A Complete Guide To Building Rules And Regulations In Kent

With better weather not too far away, we are anticipating a significant rise in conservatory or orangery sales.

When approached by a customer who’s interested in fitting a home extension, one of the first things we inform them of is the possibility of planning permission being required before the installation goes ahead.

They also need to think about building regulations, a completely separate issue from planning permission.

What are building regulations?

Building regulations are imposed with good reason as they’re designed to ensure that buildings are constructed safely and will in no way endanger the public. They basically set design standards.

Why shouldn’t I ignore building regulations?

Doing so could be disastrous. If you were to proceed with a conservatory or orangery installation and it was later discovered that the structure does not comply with Kent enforced building regulations, your local authority could force you to modify the design accordingly or even tear it down – it would be the ultimate waste of time and money.

How do I know if my proposed home extension meets building regulations?

Current regulations are easily accessible via your local authority; however, we can advise that a home extension satisfies building regulations in the following circumstances:

• At ground level and not exceed 30m2 floor area.
• Glazed to satisfy the requirements of Approved Document K of Schedule 1.
• Physically separated internally from the building it is attached to, for example, by a door.
• Without sanitary appliances.
• Not intended for year round habitable use.
• Used to some extent for the propagation of plants.

Compact home extensions like the Lean-To conservatory will also usually comply with building regulations.  

If you’re in the slightest doubt about whether the extension you’ve set your heart on abides by building regulations just get in touch with the relevant local authority and request an Exempt Buildings Form.

Put as much detail into the form as you possibly can, outlining the exact plans before returning the form to them. Then hold tight and wait for a response. It will usually take a few weeks for them to adjudicate and give you the thumbs up or thumbs down.

You can also retrieve a lot of information in relation to building regulations on the Planning Portal website.

Eden is completely au fait with building regulations

If you end up being one of the customers wanting a conservatory or orangery from Eden Windows prior to summer 2018, we will ensure that building rules are taken care of on your behalf. The same goes for planning permission.

We can make a start on making the necessary arrangements after you have requested a FREE quote. Our Planning Summary document is worth a read while you wait for a price.