Council fee pages and application guidance explain the local charging arrangements. [1] [2]
Start with an identical description of the work
Give each provider the same drawings and a clear description of the building, its existing use and the proposed alterations. State whether the project includes structural work, a change of use or a new dwelling. This helps avoid comparing a price for a straightforward extension with a price that includes additional conversion work.
Ask each quotation to identify the application route and the services included. A full plans application and a building notice do not offer identical pre-construction checking, even if a council's charging structure makes their overall cost similar. [3]
Compare the whole fee, not just the deposit
Council charging arrangements can distinguish the plan charge from the inspection charge. Private quotations should likewise be read for their scope and payment arrangements. Check whether the figure shown is the complete charge, whether tax is included, and what assumptions the quotation makes about the proposed work. [1] [2]
Useful questions include whether revisions, additional inspection visits, work outside the original scope and any specialist checking attract a further charge. Ask for the answer in writing before appointing the body. Do not assume that a lower initial payment means a lower final bill.
Separate other project costs
Building control fees are not the designer's fee, the engineer's fee or a Thames Water build-over charge. A sewer agreement, where required, follows a separate process and can require its own drawings, checks and payment. Keep those items on separate budget lines. [4] [5]
The Building Safety Levy also needs separate consideration for chargeable residential development from 1 October 2026. It is not simply an increase in the building control service fee, and using a private approver does not remove a qualifying scheme from the levy framework. Check the exemptions and assessment process for the particular development. [6]
Do not buy an incomplete route
Only the council can handle a regularisation application for eligible work already carried out without approval. It is not the same service as appointing a private approver before construction. [3]
Compare the price alongside the inspection arrangements, registration and requirements for completion. The useful budget is the cost of the correct compliance route through to certification—not a low headline figure for a differently defined service. [7] [8]