If site work does not match the approved drawings, the work is treated as non-compliant.

This does not automatically mean enforcement action, but it does mean the issue must be addressed. The options are usually:

• Correct the work to match the drawings, or
• Submit a controlled change to BSR for approval

Continuing to build while hoping the issue can be explained later is not acceptable under the Building Safety Act framework.

If mismatches are discovered late, they can delay Gateway 3 approval and completion. This is why site teams must treat drawings as fixed unless formally changed.

 

From a practical point of view, this places a much higher importance on drawing control on site. Supervisors and managers need to be confident that the information being built to is current, approved and understood by the workforce. Building from superseded or informal sketches is a common cause of avoidable non-compliance.

This also means that issues should be raised as soon as they are identified. Early discussion allows time to correct the work or assess a controlled change properly. Leaving discrepancies unresolved increases the risk of rework, delay and regulatory scrutiny later in the project.

The safest approach is to treat approved drawings as fixed instructions, not guidance. If the work cannot follow them, the solution is to change the approval, not the construction.

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Expert Verification & Authorship: Mihai Chelmus Founder, London Construction Magazine | Construction Testing & Investigation Specialist