The Inspection Process
In order for a Warranty provider to issue their Warranty, an audit of the project needs to be undertaken both in the office and on site.
The following gives an insight into the procedure and how we are able to help you with the build. Follow the link at the end of each section as this will provide you with further details as to how the audit process is likely to proceed.
BZSS have partnered with a number of Approved Inspectors (AI’s) and specialist Surveyors throughout the UK and Assigned Certifiers in Ireland who are able to offer you an impartial, reliable and economical way to manage the inspection process. If all goes well this will ultimately lead to the issue of your Warranty.
It is important to note that we are not only able to audit your build from the start but also able to start the process during the course of the build or even after the build has been completed. We would comment however, that the cost of the Warranty for most providers will increase the more the build progresses and their risk increases and further guidance should be sought from them.
The Site Notification Initial Notice is a statutory form detailing to the Local Authority Building Control Department your intention to carry out building works with the use of an Approved Inspector who will undertake the Building Control function and act as your Building Control Body.
Acceptance of the Initial Notice by the Local Authority Building Control Department signifies that Building Control has been placed with your Approved Inspector.
There are two ways in which you can progress with a Building Regulation application. Either with the Local Authority or an Approved Inspector. The first is a full plans application where detailed plans are produced and supplied to your Building Control Body for review and approval, whilst the second is under a Building Notice. Here, there is no requirement to produce any plans and no formal plan check is undertaken.
If you are proceeding with this form of auditing, we recommend extreme caution.
The Plan Check is an important part of the process and should be carried out as soon as possible, preferably before the build starts. Simplistically the Approved Inspector or Assigned Certifier reviews the drawings and specification for your project against the requirements of the Building Regulations and requests details such as the Design SAP.
It is important to note that we, with the Warranty providers, deem compliance of the Building Regulations as the start point and the minimum required standard for your build. Further information with regard to Warranty requirements can be found within the Technical Manual.
Our inspection processes vary according to the whether you have selected purely Technical Audit, Building Control and technical audits or Completed housing surveys. All of our Approved Inspectors processes to conduct the surveys are detailed here.