Building standards - Advice

This document contains Orkney Islands Council’s application form for a building warrant under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. It covers applications to construct, demolish, convert or alter buildings, and asks for details of the applicant, site, proposed work, costs, notices and any special circumstances. Guidance explains required drawings, plans, fees, certificates, sustainability information and declarations. It also gives submission details, contact information and expected assessment times.

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This document contains an application form for amending a building warrant under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. It asks for applicant and warrant details, proposed construction changes, changes to building use, updated work costs and supporting drawings or specifications. The form also covers approved design and construction certificates, conversion types, declaration and submission details for Orkney Islands Council, and notes that planning permission and the warrant’s original expiry date may still apply.

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This document contains an application form to extend the period of validity of a building warrant under the Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004. It asks for applicant, agent, warrant, building, extension reason and projected completion details, plus a signature. The first extension lasts nine months, costs £150, and later extensions are decided by the verifier. The verifier may require the building to meet current building regulations if work has barely started or is not progressing satisfactorily.

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This document contains an application form for permission to temporarily occupy or use a building before its completion certificate is accepted under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. It asks for applicant, building warrant, occupation period and reasons, and includes a declaration that the building meets building regulations, with energy and sustainability documents where required. It also gives submission details for Orkney Islands Council and warns that permission does not replace planning or licensing approval, and that using the building without authorisation is an offence.

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This document contains a form for notifying Orkney Islands Council that an approved Certifier of Construction will be used for building work. It asks for the building warrant number, certifier and approved body details, the work being certified, whether it has started, and the applicant’s signature and date. Notes explain fee discounts, checking the certification register, and the possible delay or extra payment if the certificate is not submitted.

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This document contains Orkney Islands Council’s Completion Certificate submission form under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. It collects details about the relevant person, owner, building warrant, completed work, notices and supporting certificates. The declaration confirms that work complies with the warrant and building regulations, where applicable. It also explains how to submit the form, where to send it, appeal rights and that a building must not be occupied until a Notice of Acceptance of Completion Certificate is received.

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This document contains a form for submitting a completion certificate when building work needed a building warrant but none was obtained. It asks for details of the relevant person, owner, building, work, planning matters, notices, costs and supporting certificates. The submission must include the information and fee normally required for a late building warrant application, and the building must not be occupied until the certificate is accepted, except for alterations.

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This document contains guidance on applying for a building warrant for domestic alterations and extensions. It explains when a warrant is needed, how to submit plans and fees, and when planning permission or other consent may also apply. It covers the approval process, inspections, completion certificates and how to report changes to approved plans. It also explains which minor works may be exempt and reminds property owners to keep approval documents and arrange their own checks on workmanship.

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This document contains guidance on applying for a Letter of Comfort for building work approved before 1 May 2005, where no Certificate of Completion was issued. It explains when the Council may provide a letter, including checks against approved plans and building standards, and notes that some work may need inspection. Applications must be made in writing and cost £111.40, covering up to two inspections. Contact details for Orkney Islands Council’s Building Standards Office are also provided.

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This document contains guidance on domestic building work that may not need a building warrant. It explains exemptions for small sheds, conservatories, porches, greenhouses and covered areas, plus work such as minor alterations, heating, insulation, walls, decking, sanitary fittings, windows, ramps and stair lifts. Conditions and size limits apply, and some work must still meet building regulations. The leaflet also notes that planning permission may be needed and provides contact details for Orkney Islands Council’s Building Standards Office.

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This document contains guidance on designing infiltration systems or soakaways for septic tanks under building regulations. It explains the ground assessment, trial hole and percolation tests needed to check whether land can safely absorb wastewater and determine the right system. Tests must be completed by an Orkney Islands Council-approved certifier, who also designs the system and signs the required certificate. The certificate and site details are needed before a Building Warrant can be approved.

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This document contains guidance on domestic building work in Scotland that may not need a building warrant, including some alterations, garages and sheds. It explains that all work must still meet building regulations and lists exceptions, such as extensions, roof or external wall changes, structural work, wastewater changes and some nearby buildings. It also provides contact details for Orkney Islands Council’s Building Standards service, which can advise whether a warrant is needed.

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This document contains guidance on dealing with building work carried out without a Building Warrant under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. It explains how to apply for a late warrant for unfinished work, or submit a Completion Certificate for finished work, including the plans, checks and higher fees required. Work completed before 1 May 2005 may qualify for a Letter of Comfort. Contact details for free advice from Orkney Islands Council’s Building Standards Office are also provided.

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This document contains a basic guide to the new building standards system introduced in Scotland on 1 May 2005 under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. It explains building warrant applications, fees, work that may be exempt, approved certifiers and completion certificates. It also covers unauthorised work, including late applications and higher fees, and explains where to inspect the Building Standards Register. Contact details for Orkney Islands Council’s Building Standards Office and further advice are included.

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This document contains a guide to obtaining acceptance of a completion certificate from Orkney Islands Council. It explains who can submit the certificate, how the verifier checks the work against the building warrant and regulations, and the possible outcomes if minor or major issues are found. The verifier must respond within 14 days; once accepted, new buildings, extensions and conversions may be occupied or used, while rejected applications need a new certificate after issues are resolved.

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This document contains a flowchart explaining how to obtain a building warrant from Orkney Islands Council. It covers submitting an application with the required forms, fees, plans and information, followed by checks and any needed revisions. A warrant is granted if the work complies; otherwise, it may be refused and the applicant can appeal to the sheriff. After approval, work can begin, but the Council must be notified in writing within seven days, with details of work covered by a construction certificate.

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This document contains guidance from the Scottish Association of Building Standards Managers on safely cleaning windows and rooflights. It allows fixed windows and rooflights in feature buildings to be cleaned using commercial solutions, provided the method is shown on approved plans. Windows must not rely on unsafe combinations of cleaning methods that involve over-reaching. Ordinary domestic windows should be designed for safe cleaning from inside.

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This document contains guidance from the Scottish Association of Building Standards Managers on providing space for a future shower in accessible homes. It says the space can be anywhere on the main living level if it has a suitable waste connection. A non-loadbearing partition may be removed to create the required space and activity area, while ventilation, water pipes and an enclosure can be added later.

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This document contains guidance on interpreting Scottish building standards clause 2.11.1 for fire detection in homes. It explains that the principal habitable room is the living area most often used, with the greatest fire risk or likely impact on escape routes. The guidance concludes that at least one smoke alarm should be installed in this room, alongside a heat detector in the kitchen.

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This document contains guidance from the Scottish Association of Building Standards Managers on smoke detectors and fire alarm systems in homes. It explains that alarms installed during boiler replacement or installation, where the home’s layout is unchanged, may not meet current guidance. These installations should be accepted as improvements to the existing building, with no requirement to bring the whole dwelling up to current standards.

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This document contains a technical policy note on short-duration fire resistance for intermediate floors using standard solid timber joists. It confirms that 12.5mm standard plasterboard can be fixed beneath these floors to provide fire resistance for load-bearing capacity, with taped and filled joints or a plaster skim finish. The guidance doesn't apply to engineered joists, or floors needing sound insulation, separation, or higher levels of fire resistance.

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