How-To & DIY
221 sources in the library on how-to & diy, 40 on this page cited in a published note. Each one says what the document covers and what it is good for. Name a source to see which document it is and where to read it. One at a time. Page 1 of 6.
- very strong RN-5338K3 cited
GOV.UK
The government's own recommendation tool, and the neutral link a DIY insulation note should offer instead of a comparison site. It gives personalised home improvement recommendations for property owners in England and Wales, and for each suggestion shows an estimated cost of making the improvement and how much could be saved on bills. It cross-refers to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the Warm Home Discount Scheme and the Winter Fuel Payment. A telephone helpline is available Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm except bank holidays, and Saturday 9am to 12pm. The page itself carries no eligibility criteria or scheme figures, so a note quoting grant values must cite the individual scheme pages rather than this one.
Cited in All You Need To Know About Double Glazing Repairs, Fan Assisted Radiators Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide, How to Insulate a Loft (DIY), Insulation Grants 2026: ECO4, GBIS & What You Can Get and 5 more.
- very strong RN-6P05B1 cited
GOV.UK
The official statement of when a skip needs a council permit, and the practical companion to Highways Act 1980 section 139. You or the skip hire company need a skip licence or permit to put a skip on a public road, and the same applies to hippobags and other skip bags. You do not need a skip licence if you are putting the skip entirely on private land, which is the reason a driveway skip avoids the fee. You contact your local council for the licence, and if you do not put up the required safety lights and markings you could be fined up to 1,000 pounds.
Cited in Skip Hire Costs & Sizes.
- very strong RN-AE0RHQ cited
Health and Safety Executive
The sheet every other asbestos essentials task sheet tells you to read first, and the right citation for a DIY note that touches pre-2000 fabric. It states that large amounts of asbestos were used in new and refurbished buildings before 2000, that blue (crocidolite) and brown (amosite) asbestos were banned by law in 1985 and manufacture and supply of all asbestos was banned by the end of 1999, and that existing asbestos articles may stay in use until the end of their service life. It names the diseases as mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis, with a latency of 15 to 60 years, incurable and often fatal. It divides the work: higher-risk work with sprayed coatings, loose asbestos, lagging, insulation and asbestos insulating board, apart from some very limited-duration AIB work, requires an HSE-licensed contractor, while the task sheets cover non-licensed work only if done exactly as described. The trades listed as most likely to disturb asbestos include electricians, joiners, plumbers, gas fitters, roofers, plasterers, painters and decorators, which is precisely the DIY work a how-to note describes.
- very strong RN-2IWEP7 cited
Health and Safety Executive
HSE's guidance note behind every slip-resistance figure a flooring or paving note quotes, and the source that separates the two tests people conflate. Table 1 classifies slip potential from pendulum test values (PTV): 0 to 24 high, 25 to 35 moderate, 36 and above low. Table 2 gives the parallel Rz microroughness classification. It describes the HSL/UKSRG ramp CoF test, then deals with the German ramp tests separately: DIN 51097 uses barefoot operators with a soap solution and DIN 51130 uses heavily cleated EN ISO 20345 safety boots with motor oil, and HSE states it has reservations about both because neither uses contaminants representative of real workplaces and the way results are reported is a cause for concern. Table 3 sets the DIN 51130 R scale by slip angle: R9 6 to 10 degrees, R10 10 to 19, R11 19 to 27, R12 27 to 35, R13 above 35. It warns that R9 and sometimes R10 surfaces will be slippery when wet and that a single class covers a wide CoF range, R10 alone spanning 0.18 to 0.34, so an R number is not a substitute for a PTV. Note that BS 7976-2, the pendulum method, was withdrawn in February 2022, which makes this HSE page the right citation for the thresholds.
Cited in Bathroom Tiles: Types, Cost & Layout, Best Flooring for Kitchens, Bathrooms & Living Rooms, Floor Tiles: Porcelain vs Ceramic vs Stone, How to Tile a Floor and 4 more.
