Services to Law Firms / Fire and DAC Certificates

Services to Law Firms

In addition to Building Surveying and Design Services at McCullagh Architecture & Surveying we offer a number of essential services to law firms as follows;

• Building Surveying / Pre-Purchase surveys
• Opinion on Compliance documentation
• Legal Land Mapping and Transfer
• Market Valuations for Revenue Purposes

Fire Certificates

Under the Building Control Act two main sets of regulations have been issued, the Building Regulations which sets standards for building works and the Building Control Regulations which puts procedures in place to control building works.

Your Local Authority Fire Department will process the Fire Safety Certificates applications for buildings and works in your area, on receipt of a valid Fire Safety Certificate Application prepared by McCullagh Architecture and Surveying on your behalf.

A Fire Safety Certificate is a certificate issued by the Building Control Authority which states that the works or building to which the application relates will, if constructed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted, comply with the requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

The following developments (other than those listed as exempt below) require a Fire Safety Certificate;

1. works in connection with the design and construction of a new building,
2. works in connection with the material alteration of—(i) a day centre, (ii) a building containing a flat, (iii) a hotel, hostel or guest building, or (iv) an institutional building, or (v) a place of assembly, or (vi) a shopping centre, but excluding works to such buildings, consisting solely of minor works,
3. works in connection with the material alteration of a shop, office or industrial building where— (i) additional floor area is being provided within the existing building, or (ii) the building is being subdivided into a number of units for separate occupancy,
4. works in connection with the extension of a building by more than 25 square metres,
5.  a building as regards which a material change of use takes place,
   to which the requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations

In addition to the above there are a number of buildings exempted from the requirement to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate:

Under the current Building Control Regulations there are 3 separate types of Fire Safety Certificates when dealing with fire safety of building design:

1. Fire Safety Certificate
2. Revised Fire Safety Certificate
3. Regularisation Fire Safety Certificate

Disability Access Certificates

A Disability Access Certificate is required for new buildings other than dwellings (including apartment buildings) and certain other works (as set out in Article 20 D (1) of SI 351 of 2009) to which the requirements of Part M of the Building Regulations apply. In general, a DAC is required for works requiring a Fire Safety Certificates including all new buildings, extensions, some material alterations and certain material changes of use.