The owner of a planned new single dwelling or domestic extension has a statutory obligation to ensure that the building or works are designed and constructed in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Building Regulations which are made pursuant to the Building Control Act 1990. The performance requirements are set out in 12 parts (classified as Parts A to M) and each Part deals with a specific area of performance that is critical to the safety and welfare of persons in and about the building. Part A , for instance, addresses structure, Part B addresses Fire Safety, etc. Detailed Technical Guidance documents are published by my Department outlining how the requirements of each of the twelve Parts (A to M) of the Building Regulations can be achieved in practice. This guidance is available on my Department’s website by clicking on the following weblink –
http://www.environ.ie/housing/building-standards/tgd-part-d-materials-and-workmanship/technical-guidance-documents
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Owners, builders and construction professionals are also required to demonstrate publicly through the statutory public register maintained by their local Building Control Authority (the Authority) that they have fulfilled their statutory obligations in relation to their building project. This process involves a set of administrative procedures set out under the Building Control Regulations which are also made pursuant to the Act of 1990. These procedures include notification to the Authority prior to the commencement of works, the appointment of competent persons to build, inspect and certify the works, the lodgement of drawings and particulars demonstrating how the particular building or works has achieved compliance and the registration of notices and certificates by the Authority on the statutory register of building control activity.
Statutory certificates of compliance, where relevant, must be given at commencement (design only) and completion and must be signed by a registered construction profession (i.e. an Architect or a Building Surveyor or a chartered Engineer who is included on a statutory register maintained respectively by the Royal Institution of Architects of Ireland, the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland or Engineers Ireland). The statutory certificate of compliance on completion must also be signed by the Builder. A home-owner may nominate themselves as builder where they are satisfied that they are competent to carry out the works they propose to undertake.
Following a review last year, the Building Control Regulations were revised to give the owner of a proposed single dwelling or domestic extension the facility to opt out of the requirement for statutory certification concerning their proposed dwelling or extension. An Information Note for Owners of new dwellings and extensions who opt out of Statutory Certification for building control purposes is available on my Department’s website at:
http://www.environ.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Legislation/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad%2C42563%2Cen.pdf .
This guidance explains the building control process in detail from the perspective of the owner.
My Department continues to review and update the guidance available in this critical area of public policy in consultation with, and in response to the needs of, all stakeholders, including prospective homeowners.