- very strong RN-P72KJ9 cited
Health and Safety Executive
The HSE starting point for the pre-2000 rule that every renovation note should carry as a warning. Asbestos was used in many industries and buildings until it was banned in 1999, and HSE states that buildings constructed after 2000 are unlikely to contain asbestos, so the risk sits with anything built or refurbished before that date. Around 5,000 people die every year from asbestos-related diseases, making it the leading cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain. The danger comes from disturbing the material through drilling, refurbishment, demolition and installation work rather than from its presence alone. Compliance is governed by the Control of Asbestos Regulations and the Approved Code of Practice, Managing and working with asbestos, and a separate HSE section sets out when a licensed contractor must do the work.
Cited in Average Loft Conversion Cost: Real 2026 Breakdown by Type, Garage Conversion to a Bedroom: Cost & Rules, Reclaimed Materials: Buying & Using.
- very strong RN-LCLAEL cited
Health and Safety Executive
HSE's guide to choosing respiratory protective equipment. Its table of disposable half masks gives protection factors of 4 for FFP1, 10 for FFP2 and 20 for FFP3.
Cited in How to Lay a Patio, How to Sand & Restore Floorboards.
- very strong RN-21AA4H cited
Health and Safety Executive
The HSE rules a DIY note should quote whenever a job involves a ladder, in HSE's own words. For a leaning ladder, use the 1 in 4 rule: the ladder should be one space or unit of measurement out for every four spaces or units up, which is a 75 degree angle. Do not work off the top three rungs, and make sure the ladder extends at least 1 metre or three rungs above the point where you are working. Maintain three points of contact when climbing and wherever possible at the work position. Secure the ladder, for example by tying it, to prevent it slipping outwards or sideways. Only carry light materials and tools. For stepladders, do not stand and work on the top three steps, including a step forming the very top of the stepladder, unless there is a suitable handhold, and maintain three points of contact at the working position, meaning two feet and one hand. HSE frames ladders as suitable for low-risk, short-duration tasks only, which is the test to apply before recommending one for a whole-roof or whole-wall job.
Cited in Guttering Repair & Cleaning, The Complete UK Roofing Guide (2026).
- very strong RN-KS3PJK cited
Health and Safety Executive
The specific HSE sheet a floor sanding or joinery note should cite instead of a generic dust warning. WIS23 Revision 3 states that all wood dust is a substance hazardous to health because it can cause serious non-reversible problems including asthma, dermatitis and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, and that hardwood dust can also cause a rare type of nasal cancer. It identifies fine dust as the biggest risk because it is breathed deep into the lungs and travels furthest from the process, so ledges and surfaces need regular cleaning. Wood dust is also flammable and can cause fire or explosion, with premises severely damaged or destroyed every year by wood dust fires that usually start in dust extraction equipment. The activities named as producing high exposures are machining, particularly sawing, routing and turning; sanding by machine and by hand-held powered sanders; using compressed airlines to blow dust off work, which is to be avoided; bagging dust from extraction systems; and housekeeping, especially dry sweeping. Wood dust is covered by COSHH.
- very strong RN-7LH1DA cited
Health and Safety Executive
HSE's woodworking FAQ, including a section on MDF. It settles that machining or sanding MDF releases softwood and hardwood dust, which are respiratory sensitisers that can cause asthma.
Cited in How to Build Fitted Wardrobes.
- very strong RN-P8UQ7T cited
LABC Warranty
LABC Warranty's new-home technical manual, tolerances section: internal walls must be flat to a maximum deviation of ±3 mm measured with a 2 m straight edge.
