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

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New home built alongside existing home

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Japanese Knotweed

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Conversions and renovations

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The Use of Magnesium Oxide (“MgO”) Building Boards on NHBC Warranty sites

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NHBC Standards Chapter 2.1 The Standards and Technical Requirements

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Independent technical approvals authorities (NEW June 2020)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 4.2 Building near trees

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Strip/trench fill foundations - slip membranes

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NHBC Standards Chapter 4.3 (formerly Ch 4.4) Strip and trench fill foundations

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Foundation concrete

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Steps in foundations

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Strip and trench fill foundations on level sites

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NHBC Standards Chapter 4.4 (formerly Ch 4.5) Raft, pile, pier and beam foundations

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Raft foundations - edge detail

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NHBC Standards Chapter 5.2 Suspended ground floors

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In-situ concrete suspended ground floors

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Precast concrete floor planks to ground floors

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Radon protection - provision of sump

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Ventilators in compartment walls beneath suspended ground floors

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NHBC Standards Chapter 5.3 Drainage below ground

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Drainage - connections to pre-formed inspection chamber bases

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Lightweight drainage covers

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Access to manholes/inspection chambers

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Field drainage systems in septic tanks and small private sewerage treatment plants

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Underground drainage - pipe cross-overs

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NHBC Standards Chapter 5.4 Waterproofing of basements and other below ground structures

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Waterproofing of basements and other below ground structures

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Waterproofing admixtures (NEW March 2020)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.1 External masonry walls

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Partial fill insulation to gable walls

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Small pediment gable walls

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Cavity trays to openings with soldier courses or stone lintels

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Dpc trays to rendered walls (Revised March 2017)

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Installation of lead flashings

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Bedding lintels

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Movement joints below dpc

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Restraint straps to gable walls of garages

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Damp proofing around meter boxes

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Movement joints in clay brick masonry

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Cavity trays to bay windows

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Masonry bed joint reinforcement

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Toothing of brickwork

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Concrete fill in a cavity wall

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Ducts/flues through core drilled holes

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Block bonding

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Movement joints in masonry - timber framed external walls

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Lintels within coastal sites

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Lintels to walls over drive-through access to houses (England and Wales)

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Lintels over wide garage openings

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Wall ties at movement joints

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Face fixed restraint straps to gable walls in buildings

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Air bricks to underfloor voids - relationship to ground levels

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Movement joints in masonry walls

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Forming stop ends to cavity trays

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Thin joint mortars

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Wall ties at jambs with full fill cavity board insulation

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Stone coursing and wall ties (NEW October 2018)

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Fixing tiling battens to masonry (NEW October 2018)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.2 External timber framed walls

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Socket outlets - fire barriers

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Ventilation of cavities

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External timber framed walls - movement gaps at eaves and verges

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.3 Internal walls

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Firestopping to garage walls

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Dpcs under timber soleplates to internal partitions

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Separating wall construction within roof spaces

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Timber stud partitions

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Sockets and switches in light steel framed separating walls

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.4 Timber and concrete upper floors

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End support to chipboard flooring

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Noggings for lateral restraint straps

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Bolt fixing of multiple joists

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Strutting to floor joists

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Sealing around ends of engineering joists

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Support of plasterboard

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Support of joist hangers

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Recessed light fittings in ceilings to intermediate floors in houses (revised August 2019)

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Lateral restraint straps to beam and block and precast or prestressed intermediate floors

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.6 Staircases

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Handrail to staircases - tapered treads/winders (Revised October 2018)

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Stair nosings

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Guarding to treads and risers

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Risers to private stairs - thick floor coverings

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Nosings to stairs in common areas

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.7 Doors, windows and glazing

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Gaps around windows (Revised March 2017)

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Background ventilation to utility rooms

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Gaps around timber windows and timber door frames

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Door between an integral garage and the dwelling - security

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Egress windows and conservatories

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Fire doors to bathrooms

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Window restrictors and protection against falling

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View outside main entrance door

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Door Ironmongery - Students accommodation

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Door limitation devices

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Marking of insulating glass units

