Building compliance FAQs

Existing customers should email support@nationalbuildingcompliance.co.uk. Add the project reference, site address and report title where you have them, so we can identify the work you mean. For a new project enquiry, use the contact page.

Send the address, building use, drawings, project stage and any report request. Explain what has already been commissioned; the new build checklist helps you organise the evidence without assuming every project needs the same appointments.

Yes. Share the whole project brief so appointments can be coordinated around access and design readiness. The SAP calculations service is a useful starting point for discussing dwelling energy work alongside related site testing.

Building size, layout, location, access and the number of tests influence the scope. Send drawings and your proposed programme rather than relying on a headline allowance. The air test cost guide explains the information needed for a quotation.

Share existing and proposed plans, including separating floors, walls and building services. Conversion work can involve several distinct assessments; the flat conversion checklist helps identify questions to resolve before finishes conceal the construction.

A SAP calculation models dwelling energy performance, while an EPC presents an energy rating and related information. They are connected but serve different purposes. See the SAP and EPC comparison before commissioning one in place of the other.

Start with the proposed building use and any separate residential and commercial areas. Mixed-use projects need careful scoping rather than a single assumption for the whole building. The SAP versus SBEM guide explains the distinction.

It records outputs from a non-domestic energy compliance model, including the design inputs and comparison results. Check that its revision matches the specification being built. The BRUKL report guide explains how to read it alongside supporting calculations.

They can. Changes to glazing, insulation, heating or ventilation may alter modelled performance, even where products appear similar. Send revised specifications to the SAP calculations service before treating an earlier calculation as evidence for the changed design.

A DEC describes operational energy performance using consumption information; an EPC describes calculated performance using building characteristics. Choosing between them starts with the purpose of the request. See the DEC versus EPC guide for the practical differences.

Photographs help explain the existing building but rarely describe every construction layer or opening accurately. Provide measured drawings and specifications where available. The extension calculations guide explains why the proposed work needs its own assessment scope.

Plan while construction details remain accessible, then confirm that the envelope and service penetrations are ready before testing. Temporary masking should be agreed with the assessor. Use the air test preparation guide to brief your site team.

Testing checks installed airflow and records results against the agreed assessment scope. Design concerns system selection, routes and intended performance. Share the design information when arranging ventilation testing so missing inputs are identified before the visit.

The installed system should be accessible, with relevant design information and equipment instructions available. Explain any unfinished rooms or controls before booking. MVHR commissioning concerns setting up and checking the system rather than simply switching the unit on.

A U-value describes heat transfer through an element such as a wall. Thermal bridging concerns local heat flow around junctions and interruptions. The thermal bridging calculations service explains why junction details need attention alongside insulation thickness.

The outcome depends on the construction, moisture conditions and ventilation. A changed build-up can move colder surfaces or alter drying behaviour. Arrange condensation risk analysis using the proposed layers rather than assuming additional insulation resolves every moisture issue.

Send the building use, layouts, glazing and ventilation proposals first. Approved Document O describes assessment routes within its scope. The simplified method guide helps frame the discussion without assuming the simpler route suits every design.

An initial assessment can use an identified proposed specification, but the calculation needs checking against the selected fittings. Keep product information for taps, showers and sanitaryware together. The water calculations service explains the inputs needed to assess the design.

A noise survey investigates sound affecting a site or receiver. Sound insulation testing measures how completed separating constructions perform. Use the sound insulation testing service when your question concerns transmission between spaces rather than environmental noise.

Yes. Finishes and floor build-ups influence the test arrangement and sound transmission, so describe what is installed and what remains outstanding. Consult the sound test preparation guide before agreeing a visit or changing the tested construction.

Provide the unit model, acoustic data, location, nearby windows and operating assumptions. Planning requirements differ by council, so include any officer correspondence. The heat pump noise guide explains why equipment selection and siting should be considered together.

Survey findings can help the design team consider glazing, ventilation and room arrangement together. Explain how windows are expected to operate. The road and rail noise service addresses transport sources rather than treating every external noise as interchangeable.

Send the planning brief, drawings, proposed energy strategy and any council correspondence. Planning requirements differ by council; the energy statement guide helps organise a project-specific response instead of recycling a statement prepared for another development.

The assessment should address representative activity, operating hours and affected neighbours. Music, customer movements and associated equipment may need separate consideration. Discuss the proposed operation with the entertainment noise service before deciding what observations will answer the question.

Describe exactly where work will disturb the building. HSE survey guidance distinguishes management surveys from refurbishment or demolition surveys. The refurbishment survey service helps define the affected areas and access arrangements.

A purchase brief and a defined refurbishment brief can involve different access and investigation. Explain both intentions before commissioning, including any seller restrictions. The pre-purchase asbestos survey service helps establish what the proposed inspection will and will not cover.

Sampling and risk assessment are different activities. HSE landlord guidance explains that routine sampling is not usually required in domestic hot and cold water systems. The landlord assessment guide explains the wider assessment context.

Collect building plans, previous assessments, maintenance records and information about occupancy and management. Explain known access restrictions in advance. The fire risk assessment service helps scope the appointment around the premises rather than a generic building description.

The appointments answer different questions. A smoke control inspection considers the system within its agreed scope, while a fire risk assessment considers broader premises risks. Share existing records when arranging smoke shaft and AOV testing so findings can inform building management.

The assessor gathers information about the dwelling, its condition, occupancy and energy characteristics to inform proposed improvements. Access and existing records help explain how the home operates. The retrofit assessment guide describes how to prepare for that visit.