In short
What happens between planning permission and moving in: the professional engineer's role, what goes into a building plan and structural submission, the permit to commence that must come before work starts, the inspections and records that run through construction, and the difference between TOP and CSC. It ends with what owners should actually do to protect themselves — and why the documentation is worth something when the house is sold.
From planning to building control
Once URA has granted planning permission, the project moves into building control: the structure, the safety of the construction and the technical rules that govern how a building is made. It is less visible to owners than planning, and it carries most of the technical risk.
The professional engineer
Structural plans are submitted by a professional engineer, who is responsible for the structural design and, on works of a certain scale, for supervision during construction. The foundations, the frame, the temporary works for any excavation, and the sequence that keeps a site safe beside its neighbours all start here.
It is the part of the project owners see least and depend on most.
What is submitted
- Structural plans and calculations.
- Building plans consistent with the planning permission granted.
- Ground information and the foundation design.
- The design of any earth-retaining structures where there is excavation.
- Clearances from other agencies — PUB for drainage and sewerage, SCDF for fire safety, and others where they apply.
The submission must match what was approved at planning. Where it diverges, an amendment is needed, and so is more time.
Permit to commence
No work begins on site until BCA has issued a permit to commence, which follows building plan approval and the necessary clearances. A builder mobilising before the permit is issued is not being efficient.
During construction
Building control does not end at approval. The qualified persons appointed carry supervision duties, and certain stages — foundations, structural elements, excavation — are inspected or notified before work moves on.
For owners, the practical point is records. Inspections, test results, material approvals and as-built drawings all belong in your file, and they are worth something when the house is sold.
TOP and CSC
The temporary occupation permit is granted when the house is safe and fit to live in, even if some items are still outstanding; most owners move in at this point. The certificate of statutory completion is the final certificate, issued once every remaining condition has been met.
TOP means the house is safe to live in. It does not mean it is finished — and it is the point where your leverage starts to decline, which makes a thorough inspection before you move in more important, not less.
What owners should actually do
- Check that the engineer and architect on your project are registered and appointed in writing.
- Ask for the approved drawings and keep your own copy.
- Keep records of inspections, tests and material approvals.
- Photograph work before it is covered — reinforcement, membranes, service runs, drainage.
- Accept no change on site without written confirmation that the approved plans still hold.
- Collect the full set of documents at handover: as-built drawings, warranties and maintenance information.
Key takeaways
- Planning decides what the house may be; building control decides whether it can be built safely.
- No work starts on site before the permit to commence is issued.
- TOP means the house is safe to live in. It does not mean it is finished.
- Keep the approved drawings, inspection records and as-builts. They are worth something at sale.
Questions people ask
Some preparation can, but building plan approval follows planning permission, because the structural design has to reflect the scheme that was approved.
