Site Inspections

When you have submitted an application and you are ready to start work, you must notify us at various stages of the work. This will depend on what work is being carried out. If you are unsure about which stages are relevant, please feel free to contact us. We have included our full contact details to help.

The Building Control Service is here to help. If you are in any doubt over Building Regulation requirements or require further information, please telephone or call at your local Building Control office.

The following are the stages at which notification should be given. This can be done either in writing or by telephone, fax or e mail. Stage 6 is not mandatory but it is strongly recommended.

• Commencement of works
• Foundation excavations (before concrete)
• Foundation concrete
• Oversite slab before concrete
• Damp proof course
• Structural members (steel beams etc)
• Expose existing structure to check adequacy
• Floor joists
• Roof timbers
• Insulations
• Thermal Insulation
• Fire proofing work
• Drains before backfill
• Drains test
• Occupation
• Completion of work

You may arrange site visits by telephone, fax or email at buildingcontrol@southbucks.gov.uk. If you request a visit before 10:00am, we will call to see your building work the same day. Alternatively, you can use the online form:

To Request an Inspection please fill out our Online Form

We have included all necessary contact details for the Building Control team in this guide.

It is essential that the Commencement and Completion Notice are given. You are recommended to take a personal involvement in the work by arranging to meet the builder and Building Control Surveyor together on site so that any Building Regulation problems can be resolved before the builder leaves the site.

The purpose of these inspections is to establish that work complies with the Regulations, particularly work which is quickly covered up. Hence the need to give prior notice for inspection.

When the work is completed, please ensure that you notify the Building Control Surveyor, who will then arrange a final inspection of the work and issue a Completion Certificate. We recommend that any final payments to builders only be made after the Building Control Surveyor has carried out a satisfactory completion inspection.

Please note that Planning Permission may be required before work can start on site. Please check with our planning colleagues for help and advice on whether your proposals require consent.

Completion Certificates
When you have finished the building work, a completion certificate will be issued to the applicant free of charge. This certificate is required by solicitors as part of the house sale process to prove that the work complies with the Building Regulations. It will be needed if you sell your property in the future. We would recommend this certificate is kept safe, possibly with the deeds of your property as future copies may not be obtainable.