Navigating the building warrant process
We have 13 Approved Certifiers of Design across our six offices serving the Scottish mainland and islands.
In Scotland, before construction begins on site, a building warrant must be approved by the local authority in which the works are located. A building warrant confirms that the proposed structure meets with the building standards, including the structural requirements and is normally required for:
- new buildings and developments
- alterations, extensions and conversions
- changing the structure of a building
- demolishing part or the whole of a building.
Structural Engineers Registration Ltd (SER) has been appointed by the Scottish Government’s Building Standards Division (BSD) to administer a scheme for Certification of Design (Building Structures).
A SER Certificate of design, confirms your building meets with structural requirements of building regulations and should be submitted with your building warrant application.
Benefits of a SER Certificate
By issuing a SER Certificate for your design we can demonstrate to your local authority that the structural design and drawings relating to your building structure in your building warrant application comply with the Building (Scotland) Regulation 2004. This will help you to:
- provide sufficient information in your building warrant application so it is approved as quickly as possible
- avoid unnecessary delays responding to requests for further clarification from your local authority
- access a 10 % discount of the warrant application fee
- identify items which may require specialist design and consequently a form Q
- identify if you require a staged warrant to enable an early start on site
Updating a warrant as designs evolve
A Form Q is required where specialist design items have not been completed prior to the building warrant submission and we can support with this. Depending on the risk group, it may include the following items:
- piles
- vibro stone or concrete columns
- precast foundation systems, concrete floor units and stairs
- timber roof trusses
- steelwork connections
- protective barriers and glazing.
Should there be design changes after the building warrant has been approved, we can work through any alterations and obtain a new SER certificate to support any amendment to warrant “AOW” applications.
Robust professional standards
As Approved Certifiers on this scheme you can be reassured that:
- our engineers are all Chartered Structural and/or Civil engineers with a minimum of five years post-chartered experience and practical knowledge of the Scottish Building Control system
- we are aware of our responsibilities to improve assurance of structural safety
- all design work will be checked at the appropriate level prior to the issue of the SER certificate.
- we can check buildings in all risk groups RG1 A&B,RG2 A&B and RG3
- we have appropriate professional indemnity insurance
- our work procedures and performance are audited by SER
- SER provides a robust complaints process in the unlikely event that is needed.
At Narro we also have the capability to certify the design of other engineers which may be required when a design is undertaken by a company without a certifier of design, such as an engineering company in England or Wales.
It has been a pleasure working with Yvonne and David. They have shown excellent professional attitudes throughout this project, have not missed a meeting and have helped us secure a building warrant for this conversion.
Cliff Beevers,
Professor
Pentlands Regeneration
