Roofing and Regulations – Will I Need Planning Permission?

Before beginning any building work, identifying and adhering to any relevant building regulations is important. Failing to comply with these regulations is a serious issue which can land you with hefty fines and leave your property unsafe for use. When it comes to roofing, there are many different regulations that must be followed and these can be confusing. In this blog, we will be talking about planning permission you may need to gain when re-roofing your property.

What Are the Requirements for a New Roof?

New roofs are required to:

• Resist weather conditions – Failing to ensure your roof can do this can lead to serious damage being caused to your home. If your new roof doesn’t meet these requirements you could be putting your lives at risk.
  
• Resist spreading fire – Your new roof should be able to resist spreading fire from one property to another. This is an important safety requirement that can lead to you being prosecuted should you not adhere to it.
  
• Support loads – The new roof should be able to support loads (weight such as snowfall), this prevents roof collapses.
  
• Resist heat loss – Your roof should be insulated and provide you with protection against heat loss. Failure to ensure this means you will lose money every year and leaves your house very cold.
  
• Have adequate drainage – Your new roof is required to have adequate drainage to cope with rain water. 
  

Which Alterations Require Planning Permission?

Most work to an existing roof (including the addition of skylights and sun tunnels) is included within ‘permitted development’ but there are certain exceptions:

• Expansion upwards – If You’re planning on extending the roof higher than the highest point of the existing roof, you will need to obtain planning permission. 
  
• Side-Facing windows – Planning permission is required for side-facing windows which are not obscure-glazed. These windows must be either non-opening or the parts which can be opened must be more than 1.7 metres above the floor.
  

Re-roofing Regulations 

No roof comes with a lifetime guarantee. After a period of time, the roof on existing buildings will need to be replaced. In some situations, this work will require Building Regulation approval. You will likely need Building Regulation approval if you wish to change the roof covering of a pitched roof, to ensure that it will be structurally adequate. You will also need an application for approval under the Building Regulations, if you wish to replace a roof with integral insulation. You may have to upgrade this element of the structure and reduce the amount of heat that was originally lost by upgrading the insulation.

For more details on the regulations surrounding planning permission when building a roof, check out the Planning Portal website which has plenty of advice for those considering large scale home improvements.

Thinking of having work done to your roof? We can help, call us on 01603 418818 or email us on enquiries@roofsuk.co.uk. 

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