building control matter: ceiling removal?

I can't imagine why... I certainly wouldn't even consider approaching BC to replace a ceiling; but am just wondering whether there's some other perspective as to how the BCO's cage has been rattled over this? Didn't he elaborate?

David

AIUI, if you've changed the fire break properties of the room it is.

tim

Mmm. That is probably his *justification..*

But in these times of low property constriction, the *reason* is, he wants as much work as possible, probably.

Yes, you are right, his cage had been rattled (my fault) ; here's the full story. The previous owner (now deceased) had removed a window and bricked up the opening to a thickness of 100mm. there was no BC notice for this. Unwisely I decided to quietly reverse this work and replace the window with an accurate copy (sash window). The BCO spotted this work in progress and was not pleased.

He also noticed that there was electrical work going on without a BC notice. This is OK because my contractors can self-certify but by then I htink he had given me a black mark.

Robert

A Building Control Officer of a local authority gets paid (handsomely if you include his other perks as well) whether he works or not - but he can get a bit stroppy if he's been pissed off for some reason (as the OP has already stated).

They're almost redundant proof as the local authority will have a policy of re-assignment to other departments in the *very* *unlikely* event of all types of building work drying up.

Woodworm

You've explained about the window now, though I'm not clear what this has to do with the ceiling ;-)

The only way I can see a ceiling coming within BC is if you've disturbed a "thermal surface", e.g. a surface between an inside space and the outside. This since the regs changed in 2006. So if, for example, you had rafters with tiles on the outside and a sloping ceiling fixed to the inside, and you pulled out the ceiling, you'd be obliged to put it back to current standard, with requisite insulation. If you simply have a roof, then a normal void, then a ceiling, I don't see the relevqance to BC of replacing the ceiling.

Regards Richard

My _guess_ would be requirements on thermal insulation. Even replastering/rendering an external wall now requires a BN so they can come and check you've upgraded the insulation to correct levels. Of course, no one does, but you got caught.

yes this must be it. of course, I was planning to improve the insulation I just hadn't realised I needed them to approve it. i wonder what would have happened if I had simply posted some kinspan into the void as I originally planned. it was only really Rrentokil that swayed me to take it down for spraying.

I'll take a lot more care now. There are some old structures we want to use - a victorian conservatory for example. I guess that if I take them down I might not be able to rebuild them.

Amazing! So if I pull the blown plaster off the wall all in one go and have a plasterer in to replaster I have to get BC approval and perhaps upgrade the walls.

yes because (at least) it alters the fire resistance of the build, if only temporarily. One of the BCO on this group will probably confirm this or not.

No, that's probably a repair.

If he is only working 50%, and t=he has a feklkow BCO, he may find himsel redundant.

Watch in a years time...

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:23:40 -0800 (PST), a certain chimpanzee, RobertL randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

Renovation of a thermal element. Where one is replacing a ceiling, roof, wall or floor, it counts as notifiable work. The Building Control involvement is/should be limited to making sure the work complies with the requirements of Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power).

The amount of work one needs to do to comply depends on how much of the ceiling you have removed. Upto 25%, and it's reasonable to do nothing. Any more, and you need only do what is technically, functionally or economically feasible.

See Approved Document L1B, in particular Sections 54-55:

Personally, I would have worn my blinkers when looking around. A piddling little bit of work like that is more trouble than it's worth for the fees it'll generate.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:28:08 -0000, a certain chimpanzee, "Woodworm" randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

What perks would they be, pray tell? Let's think. Ooh, I got a council issue fleece last year, does that count?

The perks available if I were in the private sector would be a great deal more. I would have a company car, laptop, private health insurance, Xmas parties paid for, etc.

In recent years, Building Control has been a dumping ground for people redeployed from other departments, sometimes wholly unemployable.

In the twenty years I've been in Building Control in different authorities, there's been one common theme: downsizing. I would estimate that all authorities have reduced staff by around 20%. Every reorganisation reduces not increases staff.

Building Control is almost unique in Local Government of having a statutory duty to balance its costs and income. We're not allowed to be subsidised by the general budget. So far, the management are saying there won't be any redundancies this time around, but you can bet that won't be the case forever, and anyone who leaves won't be replaced.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:15:15 GMT, a certain chimpanzee, Ed Sirett randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

It's a notifiable matter (for the reasons in my previous post), but there's (virtually) no requirement for a ceiling below a roof to have fire resistance. If the fire's bad enough to burn through the ceiling, anyone in that room is toast, and all the fire brigade could do is squirt water at it from the outside.

On Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:46:11 -0800 (PST), a certain chimpanzee, RobertL randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

Yes, which is why you patched it in stages, didn't you. Nod your head.

Very, very unlikely, he will simply be transferred to another department (believe me) - unless he's over the age of 50 and has around 20 - 40years service.

Then, he could be asked if he wishes to "retire", and if he says yes - he will be given around a £40,000 lump sum and a pension (final salary based) of around £800 - £1100 per month (and possibly more depending on length of service and final salary).

He will still be there - either as a BCO (as there will always be somebody altering buildings) or a simple pen-pusher in another department -- and still on the salary he was paid as a BCO.

Or simply go 'on the sick' and pick up a full salary for six months, half salary for another 6 months - and *then* retire on ill health with virtually the same cash as a previously stated (the lump sum will be a little less).

Unless he does something really silly, his job is virtually bomb-proof. :D

Woodworm

Hugo Nebula coughed up some electrons that declared:

Well, we did have a nice pub lunch and free beer (well, a couple of pints) last Xmas. Then I worked for a very small company. I dare say the Banks and big corporations do (did?) better.

...

And yet the government continues to push more and more bollocks onto the list of things you should be concerned about, with the enevitable result that the important issues of building control are no doubt being lost in the wash.

You do have my sympathies - I was in the Civil Service a long while back - saw it all there too. I have come to the conclusion that universities are probably the best bet overall these days, as far as normal salaried jobs go - and even they are not immune from the destructive influences of some smart arse bring in corporate nonsense and destroying the place "because the university needs to modernise". I'm not talking about some tinpot ex poly that does nothing but Roman Woodworking and Media Studies either!

Good luck :)

That's exactly what my local head-BCO guy said to me when I went to talk with him about Part P during the consulation phase.