generally, if you want to do a job, you can as well ensure that’s done properly. You may be considering building a small base for an orangery, but no matter how small it is, it just shouldn’t be done to any other than a compliant standard, and that’s whether or not an approval is needed. When it comes to building work which is covered by Building Regulations, you are required to comply (by the law) with the regulations and to make use of one of the two types of Building Control Service available. These includes the Building Control Service given by your local authority or the Building Control Service given by approved inspectors.

Regardless of the service you opt for, you’re going to pay but the preferred service may offer an advice before commencement of the project. The individual carrying out the building work is charged with the responsibility of ensuring total compliance with the regulations. Therefore, if you select to undertake the project by yourself, the responsibility is primarily on you. In the same vein, if you opt for a building company the responsibility would be the company’s, but you should always ensure to confirm this position before commencement of the project. You must also take note that you may be served with an enforcement notice if you fail to comply with the regulations as the owner of the building. So it’s advisable that you choose your builder very carefully.

There are a bunch of elements you may require approval for like the structural integrity, appropriate insulation levels, or the construction of a building over drainage or sewage. In cases where it’s obvious that you’d need building regulations, you can simply submit the building and planning application together at once.

A Structural Engineer is quite likely to be a participant of the ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers) or a registered member of IStructE (Institution of Structural Engineers) and also will probably have after his or her name the letters MIStructE, FIStructE, MICE or FICE. Structural Engineers with these letters after their names are referred to as Chartered Engineers.

It is usually encouraged that you involve the services of a Chartered Engineer as opposed to an Engineer that is not chartered but it should be noted that there are some Engineers with significant experience who are not chartered. The choice is yours.

In a similar way to other major home improvement projects, some specific requirements must be met to allow for the installation of solar panels. The main reason why these standards and regulations were established is to minimize the risk of the solar system becoming an issue or potential hazard in the unforeseeable future. So if you’re thinking about buying and fitting new solar panels, you’ll probably want to know whether or not you’ll require to submit a planning permission application for approval before you can proceed.

Generally, solar panels are covered under what’s called “Permitted Development” which gives you the freedom to install your solar panels without having to apply for a planning permission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. These exceptions include if your house is a listed building or if your house is located within a conservation area. In these exceptional cases, it’s possible that you’ll need to apply for a planning permission, but this will largely depend on the discretion of your Local Planning Authority. What’s more? Solar panels are usually subjected to normal building regulations which includes examining the roof to make sure that it can support the additional weight. You can call in a MCS certified installer to carry out this check for you.

In order to install your solar PV on your roof, you must follow these guidelines:

✓ Your solar panels shouldn’t go beyond the highest point of the roof (excluding chimneys).

✓ The solar panels shouldn’t project beyond 200mm off the roof’s edge.

✓ The solar panels should be removed once they’re no longer used to produce electricity

✓ The solar panels should be installed such that the area and building’s appearance change is minimized.

If your boiler is making strange noises or smells, or doesn’t seem to be working properly, it may need replacing. Boilers usually last about 10-15 years. Even if your boiler is working normally, it’s worth replacing when it gets this old. An annual check will establish if there are terminal problems with a boiler that cannot be fixed.

Before you start digging, you should know sewer lines are required to be buried within certain specifications and it’s your responsibility to find out what these specifications are. If you’re thinking about the appropriate depth of sewer line, then you’ve come to the right place! In this post we’re going to consider how deep a main sewer line should be buried underground.

First and foremost, you should understand that sewer lines are simply the intestinal systems of a house or property. Their primary function is to totally remove waste water and other waste matter from your drains, toilet, shower, dishwasher as well as the exterior faucets. With this in mind, we can then move to our main concern which is the sewer line depth. In a world that’s perfect, you’d be allowed to to just dig your home’s sewer line deep enough to cover it with a thin layer of sod. However, if you happen to reside in an environment with deep running cold, this inclement weather may just freeze up your waste right in the pipe due to the fact that it’s placed too close to the surface where there’s not enough warmth. This could also extend to other harsh weather conditions such as heavy wind and hurricanes which are able to tear out ground deep down and even more so, if it were to pull up trees that are close by with deep roots. Hence, the need to get the appropriate depth of sewer lines right.

Sewer lines depth can vary greatly - they can be as shallow as 12 to 30 and can be as deep as 6+ feet. This is often determined by the climate.

The floor heating system possesses a flat ribbon located underneath which be installed directly underneath wooden floors without the need for any additional subfloor preparation. It happens to be one of the few systems that can function as a primary heat without the need for screeds. If you’re interested in learning how to fit underfloor heating under wooden floor, then you’ve come to the right place! In this step by step guide, we’re going to take you through the process and providing you with all the necessary details at each step of the way. Let’s take a look!

To get started, you’ll only require a little preparation and this involves making sure that the surface area is dust and debris free. Once done, you’re ready to go.

1. Spread your 6mm therm-all insulation and make sure it covers the entire floor.
2. Put the ribbon underfloor heating mats on the insulation
3. Use the double sided tape on the under floor heating mats to attach them to the insulation
4. Make use of high adhesive take where needed to make sure the heating mats are secured.
5. Route the cold leads ( live and neutral ) to a junction box right above the skirting board level.
6. Examine whether or not the resistance level of the heating elements matches with the resistance chart in the installation manual
7. Link the cold leads with a 5 lever quick connectors
8. Install the wooden floor directly over the top of the heating mats
9. Due to the dangers involved while working with electricity, it’s advisable to call in a reliable and professional electrician to help with the setting up of the electrics.

Just like other major house improvement projects, some specific requirements must be met to allow for the installation of solar panels on commercial buildings. The main reason why these standards and regulations were established is to minimize the risk of the solar system becoming an issue or potential hazard in the unforeseeable future. So if you’re thinking about buying and fitting new solar panels, you’ll probably want to know whether or not you’ll require to submit a planning permission application for approval before you can proceed.

Fortunately, the installation of solar panels on commercial buildings may be “permitted development which mean you won’t have to apply to the Local Planning Authority for planning permission. There are, however, some important limits and conditions which must be put into consideration in order to benefit from these permitted development rights. Some of the limitations include:

• The solar panels must be installed on a wall or pitched roof that should project at a maximum of 200mm from the surface of the wall or roof slope.
• Equipment placed on a roof should not be within one metre of the external edge of that roof.
• Equipment mounted on a wall must not be within one metre of a junction of that wall with another wall or with the roof of the building
• If the equipment is on the roof of a building, the capacity for generation of electricity across the entire site must not be more than 1 megawatt.
• In the situation whereby the panels are installed on a flat roof, the highest part of the equipment should not exceed one metre above the highest part of the roof.

In general, obtaining a planning permission is very important and as such, you must discuss your position with your chosen installation company before you proceed.

It depends on the size and type of extension. Small porches or flat roof extensions are very reasonably priced. More substantial two storey extensions can be expensive. In general, the price is roughly proportional to the amount of space you add to your home.