USA building control after water usage figures

[unguided1]

Hi guys

looks like I have been caught out on a new reg that apparantley came in last year, I have been asked to submit water usage calculations to building control on a new build, anyone else done this or know where I start,

Apparantly building control will not sign off the building until they have been submitted

regards

Mike

 

[quality]

I was not aware of such a regulation either. But if the BC is like most that do not have a clue, all they probably want is a figure to write in a box

 

[unguided1]

I was not aware of such a regulation either. But if the BC is like most that do not have a clue, all they probably want is a figure to write in a box

Hi quality

I agree that building control is full of muppets I am going to phone them on Tuesday to find out what on earth they are talking about, I completed a number of new builds last year and nothing was mentioned this is the first I have heard of it, So it looks like more beaurocracy coming in for us poor plumbers, knowing my luck with my hate fer dipping into me wallet, its gonna cost me.

 

[stani]

just done my unvented refresher and am sure that somewhere in that it mentions about maximum usage per person on newbuild is something like 125 litres per day, will check and get back.

 

[stani]

Got it, Part G building regs ammended April 2010, there is a requirement to where a new installation or material change of use takes place, the designer/installer has to submit water efficiency calculations that prove the maximum daily usage is no greater than 125 litres. unfortunately i dont know how to go about calculating the amount of water used. perhaps others can throw some light on the subject.

 

[unguided1]

Hi stani
yes I know this but apparantly I have to account for it and apparantly there is a form to fill out that includes showers washing machine and god knows what I feel like putting how long is a piece of string because water consumption all depends and the customer at the end of the day.
Just like to say thanks for the input its appreciated

 

[unguided1]

Got it, Part G building regs ammended April 2010, there is a requirement to where a new installation or material change of use takes place, the designer/installer has to submit water efficiency calculations that prove the maximum daily usage is no greater than 125 litres. unfortunately i dont know how to go about calculating the amount of water used. perhaps others can throw some light on the subject.

Aha you replied again before I finnished thats a great help Cheers stani I will have a look at that once again cheers

 

[stani]

the problem arises on friday/saturday night after drink and curry , who the hell can tell how many times your up and down on the toilet,sat/stood/on your knees can probably use 125 litres in first hour lol

 

[unguided1]

the problem arises on friday/saturday night after drink and curry , who the hell can tell how many times your up and down on the toilet,sat/stood/on your knees can probably use 125 litres in first hour lol

I like yer thinking stani I am currently getting hammered at the moment because of the Royal Wedding, you can probably tell coz the more I drink the more my speeling improves, Later on whem I am well hammered I will probably be talking to God on the great white telephone in the bathroom I will ask him he will know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! cheers mate

 

[mredd]

Try this..
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/water_efficiency_calculator.pdf

 

[unguided1]

Try this..
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/water_efficiency_calculator.pdf

Hi mredd
That looks like the one I havent had a proper look at it yet, have you had do deal with this yourself yet?

 

[unguided1]

Well After reading that I am going into full rant mode again I feel that may be someone should wright all that again in laymans terms Its unbelievable Bloomin government interfering again.

It appears that once again this is what is happenning to our industry no thought to the one man band I reckon that by the time I have ponced about trying to work this out it will be another days labour with no pay

I am totaly hacked of now and Building control will definately be on the recieving end of a full rant even if its not their fault, as they are only the messenger

 

[stani]

Well After reading that I am going into full rant mode again I feel that may be someone should wright all that again in laymans terms Its unbelievable Bloomin government interfering again.

It appears that once again this is what is happenning to our industry no thought to the one man band I reckon that by the time I have ponced about trying to work this out it will be another days labour with no pay

I am totaly hacked of now and Building control will definately be on the recieving end of a full rant even if its not their fault, as they are only the messenger

got to agree, that document is for the architect/specifier not the installer, theres no way you could possibly find the time to go through all that paperwork and still make money.

 

[unguided1]

got to agree, that document is for the architect/specifier not the installer, theres no way you could possibly find the time to go through all that paperwork and still make money.

You might have a point there stani I think I will tell building control to bugger off and do it themselves, I mean how the hell are we supposed to keep up with this type of thing, I have never heard of it, Its sprung on me at the end of the job, its a night mare,

Has anyone else been caught out by this and how have they got over it

 

[mredd]

Hi, not used it yet. Looked at the first few pages and then thought I will read when I have a free weekend.

 

[mredd]

This looks a bit easier.
The Water Calculator

 

[unguided1]

Wow mredd yer like a man on a mission I like that last one that makes it loads simpler Cheers, how have you found all this stuff you deffinately have the patience of a saint, I have a headache just thinking of all this

 

[unguided1]

I might have found a loophole I will find out teusday when I tell building control to get stuffed
Am I required to meet minimum Code for Sustainable Home requirements?
For the private sector, the Code is a voluntary initiative, although the Government does plan to tighten building regulations to reflect higher levels of the energy aspects of the Code between now and 2016

 

[SimonG]

Shouldn't BC/Architect sorted it at the start. What they gonna do now if the figures don't add up?

