Exempt Detached Buildings & Carports
Exemption Criteria
Small detached single storey domestic
buildings including greenhouses, sheds, garages and attached
carports meeting the following conditions do not require building
regulation approval:
- Carports open at least two sides attached or
detached from the main building, with an internal floor area not
exceeding 30 square metres that does not affect disabled access and
contains no electrical supply are wholly exempt from Building
Regulation approval.
- Detached garages or structures with an
internal floor area not exceeding 15 square metres and built of any
type of construction that does not affect disabled access and
contains no electrical supply are wholly exempt from Building
Regulation approval.
- Detached garages or structures with an
internal floor area not exceeding 30 square metres, built of any
type of construction and sited so as to be a minimum of 1 metre
from any boundary line, that does not affect disabled access and
contains no electrical supply are wholly exempt from Building
Regulation approval.
- Detached garages with an internal floor area
not exceeding 30 square metres and built of substantially
non-combustible materials, and does not affect disabled access and
contains no electrical supply are wholly exempt from Building
Regulation approval. Examples of what constitutes substantially
non-combustible materials:
- Roof: non-combustible cement
based sheeting fixed to steel roof trusses / tiled or slated roof
on timber roof trusses or timbers / timber flat roof covered with
felt with applied bitumen bedded 12.5mm limestone chippings.
- Walls: brickwork / blockwork
/ concrete panels / steel frame clad in non-combustible cement
based boarding.
- Floors: concrete slab.
Additional Notes
It is a ‘material alteration’, requiring the
submission of a building regulation application, if the works you
are undertaking make access to or into the dwelling any worse than
it is currently. Therefore the proposal must not obstruct access
pathways up to the main dwelling entrance doors.
If the small detached building is to have
electricity supplied from a source shared with or located within
the dwelling, then Part P of the building regulations apply to the
electrical works.
If electrical circuits are to be provided or
adapted to provide light or power to your attached carports, then
Part P of the building regulations may apply.
If you intend to provide heating and lighting
or install ‘controlled services or fittings’ (that may, for
example, require drainage) into the building, you will be required
to make a building regulations application for those works.
You are reminded that building regulations approval does not
imply approval under the Town and Planning Act. You should check
with the Planning Department whether or not a planning application
is required.
This webpage was updated on
1/31/2012