Phase 1 · Planning & Permissions · Task 11 of 16
Building Control: How to Apply and What to Expect
Building control is separate from planning permission and costs £300–900 for the plan check alone. Here's how to apply, what the documents contain, and realistic timescales.
15 min read£200 – £800 typical1-2 hours on siteUpdated 2026Free with email
Prerequisites
Complete these first
Skip building control and you create a defect in your property's title that will surface the day you try to sell. Solicitors check for it. Mortgage lenders require it. And retrospective applications are expensive, stressful, and not guaranteed to succeed. Building control is not optional for any extension, regardless of whether you needed planning permission.
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