21/08/2026
📋 Building Regs vs Planning Permission
One common mix-up we hear from clients: assuming planning permission and Building Regulations are the same thing, or that getting one automatically covers the other. They don't - and mixing them up can catch people out, so it's important to understand the difference before work starts.
In the words of Mr MJG himself: "planning permission controls what you build, and building regs control how it's built."
Planning permission is about the bigger picture - the size, position and appearance of what you're adding, and whether the local authority allows it. Building regs are separate: they cover the technical side of the construction itself, structural safety, insulation, fire safety, drainage, regardless of whether planning permission was ever needed.
That's why a project can need one, both, or neither, depending on what's actually being done - and it's one of those things we ensure clients sort out before work starts, not after. And of course, this is something we're happy to guide people on.
If you're planning work on your home and you're not sure which applies to your project, get in touch and we'll talk you through it.
Build with confidence. Build with compliance. Build with MJG!