
Technical Guidance
Expanding on and explaining the NHBC Standards
To help you interpret and apply the NHBC Standards we produce the following Technical Guidance Documents. They each expand on and explain a specific part of the NHBC Standards.
They are designed for use by competent construction industry workers and are for general guidance only. They do not constitute professional advice.
All information relates to circumstances prevailing at the date of publication and will not be updated to reflect subsequent developments.
General Downloads

New home built alongside existing home
Published:
Japanese Knotweed
Published:
Conversions and renovations
Published:
The Use of Magnesium Oxide (“MgO”) Building Boards on NHBC Warranty sites
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 2.1 The Standards and Technical Requirements

Independent technical approvals authorities (NEW June 2020)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 4.2 Building near trees

Strip/trench fill foundations - slip membranes
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 4.3 (formerly Ch 4.4) Strip and trench fill foundations

Foundation concrete
Published:
Steps in foundations
Published:
Strip and trench fill foundations on level sites
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 4.4 (formerly Ch 4.5) Raft, pile, pier and beam foundations

Raft foundations - edge detail
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 5.2 Suspended ground floors

In-situ concrete suspended ground floors
Published:
Precast concrete floor planks to ground floors
Published:
Radon protection - provision of sump
Published:
Ventilators in compartment walls beneath suspended ground floors
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 5.3 Drainage below ground

Drainage - connections to pre-formed inspection chamber bases
Published:
Lightweight drainage covers
Published:
Access to manholes/inspection chambers
Published:
Field drainage systems in septic tanks and small private sewerage treatment plants
Published:
Underground drainage - pipe cross-overs
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 5.4 Waterproofing of basements and other below ground structures

Waterproofing of basements and other below ground structures
Published:
Waterproofing admixtures (NEW March 2020)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.1 External masonry walls

Partial fill insulation to gable walls
Published:
Small pediment gable walls
Published:
Cavity trays to openings with soldier courses or stone lintels
Published:
Dpc trays to rendered walls (Revised March 2017)
Published:
Installation of lead flashings
Published:
Bedding lintels
Published:
Movement joints below dpc
Published:
Restraint straps to gable walls of garages
Published:
Damp proofing around meter boxes
Published:
Movement joints in clay brick masonry
Published:
Cavity trays to bay windows
Published:
Masonry bed joint reinforcement
Published:
Toothing of brickwork
Published:
Concrete fill in a cavity wall
Published:
Ducts/flues through core drilled holes
Published:
Block bonding
Published:
Movement joints in masonry - timber framed external walls
Published:
Lintels within coastal sites
Published:
Lintels to walls over drive-through access to houses (England and Wales)
Published:
Lintels over wide garage openings
Published:
Wall ties at movement joints
Published:
Face fixed restraint straps to gable walls in buildings
Published:
Air bricks to underfloor voids - relationship to ground levels
Published:
Movement joints in masonry walls
Published:
Forming stop ends to cavity trays
Published:
Thin joint mortars
Published:
Wall ties at jambs with full fill cavity board insulation
Published:
Stone coursing and wall ties (NEW October 2018)
Published:
Fixing tiling battens to masonry (NEW October 2018)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.2 External timber framed walls

Socket outlets - fire barriers
Published:
Ventilation of cavities
Published:
External timber framed walls - movement gaps at eaves and verges
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.3 Internal walls

Firestopping to garage walls
Published:
Dpcs under timber soleplates to internal partitions
Published:
Separating wall construction within roof spaces
Published:
Timber stud partitions
Published:
Sockets and switches in light steel framed separating walls
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.4 Timber and concrete upper floors

End support to chipboard flooring
Published:
Noggings for lateral restraint straps
Published:
Bolt fixing of multiple joists
Published:
Strutting to floor joists
Published:
Sealing around ends of engineering joists
Published:
Support of plasterboard
Published:
Support of joist hangers
Published:
Recessed light fittings in ceilings to intermediate floors in houses (revised August 2019)
Published:
Lateral restraint straps to beam and block and precast or prestressed intermediate floors
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.6 Staircases

Handrail to staircases - tapered treads/winders (Revised October 2018)
Published:
Stair nosings
Published:
Guarding to treads and risers
Published:
Risers to private stairs - thick floor coverings
Published:
Nosings to stairs in common areas
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.7 Doors, windows and glazing