- very strong RN-NPO8FJ cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The statutory figures behind a damp diagnosis, and the numbers to quote when a note explains why ground levels or a bridged damp proof course cause rising damp. Paragraph 5.2 requires that in an external wall the damp-proof course should be at least 150mm above the level of the adjoining ground (Diagram 8) unless part of the building protects the wall, and that in an external cavity wall the cavity should be taken down at least 225mm below the level of the lowest damp-proof course, or a damp-proof tray provided (Diagram 9a). For suspended timber ground floors it requires a ventilated air space of at least 75mm from the ground covering to the underside of any wall-plates and at least 150mm to the underside of the suspended timber floor or insulation, with ventilation openings on two opposing external walls of not less than 1,500mm2 per metre run of external wall or 500mm2 per square metre of floor area, whichever is greater; for suspended concrete floors the clear ventilated space is at least 150mm with the same opening sizes. Section 2.39 onwards covers radon, referring to BRE Report BR 211 for protective measures. The 2013 edition was published on 3 September 2013 with changes in effect from 1 October 2013.
Cited in Barge Boards, Fascias & Soffits: Cost & Replacement, Breathable Membranes for Roofs & Walls, Brick Slips & Brick Cladding Systems, Build Basement Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide and 46 more.
- very strong RN-QD1SFF cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Table 1.1 sets minimum intermittent extract rates: kitchen with a cooker hood extracting outside 30 l/s, kitchen without one 60 l/s, utility room 30 l/s, bathroom 15 l/s, sanitary accommodation 6 l/s. Extract terminals and fans other than cooker hoods should be as high as practicable and no more than 400mm below the ceiling; a cooker hood should sit between 650mm and 750mm above the hob if the manufacturer gives no figure. Table 1.7 requires background ventilators of at least 8000mm2 equivalent area in habitable rooms and kitchens for a dwelling, 10,000mm2 for a single-storey dwelling. Background ventilators should be at least 1700mm above floor level and at least 500mm from a fan in the same room. On replacement windows, paragraph 3.14 says new windows must carry background ventilators no smaller than the originals, and paragraph 3.15 gives the fallback minimums where the old size is unknown: 8000mm2 habitable rooms, 8000mm2 kitchen, 4000mm2 bathroom. Paragraph 3.32 confirms that replacing an extractor fan or cooker hood on existing cabling is not notifiable.
Cited in Adding an Ensuite: Cost, Layout & Plumbing, All You Need To Know About Double Glazing Repairs, Annexe & Granny Flat: Cost, Planning & Rules, Basement & Cellar Conversions: Cost and 57 more.
- very strong RN-XH6E39 cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The standard that decides whether a loft ladder is legal and when a raised deck needs a balustrade. Published 3 January 2013, it covers protection from falling, collision and impact including stairs, ladders, ramps, guarding and vehicle barriers. Paragraph 1.31 states that retractable ladders must not be used as a means of escape. Paragraph 1.32 permits a fixed ladder, with fixed handrails on both sides, only for access in a loft conversion containing one habitable room, and only where there is not enough space without altering the existing space for a compliant stair, which is the rule that catches most loft ladder installations. Paragraph 1.29 restricts alternating tread stairs to loft conversions. For a private stair the maximum pitch is 42 degrees (Table 1.1 note 1), the normal relationship between rise and going is twice the rise plus the going between 550mm and 700mm, and for dwellings external tapered steps forming part of the building need a going of at least 280mm. Paragraph 3.1 requires guarding wherever it is reasonably necessary for safety at the edge of a floor, gallery, balcony, roof, light well, basement or similar sunken area. Paragraph 3.2 requires guarding to be at least the height in Diagram 3.1, allows any wall, parapet or balustrade to serve as guarding, and requires it to resist the loads in BS EN 1991-1-1 with its UK National Annex and PD 6688-1-1, with BS 6180 for barrier and infill panel design. Handrails should be positioned 900mm to 1000mm from the pitch line or floor.
Cited in All You Need To Know About Double Glazing Repairs, Basement & Cellar Conversions: Cost, Basement Conversion Cost & Feasibility (UK), Bifold Doors: Cost, Sizes & Alternatives and 56 more.
