Technical details and guidance

Building control is always happy to give technical assistance both on site and at the Council Offices.  Due to a number of recent requests, technical guidance has now been included on this website. This is general advice and does not show the only way to carry out an operation. Guidance leaflets are also available from the Council offices and one stop shops.

General guidance

• Access statements
• Building Regulations
• Chimney breast removal
• Choosing a builder
• Electrical installation
• Exempted buildings
• Garage conversions
• Gas safety
• Loft conversions
• Notching and drilling of joists
• Party Wall Act
• Soakaway design
• Solid fuel stoves - wood burners
• Sustainable energy
• Trees and hedges near buildings
• Window replacement
• What is the difference between planning and building control?

Hertfordshire Local Authority design guides

• Accessibility by design
• Guide to extending your home
• Sustainability guide

Technical sketches

These sketches have been produced to assist homeowners and builders when constructing domestic extensions and may be submitted as part of a building control application.

• Cavity wall construction
• Flat roof construction
• Ground bearing floor and foundation design
• Head of stairway for two storey domestic extension
• Mono-pitched roof with flat ceiling
• Mono-pitched roof with vaulted ceiling
• Solid wall construction
• Suspended timber floor
• Traditional pitched roof construction

Specifications

• Thermal Guide: U values for building element October 2011 
• Foundation Design: NHBC Standards Part 4 April 2010
• Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide 2010
• Domestic Ventilation Compliance Guide
• Non Domestic Building Services Compliance Guide
• The Approved Documents to the Building Regulations
• Roof tile and slate information
• Fire risk assessment

HSE Guidance

• Basic first aid at work
• Manual handling
• Roof repair work
• Safe use of ladders
• Tips for ladder safety
• Tower scaffolds
• Tips for ladder safety
• Welfare facilities
• Working on roofs
• Working at height regulations

The guidance should not be regarded as statements of the law for which reference will need to be made to the appropriate statutes and statutory instrument and the Council will not be held liable for any loss or damage howsoever occasioned as a result of reliance thereon.