Building Regs: Technical guidance documents

Responsibility for the regs has been devolved to national governments across the UK. The regimes are very similar in England and Wales, with 16 Approved Documents setting out guidance on each area. Northern Ireland’s Technical Booklets are split into 14 areas, while there are eight sections to Scotland’s Building Standards. Procedures are a little different in Scotland, where work cannot start in any form until a building warrant has been secured, and a new house cannot be occupied unless a habitation certificate has been issued.

England & Wales

Regulation 7 – Materials and workmanship

Part A – Structural safety

Scotland

Section 0 – General

Section 1 – Structure

Northern Ireland

Technical booklet B – Materials & workmanship

Technical booklet C – Site preparation and resistance to contaminants / moisture

Technical booklet D – Structure

Technical booklet E – Fire safety

Technical booklet F – Conservation of fuel and power

Technical booklet G – Resistance to the passage of sound

Technical booklet H – Stairs, ramps, guarding and protection from impact

Technical booklet J – Solid waste in buildings

Technical booklet K – Ventilation

Technical booklet L – Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems

Technical booklet N – Drainage

Technical booklet P – Sanitary appliances, unvented hot water systems & reducing risk of scalding

Technical booklet R – Access to & use of buildings

Technical booklet V – Glazing