- very strong RN-L0FCJX cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The in-force U-value tables a DIY insulation or door note must quote, with the exact numbers. Table 4.2, limiting U-values for new fabric elements in existing dwellings, sets roof 0.15, wall 0.18, floor 0.18, swimming pool basin 0.25, window 1.4 or Window Energy Rating Band B minimum, rooflight 2.2, doors with more than 60 per cent of the internal face glazed 1.4 or Doorset Energy Rating Band C minimum, and other doors 1.4 or Doorset Energy Rating Band B minimum. Table 4.3, for existing elements, gives a roof threshold of 0.35 and an improved value of 0.16, which is the figure a loft insulation note needs: paragraph 4.12 says a retained element whose U-value is higher than the column (a) threshold, for example through a loft or garage conversion, should be upgraded to the column (b) value. Paragraph 4.13 allows a lesser upgrade only where the improved value is not technically or functionally feasible or would not achieve a simple payback of 15 years or less. Paragraph 4.8 requires a replacement element to be no worse than the one it replaces as well as meeting Table 4.2. Paragraph 4.10 gives the heritage exception: where character must be maintained, a centre pane U-value of no more than 1.2 or low-emissivity secondary glazing. Note 9 records that the timber window concession of 1.6 or Band C ended on 14 June 2023. The 2021 edition came into force on 15 June 2022; a 2026 edition exists at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c122a6cfa346b9d4704a55/ADL1_2026.pdf.
Cited in Adding an Ensuite: Cost, Layout & Plumbing, Adding Porch, All You Need To Know About Double Glazing Repairs, Annexe & Granny Flat: Cost, Planning & Rules and 169 more.
- very strong RN-JYJ3I5 cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The document that decides what electrical work a homeowner may legally do themselves, and the exact list of notifiable jobs. Regulation 12(6A), reproduced at paragraph 2.5, makes only three things notifiable: the installation of a new circuit, the replacement of a consumer unit, and any addition or alteration to existing circuits in a special location. Regulation 12(9) defines special location as, in a room containing a bath or shower, the zone extending vertically from finished floor level to 2.25 metres (or the shower head position if higher) and horizontally 600mm from the edge of the bath tub or shower tray. Paragraph 2.7 states that all other electrical installation work is not notifiable, namely additions and alterations to existing installations outside special locations, and replacements, repairs and maintenance anywhere. Paragraph 2.8 gives worked examples: a built-in cooker is not notifiable unless a new cooker circuit is needed, and connecting an electric gate or garage door to an existing isolator is not notifiable but running a new circuit from the consumer unit to that isolator is. Paragraph 2.2 confirms Part P reaches outdoor work including fixed garden lighting, pond pumps and outbuildings such as sheds, detached garages and domestic greenhouses. Notifiable work must be certified by self-certification by a registered competent person, third-party certification, or a building control body (paragraph 3.1), with the compliance certificate issued within 30 days (paragraph 3.4). Note that Approved Document P is a source of guidance rather than a ban: non-notifiable work still has to comply with BS 7671.
Cited in Adding an Ensuite: Cost, Layout & Plumbing, Adding Plug Socket Room Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide, Annexe & Granny Flat: Cost, Planning & Rules, Awning Installation Cost: Patio & Garden Awnings and 114 more.
- very strong RN-B869UP cited
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
The government plain-language map of the Building Regulations system in England, written after the Hackitt review called for the old manual to be revised, and split into Volume 1 (overview, chapters 1 to 8) and Volume 2 (further guidance, chapters A to F, plus key terms in Appendix I and references in Appendix II). It confirms that the Building Act 1984 sets the enforcement powers, that the Building Regulations 2010 contain 15 technical requirements in Schedule 1 each lettered as a Part, and that regulation 3 defines building work. Chapter 3 gives the list a renovation note can cite verbatim for when approval is likely to be needed: replacing consumer units or installing new circuits, new plumbing and waste connections, changing circuits near a bath or shower, installing ventilation or air conditioning, replacing windows and doors, replacing pitched or flat roof coverings, installing or replacing a heating system, adding extra radiators, removing a chimney breast, removing a wall (load bearing and sometimes non-load bearing) and creating a through lounge; it also confirms that new loft insulation unconnected to other building work is not checked by a building control body although it must still comply. Chapter 4 states that where work is done under a competent person scheme the installer or scheme operator notifies the local authority and issues a completion certificate within 30 days of completion, and that if work has already started or finished without notification an approved inspector cannot be used, leaving only local authority building control, which is not obliged to approve work already carried out. Chapter 3 also confirms courts can impose unlimited fines for non-compliance. Note the manual predates the Building Safety Act 2022 changes, so it still uses the term approved inspector rather than registered building control approver.
