Building control fees

Last Updated: 16 November 2023

The Building Regulation charges are divided into a Plan and Inspection charge, or Building Notice charge.

Pay building control fees

Ways you can pay:

  • if you apply online or by email: By card over the phone 01539 793 331. Make a the payment as soon as you receive confirmation that we have received your application
  • if you send a paper application: By cheque made payable to Westmorland and Furness Council. Send the cheque by post with your application form

Building control fees

The basis of these charges is from the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010, valid from 1 April 2022.

If you have a project that is not covered by the tables then please contact for an individual charge.

You can email a PDF of your proposals and we will provide a competitive quote for your scheme: bc3@westmorlandandfurnes.gov.uk

Please note that, unless otherwise agreed, schemes exceeding one year duration may be subject to an additional charge.

Schedule 1, houses up to 300 square metres and flats up to three storeys

Charges for new dwellings. 

All Charges Include VAT at 20%. Regularisation charge is exempt from VAT.

Schedule 1 guidance notes

Schedule 1 charges
 Number of dwelling Plan charge  Inspection charge  Building notice charge  Regularisation charge
1  £258.00  £602.00  £860.00 £1,075.00
2  £330.00  £770.00  £1,100.00 £1,375.00
3  £450.00  £1,050.00  £1,500.00 £1,875.00
4  £570.00  £1,330.00  £1,900.00 £2,375.00
5 £660.00 £1,540.00 £2,200.00 £2,750.00

Schedule 2, certain small domestic buildings and extensions

All charges include VAT at 20%. Regularisation charge is exempt from VAT.

For extensions below 4m2 please refer to Schedule 3.

Please note: Unless otherwise agreed, schemes exceeding one year duration may be subject to an additional charge.

Schedule 2 guidance notes

Schedule 2 charges
 Project type Plan charge Inspection charge Building notice charge  Regularisation charge
Erection or extension of a garage or carport or both, having a floor area up to 60m2 in total and which is not an exempt building. £200.00 £200.00 £400.00 £500.00
Any extension of a dwelling the total floor areaof which does not exceed 10m2. £180.00 £300.00 £480.00 £600.00
Any extension of a dwelling the total floor area of which exceeds 10m2 but does not exceed 40m2. £210.00 £360.00 £570.00 £713.00
Any extension of a dwelling the total floor area of which exceeds 40m2 but does not exceed 60m2. £240.00 £480.00 £720.00 £900.50
Any extension of a dwelling the total floor area of which exceeds 60m2 but does not exceed 100m2. £270.00 £570.00 £840.00 £1,050.00
A loft conversion - alteration of a dwelling to provide one or more rooms in a room space. £200.00 £340.00 £540.00 £675.00
Conversion of a barn or other building to create a dwelling with a total floor area not exceeding 300m2. £250.00 £750.00 £1,000.00 £1,250.00
A garage conversion - alteration of a dwelling to provide one or more rooms in an existing garage. £140.00 £150.00 £290.00 £362.55

Schedule 3, all other work

All charges include VAT at 20%. Regularisation charge is exempt from VAT.

Schedule 3 guidance

Schedule 3 charges
Fixed price based on estimated cost band  Plan charge Inspection charge Building notice  charge Regularisation charge
 £0 - £2,000 £180.00  No fee £180.00 £225.00
 £2,001 - £5,000 £270.00  No fee £270.00 £337.50
 £5,001 - £10,000 £105.00 £245.00 £350.00 £437.50
 £10,001 - £20,000 £135.00 £315.00 £450.00 £562.50
 £20,001 - £30,000 £168.00 £392.00 £560.00 £700.00
 £30,001 - £40,000 £201.00 £469.00 £670.00 £837.50
£40,001 - £50,000  £236.00 £549.00 £785.00 £981.30
£50,001 - £60,000 £272.00 £633.50 £905.00 £1,131.25
£60,001 - £70,000 £309.00 £721.00 £1,030.00 £1,287.50
£70,001 - £80,000 £345.00 £805.00 £1,150.00 £1,437.50
£80,001 - £90,000 £378.00 £882.00 £1,260.00 £1,575.00
£90,001 - £100,000 £414.00 £966.00 £1,380.00 £1,725.00

Other charges

All charges include VAT at 20%. Regularisation charge is exempt from VAT.

