Will Dean wrote

I don't imagine I'm alone in the idea that building regs are fine when
building an extension or making some major structural alteration, but are
completely ridiculous for replacing a hot water cylinder or a window. For
a start, the costs are utterly disproportionate for small jobs.

No you're not alone Will. The idea, it seems to me, is to maintain minimum
standards for new HW cylinders and windows etc through the self-certification
procedure open to CORGI and FENSA registered contractors. That way the impact
on the number of Building Regs applications submitted to the LA is minimised.
But I've already come across two new window installations by FENSA contractors
which seriously infringe the regs, and FENSA seemed totally disinterested in
doing anything about it - indeed, they didn't seem to understand the Regulations
themselves! I was forced to bring in the LA, and they asked me to report the
problems to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. I think unless the
procedure is tightened up, the FENSA certificate at least will soon become scrap
paper.

We should have some sympathy for Local Authorities - I suspect they don't
appreciate these new regulations either. They're under enough pressure as it is
now they face private competition (thank you Maggie). All the big juicy
projects go to tender for Building Control and LA's often lose out, leaving them
with all the non-paying dross jobs the private sector don't want. Now they have
to raise enough in fees to pay their way, there's only one thing they can do.

Peter