- very strong RN-EACS2V cited
Planning Portal
The three-part permitted development test for decking and raised platforms, and the source for the 30cm figure that decides whether a deck needs an application. Decking is permitted development providing the decking is no more than 30cm above the ground, that together with other extensions and outbuildings the decking or platforms cover no more than 50 per cent of the garden area, and that no part of the decking or platform is on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation. Additional restrictions apply in protected areas and within the curtilage of a listed building. Note that the 30cm limit is a separate test from the raised platform exclusion in GPDO Class E paragraph E.1(h), which bars any verandah, balcony or raised platform from the outbuildings class entirely.
Cited in Azek Decking Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- very strong RN-53ZEBY cited
Planning Portal
The Planning Portal's homeowner guide to drainage and the Building Regulations. It explains foul and surface water drainage and says the two systems should in general be kept separate.
Cited in How to Lay a Patio.
- very strong RN-24ZUOV cited
The National Archives
Section 73 of the Water Industry Act 1991; it makes it an offence to negligently let a water fitting stay in disrepair so water is wasted, and treats the owner or occupier as responsible for the fittings.
Cited in How to Fix a Leaking Tap.
- very strong RN-JXUGP4 cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
The source for why a skip on the road needs a council permit while a skip on your own driveway does not. Section 139 makes it unlawful to deposit a builder's skip on a highway without the permission of the highway authority, and that permission names the highway and may attach conditions on the siting of the skip, its dimensions, the painting of the skip for visibility, the care and disposal of its contents, its lighting and guarding, and its removal at the end of the period. The owner must keep the skip properly lighted during the hours of darkness, clearly and indelibly marked with the owner's name and telephone number or address, and remove it as soon as practicable after it has been filled. Breach carries a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, with a defence where the breach was due to the act or default of another person and the owner took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence. A builder's skip is defined as a container designed to be carried on a road vehicle for storing materials or disposing of rubble and waste.
Cited in Keeping Neighbours Onside During Building Work, Loft Conversion Cost by London Borough, Skip Hire Costs & Sizes.
- very strong RN-81036E cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
Regulation 19(6) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 bars installing gas pipework in an inadequately ventilated shaft, duct or void unless it is in its own ventilated duct.
Cited in How to Box In Pipes & Boilers.
- very strong RN-LA8DJZ cited
The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk)
Schedule 1 to the HHSRS Regulations, as amended in 2026, lists falls on the level, including falls on any level surface and falls at baths and showers, among the hazards councils assess in rented homes.
Cited in How to Lay Vinyl & LVT Flooring.
- strong locally RN-CS3P0D cited
Great Yarmouth Borough Council
A council's fire door specification summary for housing: a fire door is hung on three 100 mm butt hinges with a melting point of at least 800°C.
Cited in How to Hang an Internal Door.
- strong RN-PSAEIM cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: CURRENT. The live edition is BS 3621:2017+A1:2024, published 26 September 2024, superseding BS 3621:2017, BS 3621:2007+A2:2012, BS 3621:2004, BS 3621:1998 and BS 3621:1980. It specifies performance requirements and test methods for a thief resistant, mechanically operated single point lock assembly (including locking plates, fixing screws, fitting instructions, cylinders and protective furniture) incorporating a lock conforming to BS EN 12209:2016, lockable from both sides by key so that only key egress is possible, for doors, window doors and entrance doors. It explicitly excludes keyless egress assemblies, which are covered by BS 8621, and secure no egress modes, covered by BS 10621. Notes that quote BS 3621 as the insurance benchmark for a front door lock should cite the 2017+A1:2024 edition, not the 2007 one. The BSI catalogue page confirms number, title, date, status and scope; the full requirements are paywalled.