Building Safety Regulator Reimbursement rate: £82 per hour

Where electrical works are to be carried out to a dwelling and the work is under the control of the Council the following charges will apply:

Electrical installation charges
Electrical installation   Standard charge Regularisation charge
 Re-wiring £300.00 £375.00
Addition of new circuit(s) £210.00 £262.50
Other building control charges
Other charges  Standard charge  Regularisation charge
Replacement windows (Domestic): The minimum charge for a scheme of window(s) and/or door replacements in dwellings. £180.00 £225.00
Replacement of a single window or door (Domestic) £120.00 £150.00
Chimney lining (Domestic) £180.00 £225.00
Replacement windows (Non-domestic): The charge shall be 20% of the normal charge based on the estimated cost of the work (see schedule 3 'charges for all other work'), subject to a minimum charge of: £180.00 £225.00
Replacement roof covering/renovation of a thermal element (Domestic) £180.00 £225.00
Replacement roof covering/renovation of a thermal element (Non-domestic): The charge shall be 20% of the normal charge based on the estimated cost of the work  (see schedule 3 'charges for all other work'), subject to a minimum charge of: £210.00 £262.50
Replacement waste treatment plant (e.g. septic tanks) £270.00 £337.00
Installation of multi-fuel stove £180.00 £225.00
Replacement conservatory roof £270.00 £337.50

Building control fees guidance notes

Guidance on which schedule of fees will apply to your project.

Unless otherwise agreed, schemes exceeding one year in duration may be subject to an additional charge.

Schedule 1 guidance, houses up to 300 square metres and flats up to three storeys

Full plans

The Plan Charge is to be paid at the time plans are deposited with the council. An invoice for the inspection charge will be issued after the first inspection has been carried out.

Building notices

The charges must be paid at the time this Notice is submitted to the council.

A Building Notice cannot be used for new houses where new roads or streets are to be constructed:

  • the amount of the plan charge is based on the number of dwelling types contained in the application; the inspection charge is based on the total units in the project
  • for five or more dwellings (or if the floor area of the dwelling exceeds 300m2) the charge will be individually determined
  • for electrical work not covered under a Competent Persons Scheme, please refer to the Electrical installation charges table in the Other charges section
  • Unless previously agreed for projects not completed within 2 years of commencement the following charges will apply to complete the scheme: Desktop exercise £30.00 plus VAT; additional inspection required £50.00 plus VAT per inspection

Schedule 2 guidance, certain small domestic buildings and extensions and Schedule 3 guidance, other work

The Building Regulation Charges are divided into a Plan and Inspection charge, or Building Notice charge. The following tables identify types of work and the relevant charges.

The basis of these charges are derived from Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010, valid from 1 April 2023.

All Charges are subject to VAT at the appropriate rate. The Regularisation Charge however is exempt from VAT.

  • Full Plans, The Plan Charge is to be paid at the time plans are deposited with the council. Where an inspection charge applies, an invoice will be issued after the first inspection has been carried out
  • Building Notices, the charges are to be paid at the time this Notice is submitted to the council
  • Regularisation Charge, this type of application is solely for use where work undertaken on or after 11 November 1985 and is already completed without prior knowledge/notification to the council and house owners seek retrospective certification. However these charges are 150% of the net charge
  • Exemption, where work is to provide access and facilities for disabled people in an existing domestic building, or is an extension of a room in a dwelling, where sole use will be for the carrying out of medical treatment or storage facilities for a disabled person, adaptation or replacement of accommodation, no charge is payable
  • Total Estimated Cost for Works, under Schedule 3 Charges for all commercial/industrial/other residential and domestic alterations are taken from Schedule 3. These are based on an estimated cost that would be charged by a professional contractor, excluding professional fees and VAT
  • Small Buildings and Extensions (Schedule 2), where the work in question includes the erection of more than one extension to a building, the total floor areas of all such extensions should be combined to determine the charge payable in accordance with Schedule 2. Any work not indicated in Schedule 2 should refer to Schedule 3
  • Extensions and alterations (schedule 2) not falling within the categories listed in the table and/or where the estimated cost of the work exceeds £50,000 will be individually determined
  • The charge is individually determined for domestic schemes exceeding £50,000 and commercial schemes exceeding £100,000 (schedule 3)
  • for electrical work not covered under a Competent Persons Scheme, please refer to the Electrical installation charges table in the Other charges section
  • Unless previously agreed for projects not completed within 2 years of commencement the following charges will apply to complete the scheme: Desktop exercise £30.00 plus VAT; additional inspection required £50.00 plus VAT per inspection
  • Stage Payments, in certain cases charges may be paid by instalments, by prior agreement with the building control team

Copy building control documents

If you need copies of your completion certificate, decision notice or if you need information about old applications please contact us, details at the bottom of this page.

The fees are:

  • Completion certificate: £36.00
  • Decision notice: £36.00
  • Information about old applications: £36.00

All fees are inc VAT.

You can pay by card over the phone or by cheque in the post.

You will need to provide the unique reference for the building control application. You can find this by checking our building control register.

We can't provide copies building control plans for copyright reasons.