Using the Building Regulations

As the Building Regulations and Approved Documents have become more and more complex, they have become increasingly unfriendly for a professional user. Compliance is only possible by understanding a wide range of supporting documentation. Alternative approaches are implied, but not described or analysed.

This book examines Approved Document C on Site Preparation and takes the user through all the key stages of preparation, compliance, inspection and enforcement. It offers practical advice on using not just the traditional routes to compliance but also on the alternative approaches suggested but not explained in the Approved Documents. The advantages and disadvantages of each form of compliance are analysed in depth.

Everything you need to know to prepare a site's fixtures against contamination and moisture is discussed, including floors, walls, window frames, door tresholds, and roofs. This is an indispensable text for professional designers, architects, structural and other specialist engineers, building control officers and students in construction, building and architecture.

Introduction
Series introduction
Introduction to the Building Regulations
*What are Building Regulations?
*What do they apply to?
*How are they enforced?
Introduction to Part C - Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture
*General introduction, background and legislation changes
*The regulatory impact of Climate change
*The Environmental Protection Act 1990
*The Building Regulation requirements
*Ways of satisfying the requirements

Site Preparation And Resistance To Contaminants

Clearance or treatment of unsuitable material
*Site investigation
*Unsuitable material (vegetable matter and tree roots)
Resistance to contaminants
*Definitions
*Sites likely to contain contaminants
*Carrying out a risk assessment
*Stages of a risk assessment
*Hazard identification and assessment
*Risk estimation and evaluation
*Remedial measures
*Treatment
*Containment Removal
*Risks to buildings, building materials and services
*Aggressive substances
*Combustible fill
*Expansive slags
*Methane and associated gases
*Risk evaluation
*Remedial measures
*Radon
*Determining the level of protection
*Detailed protective measures
Subsoil drainage
*Provision of subsoil drainage
*Dealing with existing subsoil drains
*Measures to prevent the entry of ground water
*Flooding

Resistance To Moisture
Floors
*Moisture from the ground
*Ground supported floors
*Suspended timber ground floors
*Suspended concrete ground floors
*Resistance to damage from interstitial condensation
*Resistance to surface condensation and mould growth
Walls
*Moisture from the ground (internal and external walls)
*Moisture from outside
*Solid external walls
*Cavity external walls
*Cavity insulation
*Framed external walls
*Cracking of external walls
*Impervious cladding systems for walls
*Joints between walls and doors and window frames
*Door thresholds
*Resistance to damage from interstitial condensation
*Resistance to surface condensation and mould growth
Roofs
*Resistance to moisture from outside
*Resistance to damage from interstitial condensation
*Pitched roofs (over 15 deg) with an attic space
*Roofs pitched at less than 15 deg without an attic space
*Resistance to surface condensation and mould growth