Oakland Vale Design and Build Service

(Once Planning has been approved)

Building Regulations

Once planning approval has been obtained for your new house the next stage is to obtain building regulations approval and deal with any planning conditions. Once we have agreed fees for this and you have instructed us to proceed we would usually have a meeting with you to discuss the building regulations requirements in relation to your house. We would discuss and advise you regarding the most cost effective way to build your house whilst complying with the current regulations. We would also run through with you any minor changes to the layout and design that you may require. This meeting is also an opportunity to look at the finer detail of the build such as floor finishes, staircases, windows and external finishes. We now have a wealth knowledge and experience in building bespoke homes, so are able to advise you on material choices and the added complexity and benefits that beautiful green Oak framing brings to a project. At this point we would introduce you to our client wish list which covers everything from exterior finishes to electrical sockets, this is a live document that develops throughout the Design and Build process and helps you start to think about the various aspects of the build.

We would then prepare some preliminary building regulations drawings for you to review. Running alongside this we would start dealing with any planning conditions, these usually need to be discharged prior to work starting on site and one of the main condition that needs to be dealt with is the materials that are to be used in the exterior of the building need to be agreed with the planners.

Once the preliminary drawings have been prepared we would usually arrange a meeting with you to run through these to ensure that everything is in order and as discussed at the initial meeting. Following this meeting we would finalise the drawings ready to submit to building control for approval and pass the drawings over to our Quantity Surveyor to price up the build.

Usually we submit our drawings to an Approved Inspector as opposed to using the Local Authority Building Control department. We use Approved inspectors as we feel they offer a more practical approach to the build, working with us in order to ensure that the proposal complies with current building regulations. We have a good working relationship with BBS Building Control Ltd, who also carryout site inspection for a structural building warranty scheme provided by Build Zone.

Building control will then check through our drawings to make sure they comply and then they will either issue an approval or a conditional approval. We will then deal with any conditions as and when the information becomes available.

Building regulation drawings need only satisfy the specific details required by building control and are not full constructional drawings or “Working drawings”. Initially we would prepare drawings which would be suitable for building regulations approval and initial pricing purposes only. More detailed drawings would then be required in order to facilitate the build and finalise costs.

The Building Regulations standards

The Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings, primarily to ensure the safety and health for people in or around those buildings, but also for energy conservation and access to and about buildings. At various stages throughout the build process a building inspector will check to ensure that the building complies with current legislation. It is important to understand the building regulations because as the owner of the building, it is ultimately you who may be served with an enforcement notice if the work does not comply with the regulations. The requirements with which building work should comply are contained in Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations and are grouped under the thirteen 'parts' below:

• Part A - Structure
• Part B - Fire safety
• Part C - Site preparation and resistance to moisture
• Part D - Toxic substances
• Part E - Resistance to the passage of sound
• Part F - Ventilation
• Part G - Hygiene
• Part H - Drainage and waste disposal
• Part J - Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems
• Part K - Protection from falling, collision and impact
• Part L - Conservation of fuel and power
• Part M - Access to and use of buildings
• Part P - Electrical safety

Sustainability

Front view of Isle Of Wight Eco Home - Designed and Project Managed By Oakland Vale, with Photo Voltaic and Flat Plate solar panels built into the roof.

All our houses are designed wherever possible to exceed the minimum thermal requirements set out by the current Building Regulations.Building sustainably not only has benefits for the environment but also for the client and future generations. All our homes are designed to be thermal efficient with high levels of insulation. Where practicable and subject to budget many of our clients opt for the installation of renewable energy sources to heat their homes such as ground source heat pumps and flat pate solar panels. We also design our homes to make use of passive heating by enhancing solar gain and thermal mass.

Code for Sustainable Homes

View of a completed Code 3 Home designed and project managed by Oakland Vale Ltd

The Code for sustainable homes has been introduced to drive a step-change in sustainable building practice for new homes.

The code measures the sustainability of a home against design categories rating the 'whole home' as a complete package.

The design categories included in the code are:

• Energy/CO2
• Water
• Materials
• Surface water run-off
• Waste
• Pollution
• Health and well being
• Management
• Ecology

The code is closely linked to the Building Regulations, which are the minimum building standards required by law. Minimum standards for the Code compliance have been set above the requirements of Building Regulations. It is intended that the code will signal the future direction of Building Regulations in relation to carbon emissions from, and energy use in homes, providing greater regulatory certainty for the homebuilding industry.

Many Local Authorities require that new homes are built under the Code and they deal with this as one of the planning conditions. If your home needs to be built under the Code we will appoint a code assessor to evaluate the project and ensure that the completed build meets the requirements. Once complete a certificate will be issued stating the level reached, this will then need to be submitted to the planners to discharge the condition.

Construction Phase

View of the Oak Frame being erected on site on one of our Design and Build projects

We have a well-established team of highly skilled trade’s people and are able to offer a fully professional managed design and build service, offering advice and support throughout the build.

We outline a fully detailed and broken down cost schedule which forms part of our contract and allows you to keep a close eye on your budget. We only ever charge for work that has been satisfactorily completed and we operate a completely transparent financial system which is discussed at our regular monthly meetings during the project.

Prior to works starting on site we would provide you with a detailed programme of works, this would be used throughout the process to ensure that the trades and construction phases work effectively and keeps you informed of progress.

Your new home will be looked after during the construction phase by a dedicated site agent, who would work under the direct supervision of the contracts manager who in turn is supported by a dedicated surveyor, technical director and a procurement manager.

During the build we hold monthly progress meetings between you and our build team, where we will provide you with an update as to how the build is progressing and discuss with you any design decisions or client choices that need to be made. We also provide you with project cost forecasts so that you know exactly where you are at any point of the project from a financial point of view.

As the build progresses we would provide any additional detailed drawings as required, advice on materials, fixtures and fittings etc. thus ensuring your new home is built to your exact specifications.

We also have the ability to accompany you to see some of the completed schemes to provide you with ideas and inspiration thanks to a number of our satisfied customers.

Please contact us for friendly advice regarding your own Design and build project:-

Tel: 01424 214411

Email: info@oaklandvale.co.uk