If your proposal for planning permission or building regulations approval is solely for extensions or alterations to a disabled person’s house to improve access, safety or comfort then you are exempt from paying a planning or building control fee. Additionally, if you are providing means of access for disabled persons to public buildings you are exempt from any fee.

Note that for building regulations approval, you will only be exempt when applying to a local authority building control body.

Foundations are required to carry and distribute the load of the building safely. Therefore, all buildings should have adequate foundations. The factors that need to be considered when designing a foundation are:

• Type of soil

• Adjacent structures

• Trees

• Drains and sewers

• Size and construction of the new building

• Ground condition

• Landfill sites

It is advisable to contact a structural engineer or speak to a building control body about plans for new foundations. 

Read more about foundations for extensions

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You may wish to make loft alterations to enhance the storage facilities available or to increase the living space of the home. Converting the loft of a house is considered to be permitted development (not requiring an application for planning permission) subject to certain limits and conditions.

Remember, building regulations approval is required to convert a loft or attic into a liveable space.

Find out about loft conversions

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There are different rules for flats and maisonettes regarding loft conversions. Read guidance for converting the loft of a top floor flat.

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Work to refit a bathroom with new units and fittings does not generally require building regulations approval, although drainage or electrical works that form part of the refit may require approval under the building regulations.

If a bathroom is to be provided in a room where there wasn't one before, building regulations approval is likely to be required to ensure that the room will have adequate ventilation and drainage, and meet requirements with respect to structural stability, electrical and fire safety.

If you plan to put up a small, detached building like a garden shed, garden room, garden office, annexe or summerhouse (all classed as outbuildings), building regulations generally won’t apply if the building has a floor area under 15 square metres and does not include any sleeping accommodation.

For buildings with a floor area between 15 and 30 square metres, building regulations approval is usually not needed - as long as the building does not include sleeping accommodation and either:

• it is at least one metre away from any boundary, or

• it is built mainly from non-combustible materials.

Read more about the building regulations that apply to outbuildings.

Don't forget to check the permitted development rights for outbuildings.

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