By KC Cabin Solutions FAQ • • • • 0 Comments

Building Regulations & Planning Permission

What do Portable Buildings Require in Order to Comply with Building Regulations & Planning Permission?

Anyone interested in building and purchasing a building work has a compulsory responsibility by law to ensure the work complies with the relevant regulations and that they use an approved Building Control Service. This includes the installation of a modular building system whether it is new or 2nd hand.

The Difference Between Building Regulations and Planning Permission

Abiding by building regulations and receiving planning permission are both very different matters. Building regulations set the bar for design and construction of buildings. Planning permission is used to guide the way towns, cities and the countryside are developed. Planning takes into account the external appearance and the impact the development will have on the local area. The building regulations are a set of standards for design and construction which apply to most new buildings and many alterations to existing buildings. This ensures buildings, including modular and portable buildings, are manufactured to an approved standard. They cover various parts including structural elements, fire safety, ventilation and the energy use of the building.

If you are purchasing and organising the supply and installation of a modular building personally, the responsibility for approval of the building regulations will be yours. If you are employing a contractor the responsibility will usually be with that company, however, you should confirm this position at the very beginning. You should also be aware that if you are the owner of the building, it is ultimately you who may be served with an enforcement notice if the work does not comply with the regulations.

The Building regulations consist of various parts. Each part is lettered and deals with a specific requirement. These are as follows:

Part A: Structural

Part B: Fire safety
Part C: Resistance to contaminants and moisture
Part D: Toxic substances
Part E: Resistance to sound
Part F: Ventilation
Part G: Sanitation hot water safety and water efficiency
Part H: Drainage and waste disposal
Part J: Heat producing appliances
Part K: Protection from falling
Part L: Conservation of fuel and power
Part M: Access to and use of building
Part N: Glazing safety
Part P: Electrical safety

Modular Building
By KC Cabin Solutions FAQ • 0 Comments

What is a Modular Building?

What is a Modular Building?

Modular buildings, offices, etc. are erected from two or more individual steel-framed modules. Modules are connected end to end, side to side and in multiple storeys to generate buildings of size and configuration to suit the individual requirement. The individual modules are delivered to site fully fitted out, in preparation to be craned into the correct place and installed efficiently and as fast possible. Accommodate from one to 10,000 or more people in a high quality modular building. All modular building systems from KC Cabins meet all permanent building regulations, providing versatile buildings suitable for long-term use. They can accommodate large numbers of people and are designed to meet all customers’ specific requirements. They are widely used by schools, universities or business of all local authorities, hospitals and healthcare providers.

Modular construction is rapidly being recognised as the best sustainable solution to the environmental challenges of modern construction. What’s more, because a modular building is made up of individual modules, it can very easily and safely be expanded, be reduced in size or reconfigured to fulfil your ever changing requirements.

Modular buildings may be used for long-term, temporary or permanent facilities, such as construction camps, schools and classrooms, civilian and military housing, and industrial facilities. Modular buildings are used in remote and rural areas where conventional construction may not be reasonable or possible, for example, the Halley VI accommodation pods used for a BAS Antarctic expedition. They can also be used in areas that have weather concerns, such as hurricanes.

Modular components are typically constructed indoors on assembly lines. Modules’ construction may take as little as ten days but more often one to three months. Completed modules are transported to the building site and assembled by a crane. Placement of the modules may take from several hours to several days.