Making a quality building warrant application: what you need to know

This guidance provides useful information on how to make a good quality building warrant application.


Annex C - Technical Checklist

The following technical items should be considered when making a building warrant application.

The Procedure (Scotland) Regulations 2004, schedule 2, sets out the which information should accompany an application. The Procedural Handbook provides further information.

Drawings

  • Location/Block plan
    It is essential that a plan identifying the location of the site/building is submitted.
  • Site Plan
    Include site levels, pathway gradients and identify the site boundary.
  • Foundation plan
  • Floor plans
  • Roof plan
  • Elevations
  • Building sections
  • Detail sections and plans
    Provide details to illustrate the proposed construction of each element of the building.
  • Services layout
    For example, electrical layouts.
  • Drainage design and layout
    For example, surface water and foul drainage. Include, where relevant, design calculations and system details.
  • Existing and proposed (if relevant)
    If work relates to an existing building include drawings of both the existing building and proposed.

Drawing convention and annotation

  • Each drawing should have a unique reference number
  • Title each drawing Drawn to a suitable scale Consider including a scale bar on drawings and refer to the Procedural Handbook for the suggested scale of different drawing types
  • North point on plans
  • Clearly identify new work Label/stamp drawing as ‘Building Warrant
  • Clear, concise and relevant notes on drawings
  • Refer to relevant specification references or documents Indicate spaces/dimensions related to compliance with building regulations For example, activity spaces, travel distances, clear opening dimensions etc.
  • Provide key/legend

Note: Avoid repetition on drawings and specifications. Repeating the same notes or details across numerous drawings/documents can lead to issues with consistency, especially when revising information for resubmission.

Specification

  • Project specific
    Avoid a generic specification, ensure it is specific to the project.

    If submitting National Building Specification (NBS) – avoid submitting the full document, only include/reference the NBS section/clause that is relevant to demonstrating compliance.

  • Focused specification
    The specification should be relevant to building warrant with a focus on demonstrating compliance.
  • Supporting certification/documents
    For example, BBA certificates or similar.
  • Product/system technical approval and/or test data information
    Provide product technical information if relevant to demonstrating compliance with the building regulations.

Site

  • Site investigation report
  • Ground conditions
  • Existing drainage layout / Scottish Water consent

Structural

Technical Handbooks – Section 1

  • Confirm intent for demonstrating compliance
    • Certificate of Design This is the preferred route for demonstrating compliance of structural design. It is the most efficient method as the verifier is not required to check the design.
    • Structural calculations Note that submission of calculations can increase processing times as verifiers need to check the information.
    • Small Buildings Structural Guidance (SBSG)
  • Co-ordinated with other disciplines drawings
    Ensure, for example, architectural, structural, drainage and services drawings are all co-ordinated.
  • Note: The structural design should be clearly illustrated. Avoid over marked drawings to show this.

    Fire

    Technical Handbooks – Section 2

    • Fire engineered solution
    • Fire strategy
      Demonstrate how the proposed fire strategy for the proposed building will demonstrate compliance with the building regulations.
    • Fire related performance information

    Energy

    Technical Handbooks – Section 6

    • Certificate of Design
      If a certifier of design has been used
    • Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP)
      Required for new dwellings and some other defined construction work.
    • Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM)
      Required for new non-domestic buildings and some other defined construction work.
    • Supporting calculations/evidence
      Include calculations, or other documentation, that demonstrates the thermal performance being achieved by the various aspects of the fabric of the building, for example, wall U-value calculations.

    Note: This list is not exhaustive. An example of technical handbook sections are given in the checklist, as these highlight the most common areas where information is often missing from a submission. The information submitted with a building warrant application must demonstrate compliance with all sections of the technical handbooks.

    Contact

    Email: Building.Standards@gov.scot

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