Cited in Smart Locks & Keyless Entry, Windows and Doors: The Complete UK Guide (2026).
- strong RN-U9PCSG cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: CURRENT, with no withdrawal date shown despite the 1980 date. BS 4787-1:1980 was published 30 June 1980 and specifies the metric sizes for dimensionally coordinated internal and external wood doorsets, door leaves and frames, that is the work sizes for the doorset as an assembly of fixed frame plus movable leaf with its hardware, with information on glazed openings and ancillary provisions in Appendix A, and it is written to coordinate doors with windows. This is the origin of the standard UK metric door sizes (762 x 1981 mm and its relatives) that a note quotes when telling a reader whether a replacement leaf will fit an existing lining. Note that performance, as distinct from dimensions, comes from other standards: BS EN 14351-1 for external pedestrian doorsets and BS 8214 for timber fire door assemblies. Catalogue page confirms number, title, date, status and scope; the size tables are paywalled.
Cited in How Much Paint Do I Need?.
- strong RN-R926HN cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: WITHDRAWN on 5 November 2024, a recent change that matters because decorating notes still quote BS 4800 colour references. BS 4800:2011 (the SET) was published 31 May 2011, ISBN 978 0 580 74345 0, ICS 87.040, committee STI/14, and was the schedule of paint colours for building purposes: the framework behind references such as 00 E 53 or 18 B 25 used in specifications and by trade paint manufacturers. Its predecessor BS 4800:1981 (published 1 January 1982, ISBN 0 580 12336 7) was itself withdrawn on 30 June 1989, so both editions the notes might mean are dead. A note telling a reader to specify a colour to BS 4800 should say the standard has been withdrawn and point to the manufacturer's own colour system or to BS 5252, and reviewers should treat any BS 4800 colour reference as legacy. Catalogue pages confirm numbers, titles, publication dates, withdrawal dates and classification.
- strong RN-2F1BXP cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
The current British code of practice for laying a tiled floor, published 31 May 2024. It is the third of what is now a four-part BS 5385 series: Parts 1 and 2 cover internal and external wall tiling, Part 4 covers tiling in special conditions such as wet areas and swimming pools, and Part 3 now covers all rigid flooring. The 2024 revision consolidates and replaces both BS 5385-3:2014 on ceramic and mosaic floor tiling and BS 5385-5:2009 on terrazzo, natural stone and agglomerated stone flooring, so a specification that still cites BS 5385-5 is out of date. Its scope is recommendations for the design, installation and maintenance of floor tiling using ceramic tiles, mosaics, terrazzo tile and slab, natural stone internal and external floorings, and engineered stone for internal flooring. BSI states the revision was driven by ceramic floor tiles becoming thicker and larger, which has made the installation methods for ceramic and stone converge. Covers bedding onto concrete, cement and sand and calcium sulfate screeds, heated screeds, timber and existing hard finishes, plus movement joints and tolerances.
Cited in Floor Levelling & Subfloor Prep, How to Tile a Floor.
- strong RN-C3NSSX cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
The code of practice behind every balustrade, balcony, landing and decking guard rail, and the standard Approved Document K points to for barrier loadings. Paywalled, so only the BSI catalogue page is public; it confirms the current edition is BS 6180:2011, published 31 March 2011, status Current but Under Review, from BSI committee B/208 and ICS 91.060.99. The catalogue page confirms it is a full revision of the 1999 edition and that the two substantive changes were the inclusion of Table 2, minimum horizontal imposed loads for parapets, barriers and balustrades, and changed rules on deflection at clause 6.4.1, so a note needing barrier load figures should cite Table 2 by name. It covers design, structure, height and strength of barriers in aluminium and copper alloys, concrete, plastic, steel, stone, wood and glass, temporary and permanent, including protective, crash and crush barriers and those imposing a speed limit up to 16 km/h. It expressly does NOT apply to spectator sports areas or buildings, construction sites, or barriers protecting children younger than 24 months.
