NHBC Standards 2023
NHBC Standards 2023 is the current version and available to view online. It applies to new homes where the foundations were started on or after 1 January 2023.
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Your essential guide to house building from foundations to roofs and finishing
What are NHBC Standards?
The NHBC Standards define the technical requirements and performance standards for the design and construction of new homes registered with us and provide guidance on how these can be achieved.
Our dedicated Standards team is committed to continuous improvement. They work with stakeholders across the industry to ensure that the NHBC Standards keep pace with regulatory change, reflect the latest consumer expectations and the industry’s needs. This means that the Standards are always relevant, providing additional support and guidance to help builders and developers to raise standards in house building by championing high-quality homes and protecting homeowners.
What's changing in the NHBC Standards 2024?
These are the most significant changes:
- a new Chapter 4.6 on engineered fill foundations covering NHBC guidance on meeting the Technical Requirements and recommendations for using engineered fill foundations to support residential developments, external works and infrastructure
- revisions to Chapter 6.1 including the provision of cavity trays to complicated junctions and additional insight on the design and specification of windposts
- updates to Chapter 6.3 on internal masonry walls and fire-stopping details
- improvements to Chapter 7.2 to provide more information on durability, ventilation strategies, integration of roof solar technologies and roof cassette systems
- a revision of Part 8 (Chapters 8.1 – 8.6) to improve the usability of the sections and improve guidance on heat pumps and solar photovoltaics, ensuring alignment with the Requirements for Electrical Installations (IET Wiring Regulations 18th Edition) and weep hole locations in relation to gas meter boxes.
We’ve also made changes to:
- Chapter 3.3 - more information on durability of timber
- Chapter 5.1 - small changes to cover cold bridging and radon maps updates
- Chapter 5.2 – changes to contaminants and DPMs
- Chapter 5.4 - small changes for podiums
- Chapter 6.2 – changes relating to timber frame expansion and contraction and permissible gaps under openings
- Chapter 6.4 – timber and concrete upper floors – additional guidance on joist spacing and clearance
- Chapter 6.6 - updates to fire precautions, design of steps, guarding and balustrades, structural design
- Chapter 7.1 – additional guidance covering balcony drainage edge design and upstands to podium decks and flat roofs.
Conversions and renovations 2023
The Standards for Conversions and Renovations provide guidance on the type of project that will be acceptable to NHBC, the scope of the survey(s) and work that will be required.
Conversions and renovations are projects that involve work to existing buildings or parts of existing buildings.
Examples include:
- the conversion of an existing residential building into flats
- the renovation of an existing residential building(s)
- the subdivision or merging of existing dwelling(s) or flat(s)
- the addition of a new storey to an existing building
- façade retention schemes.
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