Gaps around windows (Revised March 2017)
Published:
Background ventilation to utility rooms
Published:
Gaps around timber windows and timber door frames
Published:
Door between an integral garage and the dwelling - security
Published:
Egress windows and conservatories
Published:
Fire doors to bathrooms
Published:
Window restrictors and protection against falling
Published:
View outside main entrance door
Published:
Door Ironmongery - Students accommodation
Published:
Door limitation devices
Published:
Marking of insulating glass units
Published:
Marking of safety glass
Published:
Accessible windows (NEW May 2019)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.8 Fireplaces, chimneys and flues

Installation of gas flue pipes in roof spaces
Published:
Guarding to gas flue terminals
Published:
Termination of horizontal flues
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 6.9 Curtain walling and cladding

Curtain walling formed from stacked windows and spandrel panels
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 7.1 Flat roofs and balconies

Balcony drainage
Published:
Timber balconies and terraces (Revised October 2018)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 7.2 Pitched roofs

Diagonal bracing to double hipped roof
Published:
Plasterboard fire-resisting ceiling in contact with single leaf masonry
Published:
Use of nail guns for fixing trussed rafter bracing
Published:
Wall plates - bedding, lengths and joints
Published:
Bedding verge tiles
Published:
Lateral restraint provided by gable ladders (Revised March 2017)
Published:
Bracing of mono-pitch roof trusses
Published:
Pitched roofs - bedding verge undercloaks
Published:
Attic trusses - bracing
Published:
Pitched roofs to garages - holding down straps
Published:
Roofing underlay at eaves level
Published:
Ventilation of small roofs
Published:
Fixing valley trussed rafters (diminishing trussed rafters)
Published:
Canopy flashings
Published:
Diagonal bracing to trussed rafters
Published:
Fixing roof tiles in valleys
Published:
Loft hatches and fire resistance
Published:
Fixing tiling battens using nail guns
Published:
Slate hook fixing
Published:
Tiling battens
Published:
Access to roof voids
Published:
Spandrel panels to cold roofs (January 2018)
Published:
Eaves ventilation trays and VPU’s (NEW October 2018)
Published:
Lateral restraint at rafter and ceiling levels (NEW March 2020)
Published:
Reclaimed roof tiles and slates (NEW March 2020)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 8.1 Internal services

Discharge pipes from UVHWSS in garages
Published:
Earth bonding - certificate of compliance
Published:
Pipe insulation in airing cupboards
Published:
Earth bonding plastic plumbing
Published:
Use of flexible ducting to connect SVP
Published:
Insulation of heating pipes in timber floors
Published:
Electrical - earth bonding metal back boxes
Published:
Sound insulation of soil pipes in floor voids
Published:
Extract fans - air leakage
Published:
Plastic plumbing - pipe support
Published:
Plastic plumbing - insulation
Published:
Air Admittance Valves
Published:
Wiring to wall lights
Published:
Consumer unit - labelling
Published:
Metal splashbacks - earthing/bonding
Published:
Sound proofing to SVP's
Published:
Support to cables in cable trays
Published:
Electrical fittings near cookers, sinks and wash basins
Published:
Consumer units - blanking pieces
Published:
Tracer tapes to plastic water pipes
Published:
Rodding access to soil and vent pipes (Revised March 2017)
Published:
Discharge pipes from unvented hot water storage systems
Published:
Protection of electric cables in walls or flat and sloping ceilings
Published:
Disconnection of built-in kitchen appliances
Published:
Flush mounted electrical accessories in partitions (NEW March 2017)
Published:
Mounting height consumer units (NEW October 2018)
Published:
Soundproofing to soil and vent pipes (NEW June 2020)
Published:
Protective Equipotential Bonding (PEB) of Gas Installation pipework (NEW June 2020)
Published:
Pipe insulation with combi boilers (NEW June 2020)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 9.2 (formerly Ch 8.2) Wall and ceiling finishes

Edges of ceramic tiling
Published:
Dry lining to walls with chemical dpcs
Published:
Dry lining walls with different types of masonry
Published:
Perimeter support to plasterboard ceilings clarification (NEW March 2020)
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 9.3 (formerly Ch 8.3) Floor finishes

Fibre reinforced screeds
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 10.1 (formerly Ch 9.1) Garages

Garage - concrete floors
Published:
Garage wall construction
Published:
Compartment walls between garages (Revised March 2017)
Published:
Carports - fire separation
Published:NHBC Standards Chapter 10.2 (formerly Ch 9.2) Drives, paths and landscaping

Profiles for access steps
Published:
Disabled access to principal entrances (England and Wales)
Published:
Pedestrian access
Published:
Guarding to retaining structures
Published:
External steps - mobility access (England and Wales)
Published:
Retaining walls across private gardens
Published:
Guarding to retaining structures in communal areas
Published:
Paths used for the removal of refuse (Revised March 2017)
Published: