Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. If you are refurbishing or replacing 50 per cent or more of your roof which includes an insulation upgrade, or the roof is already insulated to the Building Regulations requirements in force at the time of your installation, then you must notify Building Control

This can be done either by using an NFRC CPS Registered Contractor, who can self-certify the work, or by going directly to a Building Control body such as your Local Authority Building Control department (LABC). Once the work has been signed-off, you will receive a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate (BRCC), which is legally required.

If there is no insulation upgrade to the relevant area and the existing roof is less than the Building Regulations requirement for insulation at the time of your refurbishment, then this work would be in breach of the Building Regulations. No BRCC would be forthcoming and you may be liable to a fine.

Yes. Even if your insulation does not need upgrading, you will still need to notify Building Control.

No. Unless the garage has fixed heating (not portable heaters), there is no legal requirement to notify the work.

All domestic, commercial and industrial flat roofing projects are reportable if 50 percent or more of the roof is being refurbished or renewed and the insulation upgraded to Building Regulations in effect at the time of installation.

For most roofing types an increase or decrease in load of 15 per cent is considered acceptable before a structural survey is deemed necessary.  An increase or decrease of more than 15 per cent will require a structural survey.

Yes, any Listed Building type can be registered through the scheme providing 50 per cent or more of the roof is being refurbished or renewed and the work is to a modern specification including the insulation. True ‘historic’ features such as a lack of underlay and the use of back-pointing or torching behind slates or tiles, use of wooden or lead pegs for slate fixings, cleft or riven battens cannot be accepted by NFRC CPS as they do not conform to the relevant modern British Standards.

Care must also be taken not to prejudice the character of the building. The specification for any such roofing works would have to be scrutinised on a case-by-case basis by our Technical Department to establish whether or not they can be registered through the scheme.

Yes. All buildings, in general, need to comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations. NFRC CPS Registered Contractors can undertake work they are authorised to do in a conservation area provided they have been trained and verified as competent in the specialist roofing skills that may be required in an area where specific heritage roofing skills are applied. 

If the property is in a conservation area, you'll need to check the application requirements for your project with building control to ensure all necessary applications have been completed.

If doors between the lounge and conservatory exist then there is no need to upgrade the insulation in the conservatory roof. However, if the doors have been removed i.e. the lounge and conservatory become interlinked, then they must upgrade the insulation as the heat from the lounge will pass into the conservatory and out through the roof.

Yes, if any part of the roof acts as a thermal element, then refurbishment work is notifiable to Building Control, who can be notified through the NFRC CPS.

This depends on the weight of the slates and the weight of the clay tiles. If the clay tiles represent an increase in load upon the structure of more than 15 per cent then the work should be reported directly through to Building Control. It can be registered through the NFRC CPS so as long as the structure and loadings are assessed by a qualified structural engineer and their report confirms suitability.

If a flat roof is not being insulated because the room area below has no form of fixed heating (or cooling in the example of a cold store), such as a garage, then the work does not need to be reported. However, if it is not being insulated because of technical or economic reasons (i.e. payback less than cost), then it is reportable.

NFRC CPS is licenced by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and is accredited and annually audited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)  and managed by The National Federation of Roofing Contractors Limited (NFRC).

All domestic roof refurbishments will be automatically issued with a ten-year Insurance Backed Insolvency Guarantee, which reinforces the contractor’s workmanship guarantee.

Should you have any problems with the roof following completion of the work we recommend that you contact the roofing contractor in the first instance and then complete their dedicated complaints procedures. Should you fail to achieve a satisfactory outcome, you should contact NFRC CPS via the online complaint form.

No. This work is out of scope of the scheme and will need to be reported directly to Building Control.

Yes. An NFRC CPS Registered Contractor can replace a roof light but, if any structural alterations are required such as cutting into an /or re-forming the accommodating gap in the rafters as opposed to a like-for-like replacement, then this work has to be reported to Building Control.

An NFRC CPS Registered Contractor cannot ‘self-certify’ the installation of solar panels.

However, if the Registered Contractor has been trained and has achieved certificated competency to install solar panels by the manufacturer, then they can install the panels in your roof. However, they cannot self-certify or commission the completed system unless they are also registered with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) which is usually the domain of a qualified and MCS registered electrician.

No. This falls outside the scope of the CPS Scheme as the work is classed as new and not refurbishment. This would need to be notified via Building Control as there are structural elements involved (such as the pitched element) and also possibly the local authority Planning Department.

No. NFRC CPS is a UKAS Accredited competency assessment body, created to authorise roofing contractors to self-certify the roofing work they complete and to make sure that this work complies with the Building Regulations and relevant British Standards in effect at the time of installation.

For both pitched and flat roofs, cold roofs are where insulation is placed between the ceiling joists and for pitched roofs, also over the joists. The flat roof application requires that cross ventilation be provided over the insulation and under the decking and which, if not properly created, can lead to the formation of interstitial condensation and promote rot. The latest British Standards (6229:2018) regarding this type of installation openly discourages its application in favour of a warm system which dramatically reduces the condensation risk.

The pitched roof application requires ventilation at both the eaves and top edge.

For a pitched roof, this is where insulation is placed over, underneath, or between the rafters or a combination of all three, and then roofing material such as slates or tiles is placed on-top.

For a flat roof, it means that insulation is placed on an Airtight Vapour Control Layer on the supporting deck and then a waterproof outer layer fixed on top.

Roughly 140 – 150 mm for “quilt” type insulation and 75 – 80 mm for rigid board type insulation depending on material/manufacturer.

Roughly 300 mm for quilt type insulation and 120 mm for rigid board insulation depending on material/manufacturer.

If the total U-value including the existing insulation does not meet the threshold requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations (i.e. U=0.35), then yes, the insulation will need to be upgraded.

Yes. Extra insulation can be applied over the boards but, ensure that ventilation is not blocked at the eaves.

If the existing in-situ insulation is proved to have a maximum U-value of 0.35 then there is no requirement for any extra insulation to be fixed and the overlay of new waterproofing can be secured directly to the existing system (subject to material manufacturers recommendations) and registered through the scheme resulting on completion of works, in the issue of a BRCC.

If there is no insulation, or the existing in-situ insulation’s performance is proven to be over the basic maximum 0.35 U-value requirement, there is no extra insulation installed, and the roof is overlaid with new waterproofing, then this is not reportable through the scheme as this is classed as a repair and no BRCC can be applied for or issued.

You should know, however, that if the work is within the scope of the scheme and is reportable, it is a requirement that the insulation U-value is brought down to the required maximum of 0.16 or you may risk a fine.

This is referring to a cold type roof system which is now not recommended for use by the current British Standard 6229:2018. It would be advisable to replace this with a warm type roof system as this reduces condensation risk.

However, if the cold system has to remain, the total U-value including the existing insulation does not meet the requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations, then yes, the insulation will need to be upgraded if technically and economically possible.

It depends on the U-value of the insulation and the detailing or situation of the roof, but usually, 120 mm of rigid board is sufficient.

The extent of the insulation must be determined to see if it meets the requirements of the Building Regulations. Any insulation is unlikely to meet the minimum standard if it is between the ceiling joists such as a cold roof and so the contractor will need to address this.

This usually entails creating a warm roof by removing existing insulation, sealing any ventilation, applying a vapour control layer (VCL) to the decking, adding insulation to the top of the roof and then applying new waterproofing.

Churches are outside the requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations, so the insulation would not need upgrading. However, church offices, halls, meeting rooms and so on are included and would need the insulation to be upgraded if currently over the threshold.

Yes. Unless the roof was the actual church it must be upgraded to current standards.

The first part of the question is a planning not Building Regulations issue. Changes to the materials or appearance of a listed building should be checked with the Planning Department of the local authority and any other involved bodies such as English Heritage.

With regard to the insulation, most historic or listed buildings will still need to comply with the current building regulations, and you would need to upgrade the insulation if required. However, the work must not prejudice the character of the building or cause degradation of the fabric by using inappropriate materials or design.

Yes. Each flat within the building will need to be registered. Even if they are not directly under the roof, the roof and its function (weather protection / thermal efficiency) is serving the whole building.

Yes. If you suspect that a roofing contractor may be breaking the law by not complying with Building Regulations, you may anonymously report them by contacting [email protected] or your local Building Control.

Yes. You can apply for another copy of the Certificate (which you will need when you come to sell your home) but there will be an administration charge.

If the work is found not to be compliant with the Building Regulations, the building owner may be served with an enforcement notice from the local authority requiring alteration or removal of work at their own cost.

The building owner would not get a BRCC for the work carried out. This will cause problems for the property owner when they come sell the property. Solicitors carry out searches to prevent the risk of claims made against their own professional indemnity insurance should defects be found which only become apparent after the sale of the property.

There is also the risk of prosecution; under Section 35 of the Building Act, any contractor not abiding by the Building Regulations faces an unlimited fine.