Cited in Newel Posts, Spindles & Balustrades.
- strong RN-BBWVOC cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: CURRENT, and it is the standard that replaced most of the old BS 7533 parts. BS 7533-102:2025 was published 31 March 2025 and gives the code of practice for installing modular paving units of clay, concrete and natural stone, covering bound and unbound surface constructions for paved areas under pedestrian and vehicular loading, all layers from formation upwards (sub base, base, bedding and surface), and recommendations for maintenance and reinstatement. It excludes aircraft pavements, port areas and heavy industrial settings. Its companion BS 7533-101:2021 covers structural design. Because the series was restructured into the 101/102 numbering in 2021 and 2025, a note citing BS 7533-3, -4, -7 or -9 for laying block paving or flags is almost certainly citing a withdrawn part. Catalogue page confirms number, title, date, status and scope.
Cited in How to Lay a Patio.
- strong RN-445W51 cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
The accessibility code of practice that Approved Document M sits alongside. Paywalled, so only the catalogue page is public; it confirms BS 8300-2:2018, published 31 January 2018, status Current, and that it is part 2 of a two-part standard, with BS 8300-1:2018 (also published 31 January 2018, also Current) covering the external environment including parking, setting-down points, access routes and approaches to entrances. Part 2 covers external features affecting external access routes, and building interiors including entrances, reception facilities, horizontal and vertical movement and building facilities. Crucially for a home renovation note, the catalogue page states plainly that BS 8300-2 does NOT apply to individual dwellings; its residential scope is nursing, residential and care homes, student accommodation and the COMMON PARTS of blocks of flats. It also confirms the recommendations apply largely to new buildings but can be used to assess and improve existing ones, and that the extent to which they apply to listed and historic buildings is decided case by case.
Cited in Bathroom Storage Solutions, Choosing Paint Colours: A Practical Guide.
- strong RN-OPTOJC cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: CURRENT. BS EN 12600:2002 was published 9 January 2003 and is the pendulum impact test that classifies flat glass products into three principal classes by performance under impact and by mode of breakage, the classification that Approved Document K uses for critical locations in glazing. The class code is a three part designation of the form Class 1(B)1 or 2(B)2, where the first figure is the drop height passed, the letter the mode of breakage and the last figure the highest class achieved. The stated purpose is increasing personal safety by reducing cutting and piercing injuries and by assessing containment. It does not cover application requirements or durability, and it superseded the old British test BS 6206:1981, which used classes A, B and C, so a note quoting BS 6206 class A glass is quoting a superseded classification. Catalogue page confirms number, title, date, status and scope; the test detail is paywalled.
Cited in Rooflights & Skylights: Materials & Types, Windows and Doors: The Complete UK Guide (2026).
- strong RN-3TAWNC cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: CURRENT. BS EN 215:2019 was published 30 September 2019, is identical to EN 215 and supersedes BS EN 215:2004; it also replaces the older British specification BS 6284:1983. It covers thermostatic radiator valves for wet central heating systems, specifically two port and integrated thermostatic valves with or without pre setting, rated for water up to 120 degrees C and nominal pressure PN 10 or lower. It gives definitions, performance requirements and test methods, plus dimensions, permitted materials and connection specifications for four series of straight and angle pattern valves, with tests for thermal performance, flow rate and endurance. This is the standard to cite when a note says a TRV must be to BS EN 215, and the reason a TRV should not be fitted in the same room as the room thermostat. Catalogue page confirms number, title, date, status and scope; the test detail is paywalled.