 

[unguided1]

I hope yer right but somehow its been thrust into my lap at the moment so after the bank holiday I am going on the war path and thrusting it right back at em!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dontknowitall]

I thought this goverment was going to put documents like this into a bonfire.

 

[unguided1]

I thought this goverment was going to put documents like this into a bonfire.

After my dealings and tantrums with MCS I have been predicting that our industry is going this way and I reckon that youre gonna find that this is just the tip of the beauracratic iceberg thats gonna colide with our titanic of a plumbing industry.

I predict that Gas Safe is gonna roll out something like the MCS soon, they are gonna make claims that it will be better for the industry, when in reality it will destroy small businesses

 

[mredd]

Yes, that does look promising. I thing the building inspector must of just done the course and is making a point.

 

[unguided1]

Yes, that does look promising. I thing the building inspector must of just done the course and is making a point.

I will let you know how I get on with this on tuesday, I have a feeling that the building inspector will quote something at me and also I reckon the builder wont be happy coz you can guarantee that if i get away with it the building inspector will want some sort of revenge

 

[unguided1]

I will let you know how I get on with this on tuesday, I have a feeling that the building inspector will quote something at me and also I reckon the builder wont be happy coz you can guarantee that if i get away with it the building inspector will want some sort of revenge

As predicted building control are adamant that these figures are provided ( they dont seem to mind if its the architect, plumber or specifier who supplies them) and that one copy is given to the house holder and one copy is givent building control before they will sign the property off so A warning to anyone who is doing a new build at the moment or in the future you will have to do this for your customer to have their property signed off.
I wonder when they will finally getting around to notifying us officially about it and how

 

[unguided1]

Right well today I went straight to the horses mouth and ended up calling www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/partg2009divisionalletter
Had a struggle at the beginning and after my dealings with government departments in the past I was not expecting to get any where fast, but I congratulate the people involved as they pulled the stops out and got an extremley knowledgable man to assist me.
So Part G is definately in If you are a plumber working on any new build in england (I dunno about Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland ) then you have got to account for your customers water usage figures before building control will sign off on the build so I suggest that before your customer goes out buying all the gismos and gadgets they really want they throw in they should look at installing the absolute minimum then get the building signed off, then after the building is signed off put what they want in.
The important thing to remeber is to keep the water usage down WCs need to be 6L or less, bath deck mixers are out, the Lowest volume baths you can lay yer hands on are good, Showers are rated as excellent but the shower control needs to be as low a flow rate as you can find, if you can convince yer customer to put in grey water recycling or rainwater harvesting then this will actually be a great help.

This is going to be a minefield of confusion especially for the one man bands out there like my self and even worse is going to be trying to convince the customers of what is happenning
We

 

[SimonG]

Shouldn't the architect/consultant be reponsible after all its them that put in that 5th toilet or 5th bedroom ensuite. Or even building control before they pass for building regs approval.

I need a bigger barrow to carry everybody elses crap around!

 

[unguided1]

Shouldn't the architect/consultant be reponsible after all its them that put in that 5th toilet or 5th bedroom ensuite. Or even building control before they pass for building regs approval.

I need a bigger barrow to carry everybody elses crap around!

Well in this case it has been dropped in my lap, After speaking to the chap in the government department this afternoon he has left me his direct line and I plan to chat to him again as I still do not fully understand it all, but it would seem that yes it is down to us plumbers, one thing he said was that if I was a member of CiPHE I would have known about it because apparantly they have notified their members

 

[quality]

How many memberships and registrations do we need to earn a living!!!!!

 

[stani]

the problem will really start when we are just doing a bathroom update and BRegs will start wanting these figures then, or doing an outside tap and demanding we send in the figures or there will be a financial penalty clause we have to pay.

 

[SimonG]

I would say yes, if I had been paid to design the plumbing and heating system and specified the sanitary ware.

When I'm pricing a new build it's normally a set of plans and allow for bath, basin, shower etc that the customers will pick out at a later date or has already been specified.

 

[unguided1]

I know that I do go on a bit about all these regs but I also see that another thread has just come up about the welsh having to install sprinkler systems in new builds, whens it gonna end, answer never its only just started. mark my words

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

I know that I do go on a bit about all these regs but I also see that another thread has just come up about the welsh having to install sprinkler systems in new builds, whens it gonna end, answer never its only just started. mark my words

thats a new one on me dont do many new builds though about one a year

 

[SimonG]

I know that I do go on a bit about all these regs but I also see that another thread has just come up about the welsh having to install sprinkler systems in new builds, whens it gonna end, answer never its only just started. mark my words

Just read that thread and done a bit of reading on domestic sprinkler systems..........................and yes.......................you shouldn't install or amend unless you have had the "appropriate" training!

Wonder if you need a quality management system to install sprinklers as well!

 

[unguided1]

I think its time for a revolution, time for me to break out me burning pitchfork