New Regime (2014) Prior to the 2014 Regulations, the principal obligations were to give a Commencement Notice, and where necessary, to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate and a Disabled Access Certificate (covering compliance with parts B and M of the Building Regulations). The form of Commencement Notice under the previous Building Control Regulations was signed by the person carrying out the works, on behalf of […]
2014 Rules The new building control regulations apply to works commenced after March 2014. The building owner must appoint a design certifier, an assigned certifier and a competent builder. A design certifier and assigned certifier must be either a registered architect, chartered engineer or chartered building surveyor. The functions are now added to the scope of traditional contracts appointing design and construction professionals. Accordingly, the […]
Construction stage – assessment and inspection Building Control Authorities are to adopt a formal policy for the assessment and inspection of building work as notified on the Building Control Management System. Authorities should adopt a risk management-based approach in undertaking this work. This will include consideration of matters such as: – (the use of the building; the type of construction; the level of experience of […]
Authority Powers Under the Act of 1990 Building Control Authorities have strong powers of inspection, enforcement and prosecution. While Building Control Authorities use enforcement and the courts to effect compliance where reasonable and appropriate to do so, desired results can also be achieved, and often are, through discussion and persuasion with the threat of legal action. It is expected that Building Control Authorities will undertake […]
Defective Concrete Blocks Act The cracking of external walls of dwellings in Donegal and Mayo due to the crumbling of concrete blockwork, came to light in 2013. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, responded with Regulations to provide for a grant scheme to provide support for affected homeowners. The implementation of the […]
Regulation of Providers The Purpose of the Regulation of Providers of Building Works Act 2022 is to provide for the establishment of a register to be known as the Construction Industry Register Ireland, to regulate providers of building works. This registration body determines the standards and competence required of providers of building works and investigate and adjudicate complaints against them. The Act provides that the […]
Building Regulations The legislation gives the Minister priority to make building regulations. Building regulations may be made in relation to the design and construction of buildings, material alterations or extension of buildings the provision of services, fittings and equipment in, or in connection with buildings, material changes in the use of buildings to secure the health, safety and welfare of persons in or about the […]
Building Control Procedure The Building Control Act came into force on 1st June 1992. Each City and County Council is building control authority for its area. Formerly Town Councils, which were the former Urban District Councils were building control authorities for their areas until absorption into the County Councils. The Minister for the Environment and Local Government may require one or more building control authorities […]
Enforcement Notices An enforcement order may be served where there is a breach of the regulations by way of construction, a material change of use or material alteration of a building, in circumstances where the building control authority would not be prepared to give a dispensation or a relaxation. A five-year time limit applies to service of the notice from the date of completion of […]
Opt Out for One Off Houses & Extensions In 2015, amendments were made to the Building Control Regulations to ease the burden on domestic extensions and one-off type developments. An owner who intends to build a dwelling for his own use may take the role of the builder for building control purposes. He may sign the statutory declaration forms which must be otherwise signed by the builder. […]
Structure A structure, a building shall be designed and constructed with the due regard to the theory and practice of structural engineering so as to ensure that the combined actions that are allowable to act on it are sustained and transmitted to the ground safely and without causing such deflection or deformation of any part of the building or such movement on the ground as […]
Background The Multi-Storey Building Act 1988 was passed in response to the collapse of a block of flats in Sandymount. It applied only to buildings of five or more stories, built before 1950. A basement is counted as a storey for this purpose. The Act predated the adoption of national building regulations and a system of building control, in June 1992. Local authorities were obliged […]