- strong RN-XS4XXQ cited
BSI (British Standards Institution)
STATUS: CURRENT (marked Under Review). BS EN 413-1:2011 was published 30 June 2011 and supersedes BS EN 413-1:2004, which is withdrawn. It defines the composition and specifications of masonry cement, the cement made specifically for mortar for bricklaying, blocklaying, rendering and plastering, which contains air entraining additives to improve workability and frost resistance after hydration. It sets physical, mechanical and chemical requirements, defines strength classes (the 2011 edition introduced the air entrained class MC 22.5) and gives the conformity criteria. This is the standard to cite when a note distinguishes masonry cement from ordinary Portland cement to BS EN 197-1: they are different products with different standards, and masonry cement should not be dosed with extra plasticiser as if it were OPC. Part 2 (BS EN 413-2:2016) gives the test methods. Catalogue page confirms number, title, date, status and scope; requirements tables are paywalled.
Cited in Cement Types Explained: OPC, Rapid-Set, SR & Masonry.
- strong RN-1J5VD4 cited
FENSA (Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme)
The competent person scheme that certifies replacement glazing without a building control application, and the certificate a conveyancer will ask for. FENSA covers the replacement of external windows, doors, roof windows and roof lights in the home against the relevant Building Regulations. The certificate confirms compliance with building regulations, shows the installation is energy efficient, ensures the work is registered with the local council, and verifies that the installer's guarantee is insured. It is described as essential when selling the property, which is the practical reason a note should tell readers to keep it. Homeowners who cannot find the original paperwork are directed to contact FENSA. Note the scope limit: FENSA is for replacement work in existing openings, so a new opening or a structural alteration still needs building control.
Cited in Insurance-Backed Guarantees for Building Work Explained, Replacing Misted Double Glazing: 2026 UK Cost Guide, Replacing Windows: Process, FENSA & Cost, Upvc Flush Casement Windows Prices Cost: 2026 UK Price Guide.
- strong RN-FI6C3J cited
NICEIC
NICEIC's explainer on the latest amendment to the IET Wiring Regulations. It settles that the current 18th Edition is BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, published on 15 April 2026.
- good RN-4D907X cited
Interpave
Interpave's guide to concrete flag paving, the precast paving trade body's design and construction guidance. It recommends minimum crossfalls of 1:40 and longitudinal falls of 1:80.
Cited in How to Lay a Patio.
- good RN-8SVBT1 cited
Timber Development UK
Timber Development UK, reporting TDCA guidance under BS 8417, says Use Class 3 applies to above-ground exterior uses such as deck boards while deck substructure components (joists, beams, posts) belong in Use Class 4.
Cited in Decking Cost: Timber vs Composite, How to Build Decking, Raised Beds & Planters: Build & Cost.
- fair RN-FRD5VY cited
Energy Saving Trust
Draught proofing costs and savings. Professional draught proofing of windows and doors across a whole house costs around £250, with DIY cheaper. A terracotta chimney pot cap starts at around £150 and also keeps out moisture and birds. Savings: around £55 a year in Great Britain and £80 in Northern Ireland from draught proofing windows, floors and doors, plus around £45 in GB and £60 in NI from draught proofing an unused open chimney. A draught free home is comfortable at a lower setting, and turning a thermostat down from 22 degrees C to 21 degrees C saves £120 a year in GB and £80 in NI. Warns that further draught proofing of an already well sealed home raises the risk of poor indoor air quality.
Cited in Draught-Proofing Your Home: Cheap Wins That Work, Home Energy Audit: DIY Steps, Insulation: The Complete Guide, Insulation Grants 2026: ECO4, GBIS & What You Can Get.
- fair RN-3G2Z0L cited
Energy Saving Trust
Condensation control by the numbers. A household typically produces up to 100 litres of moisture a week, which builds on surfaces or stays in the air unless ventilated out. Run a bathroom extractor for at least 15 minutes after a shower or bath and a cooker extractor for at least 15 minutes after cooking, or where there is no fan open a window for the same period. Leave a gap of at least 10mm under internal doors, measured from the top of the floor covering to the bottom of the closed door, so air can move between rooms. Distinguishes condensation from rising and penetrating damp and sets out the order of works.
- fair RN-U69FV4 cited
Energy Saving Trust
The Energy Saving Trust's DIY loft insulation guide. It recommends a minimum depth of 270 mm, the working rule of thumb the note describes.
Cited in How to Insulate a Loft (DIY).