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Marking of safety glass

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Accessible windows (NEW May 2019)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.8 Fireplaces, chimneys and flues

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Installation of gas flue pipes in roof spaces

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Guarding to gas flue terminals

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Termination of horizontal flues

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NHBC Standards Chapter 6.9 Curtain walling and cladding

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Curtain walling formed from stacked windows and spandrel panels

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NHBC Standards Chapter 7.1 Flat roofs and balconies

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Balcony drainage

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Timber balconies and terraces (Revised October 2018)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 7.2 Pitched roofs

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Diagonal bracing to double hipped roof

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Plasterboard fire-resisting ceiling in contact with single leaf masonry

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Use of nail guns for fixing trussed rafter bracing

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Wall plates - bedding, lengths and joints

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Bedding verge tiles

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Lateral restraint provided by gable ladders (Revised March 2017)

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Bracing of mono-pitch roof trusses

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Pitched roofs - bedding verge undercloaks

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Attic trusses - bracing

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Pitched roofs to garages - holding down straps

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Roofing underlay at eaves level

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Ventilation of small roofs

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Fixing valley trussed rafters (diminishing trussed rafters)

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Canopy flashings

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Diagonal bracing to trussed rafters

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Fixing roof tiles in valleys

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Loft hatches and fire resistance

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Fixing tiling battens using nail guns

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Slate hook fixing

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Tiling battens

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Access to roof voids

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Spandrel panels to cold roofs (January 2018)

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Eaves ventilation trays and VPU’s (NEW October 2018)

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Lateral restraint at rafter and ceiling levels (NEW March 2020)

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Reclaimed roof tiles and slates (NEW March 2020)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 8.1 Internal services

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Discharge pipes from UVHWSS in garages

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Earth bonding - certificate of compliance

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Pipe insulation in airing cupboards

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Earth bonding plastic plumbing

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Use of flexible ducting to connect SVP

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Insulation of heating pipes in timber floors

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Electrical - earth bonding metal back boxes

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Sound insulation of soil pipes in floor voids

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Extract fans - air leakage

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Plastic plumbing - pipe support

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Plastic plumbing - insulation

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Air Admittance Valves

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Wiring to wall lights

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Consumer unit - labelling

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Metal splashbacks - earthing/bonding

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Sound proofing to SVP's

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Support to cables in cable trays

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Electrical fittings near cookers, sinks and wash basins

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Consumer units - blanking pieces

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Tracer tapes to plastic water pipes

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Rodding access to soil and vent pipes (Revised March 2017)

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Discharge pipes from unvented hot water storage systems

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Protection of electric cables in walls or flat and sloping ceilings

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Disconnection of built-in kitchen appliances

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Flush mounted electrical accessories in partitions (NEW March 2017)

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Mounting height consumer units (NEW October 2018)

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Soundproofing to soil and vent pipes (NEW June 2020)

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Protective Equipotential Bonding (PEB) of Gas Installation pipework (NEW June 2020)

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Pipe insulation with combi boilers (NEW June 2020)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 9.2 (formerly Ch 8.2) Wall and ceiling finishes

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Edges of ceramic tiling

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Dry lining to walls with chemical dpcs

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Dry lining walls with different types of masonry

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Perimeter support to plasterboard ceilings clarification (NEW March 2020)

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NHBC Standards Chapter 9.3 (formerly Ch 8.3) Floor finishes

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Fibre reinforced screeds

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NHBC Standards Chapter 10.1 (formerly Ch 9.1) Garages

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Garage - concrete floors

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Garage wall construction

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Compartment walls between garages (Revised March 2017)

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Carports - fire separation

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NHBC Standards Chapter 10.2 (formerly Ch 9.2) Drives, paths and landscaping

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Profiles for access steps

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Disabled access to principal entrances (England and Wales)

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Pedestrian access

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Guarding to retaining structures

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External steps - mobility access (England and Wales)

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Retaining walls across private gardens

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Guarding to retaining structures in communal areas

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Paths used for the removal of refuse (Revised March 2017)

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Proprietary retaining wall systems (NEW March 2020)

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