Hi everyone we are a solar pv wholesaler in the midlands and a lot of our customers are asking us whether they need building control approval for all their solar pv installations.
Building regs approval for solar panels.
If you re planning to build a new structure such as a gazebo arbor or patio covering to hold your solar panels the structure needs to be designed by a structural engineer and approved by the building department.
If you wish to install a solar panel on your roof building regulations will normally apply.
In certain areas ground mounted solar arrays require soils engineering to determine the soil class.
Rated d or above.
The issue here is whether the existing roof wil be able to take the extra roof loadings that solar panels will impose on it.
Building regs and planning permission for solar panels april 19 2018 like.
This seems to be a bit of a grey area and some installers seem to do it and others don t.
For older buildings achieving an epc of at least a d may require some home.
Building regulations also apply to other aspects of the work such as electrical installation.
Some strengthening work may be needed.
The ability of the existing roof to carry the load weight of the panel will need to be checked and proven.
Councils asking for planning permission or building regulations applications for solar panel installations has been much in the press of late.
More and more homes are having solar panels or solar tiles installed on their roofs.
Indeed much of that press has been linked to the campaign by yougen and ourselves.
With the installation of roof mounted solar panels becoming increasingly popular it is important to recognise that building regulations will normally apply should you wish to fit them to your roof.