The primary purpose of the Building Regulations is to provide for the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings. In general, the Building Regulations 1997-2012 apply to the construction of new buildings and to extensions and material alterations to existing buildings and to certain changes of use of existing buildings. These Regulations apply to all types of construction. Building Regulations are set out by the government to ensure that every build in Ireland is to a minimum standard that has to be complied to. Standards are set out to protect work environments and the quality of goods.
The responsibility of compliance of Building Regulation rests with the designers, contractors and home owners. The Building Control Authority have the power to check and inspect any building and it’s documentation and if not in order they also have the power to prosecute with a possibility of penalties including fines and imprisonment
New building control legislation was introduced following high profile cases in Ireland dealing with building control issues ranging from defective materials, such as pyrite damage, to certification problems, together with complications such as contractor insolvency issues. These cases have highlighted the need for a more robust building control regime in Ireland. The new legislation will be an important element in the pursuit of an improved culture of building control. There are various aspects which will have a direct impact on professionals, such as engineers, architects and relevant members of the professional design team, together with owners, builders and building control authorities. The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (the “Regulations”) are to be read in conjunction with existing legislation, and will come into effect from March 1 2014 bringing significant changes to the building control regime in Ireland.
Comments are closed.