The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities lists a series of construction details that in its opinion marks the commencement of work. These details were repeated in their circular letter dated December 15 2021.
These details relate to a building control function. From our warranty perspective, additional requirements must be taken into consideration if plots are to be started and left for up to a year.
Please note that there may be restrictions in your terms and conditions that once works have started they need to be completed within 3 years.
The table provides a side-by-side comparison of DLUHC’s definitions and LABC Warranty’s corresponding requirements.
| DLUHC’s definitions of work commenced | Related warranty considerations |
|---|---|
| Excavation for strip or trench foundations or for pad footings. | Strip foundation - the durability and mix of the concrete needs to be suitable for the elements, the whole foundation for the plot must be excavated and concrete laid |
| Digging out and preparation of ground for raft foundations. | Rafts – would need to have frost resistant concrete and increased cover for the reinforcement. Ground reduction and backfill with granular material ready for a raft is a sufficient start. |
| Engineered granular fill - seek advice from our engineering department. | |
| Vibrofloatation (stone columns) piling, boring for piles or pile driving. | If a site is piled, all the piles to the plot must be installed. Any exposed steel will need to be suitably covered if it is to be left for a length of time. There should be limited site traffic around the area. All piles will still need to be validated in line with our guidance. Vibrocompaction – the whole plot/site would need to be completed and left without further excavation. Testing would need to be completed and a survey of “as built” so they are not lost. If we have contiguous piles for a basement the piles can go in but the basement must not be excavated until continuous work are to happen. |
| Drainage work specific to the building(s) concerned. | Installing drains – not suitable for piled or vibro sites as the foundations must go in first. |
| DLUHC’s work details not likely to constitute commencement of work | Related warranty considerations over details that do not constitute work commencement |
|---|---|
| Removal of vegetation | As stated, plus MMC – an offsite commencement is not a commencement – so even if the modular/panel has been built offsite it is not a commencement. |
| Demolition of any previous buildings on site | |
| Removal of topsoil | |
| Removal of treatment of contaminated soil | |
| Excavation of trial holes | |
| Dynamic compaction | |
| General site servicing works (eg roadways) |