BRCS (Building Control) Ltd

BRCS (Building Control) Limited was formed in 1996 to respond to the challenging opportunity legislation provides for Corporate Approved Inspectors to practise in the private sector. As one of the first three bodies to be able to undertake the building control role for commercial projects the local authority monopoly was thus removed.

BRCS believes in the pursuit of excellence in the delivery of its services based on a commitment to the satisfaction of the client’s needs. Acting as your Building Control Body we would endeavour to become a professional member of the design and construction team. The agreed values and strategic principles that guide our work are:

– Care of the Customer

– A Quality Service

– Accessibility/Flexibility

– Effectiveness

– Efficiency

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) produced a joint publication ‘Building Control Performance Standards’ for adoption by all Building Control Bodies. BRCS, as a minimum, adopts these standards. Where appropriate, improvements to this level of service will be offered to the benefit of the client. The mechanisms laid down within this documentation represent our formal policy for the provision of our building control service, ensuring performance is monitored and quality levels are achieved. An independent audit of the Company highlighted the following strengths:

– Highly profitable company, financially secure

– Highly focussed management

– Small, flexible company

– Technically competent

The benefits of utilising the professional services offered by BRCS include:

– A realistic fee structure tailored to the individual project or group of projects

– Utilisation of fully qualified and experienced personnel

– Senior management involvement for each project

– A proven proficiency to control the full range of building projects

– Flexibility to react, to the onerous time constraints imposed by the majority of building projects

Role of an Approved Inspector

BRCS (Building Control) Limited is a company approved by Government to act as a Building Control Body. A designer, contractor, developer or client intending to construct a new building, extend, alter or change the use of an existing building is likely to require the benefit of Building Regulation approval – BRCS can offer this service as a true private sector alternative to local authority building control.

In England and Wales we can trace back the history of building control to London in 1189. Henry Fitz Ailwyn was appointed mayor and his London Assize was virtually the first London Building Act – the first Building Regulations. Unfortunately, no powers existed to enforce the requirements made or impose penalties. In the aftermath of the Great Fire of London, City Viewers were appointed to enforce the Rebuilding Act of 1667. These can be regarded as the first building control surveyors, who also operated in the private sector. The utilization of private sector Approved Inspectors has a rich history. BRCS is able to operate under The Building (Approved Inspectors, etc.) Regulations – to provide an excellence in service on the full range of issues relating to building control to ensure the highest standards are achieved to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. For more information, please read ‘Understanding the building regulations’ by Simon Polley (Managing Director of BRCS), published by Spon Press.