The 2022 Building Regulations update: Is your estimating process ready for it?

Did you know changes to the UK’s Building Regulations came into force on 15th June 2022?

As part of the government’s strategy for achieving net zero carbon emissions, a raft of updates to the Building Regulations were introduced, aimed at reducing the impact of the construction industry on carbon emissions.

The lowdown

Building projects which had building regs approval before 15th June 2022 are not subject to the new building standards. Although there is a grace period, work must start by 15th June 2023 or the approval will lapse.
Projects which haven’t yet received planning approval must comply with the latest building standards.
Documents F and L of the Build Regulations have been updated.
New Documents, O and S, have been added.
The new regulations apply to both domestic and non-domestic renovations, extensions and new builds.

Here’s a flavour of the changes. For the full details, take a look at the government document linked at the bottom of each section.

Update - Document F: Ventilation

Whilst insulating our homes is beneficial for conservation of energy, it has a negative impact on air circulation. The update to Document F means that any refurbishment you undertake must not make the building less compliant with the ventilation requirements of the building regulations.

Airflow can be improved through natural or mechanical ventilation, or both. The document sets out that all new and replacement windows must have trickle vents to remove stale air and reduce condensation and mould. Extractor fans are another means of meeting ventilation requirements. The different scenarios are outlined in the government’s document here.

Update - Document L: Conservation of Fuel & Power

There has been wide ranging up-levelling on the guidance on constructing extensions in Document L. New fabric efficiency standards now apply, meaning a better thermal rating is required for elements including walls, doors, windows and roof windows.

For new homes, the latest regulations mean windows and doors must have a superior thermal performance than previously required. There’s also a new focus on installing solar photovoltaic panels and waste water heat recover systems.

You can read the full detail in the government’s document here.

New - Document O: Overheating

Document O includes a number of measures aimed at managing overheating in new builds. This includes a limit on the amount of glazing on south and west facing walls and new levels of cross-ventilation. There are lots of calculations involved - check out the detail in the government’s document here.

New – Document S: Electric Vehicle Charging

Document S applies to new builds. This new document requires that an electric vehicle charging point be installed for every parking space associated with a new residential building.

The exact requirements, depending on the number of dwellings and car parking spaces, can be found in the government’s document here.

What this means for your estimates

All of these new changes inevitably mean additional considerations when undertaking refurbishments, extensions and new builds. And this means additional costs to account for when pricing up your building projects. Consider whether your current method of estimating is in line with the latest standards. Are you using the correct specification of insulation in your wall cavities and roofs, for example? Are you allowing for windows and doors with a superior thermal rating?

Builders who estimate with a spreadsheet will need to work through their prices, checking they’re using products which meet the new standards. Builders using an estimating app or service should check the provider is up to date with the requirements of the latest regulations. You may be surprised to hear that many estimating software providers/services are slow to respond to legislative changes. If your current method of estimating is not up to speed with the latest building regulations, you may find yourself out of pocket on the project when you end up ordering materials of a higher specification than originally estimated.

The best option is to use an estimating software solution which keeps on top of legislation changes for you. HBXL Building Software, for example, has you covered. Their products, EstimatorXpress and Take-off & Estimate Kit, have been updated to keep you in step with the 2022 Building Regulations. Their developers have added products which meet the required standards. Specifications have been updated; wall cavities have been extended to 140mm as standard, to allow for thicker insulation, for example. Estimating calculators for air source heat pumps, waste water recovery systems and EV charging points have also been added to the system. They’ve done all the compliance-thinking for you.

You can download a free trial of their software today: