Surrey · Approvals & sign-off
5 building control options in Surrey
Surrey has no single council building control service. Find the team for your borough, then compare it with a private option.
Written by Renovome · Researched 27 October 2026 · England
Start with your address
For Reigate, Redhill, Banstead, Oxted and Bletchingley, check Southern Building Control Partnership's coverage for Reigate & Banstead or Tandridge. Woking, Guildford and Waverley have their own routes listed below. The shortlist does not cover every Surrey borough: use GOV.UK's postcode council finder, then check that council's building control service. Ask for a project-specific fee, inspection arrangements and certificate requirements before appointing.
Your Surrey shortlist
Council services alphabetically, then a private option—not in order of quality.
Local authority
Guildford Borough Council Building Control
Guildford borough
Describes itself as independent, impartial and not for profit, with online, phone or post applications and a public application search.
Renovome’s assessment
The council route for Guildford homes. Useful public search for checking past approvals on a property you are buying.
Ask before appointing
Ask for the charge for your project and how to book inspections after paying.
Independent reviews
No building-control-specific independent review score verified.
Local authority partnership
Southern Building Control Partnership
Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead, Tandridge
A shared not-for-profit council service established in 2017 covering three Surrey districts, with online payments and a completion-certificate records search.
Renovome’s assessment
The council route if you live in Dorking, Leatherhead, Reigate, Redhill, Banstead, Oxted or nearby. One team and phone number covers all three areas.
Ask before appointing
Confirm your address falls within the three districts and ask about inspection booking notice.
Independent reviews
No building-control-specific independent review score verified.
Local authority
Waverley Borough Council Building Control
Farnham, Godalming, Haslemere, Cranleigh
Offers pre-application advice, plan checking and inspections, and says next-day inspections can be booked if requested by 4pm. Named inspectors are listed by area.
Renovome’s assessment
Strong published detail for homeowners. Knowing your area inspector in advance is helpful for questions during the build.
Ask before appointing
Ask for the fee for your project and whether pre-application advice is charged.
Independent reviews
No building-control-specific independent review score verified.
Local authority
Woking Borough Council Building Control
Woking borough
Covers building notice and full plans applications, fees, site inspections, regularisation for work done without approval and completion notices.
Renovome’s assessment
The council route for Woking homes, including a regularisation route if past work lacks sign-off.
Ask before appointing
Ask for current fees and inspection lead times for your project type.
Independent reviews
No building-control-specific independent review score verified.
Private provider
London Building Control (Bureau Veritas)
London and South office contacts listed
A Bureau Veritas company offering residential building control for extensions, loft conversions and renovations, with London and South office contacts.
Renovome’s assessment
A private comparison quote for anywhere in Surrey. A regional contact does not guarantee a local inspector or response time.
Ask before appointing
Confirm your postcode is covered, verify registration and ask what the fee includes.
Independent reviews
A Trustpilot profile is available; reviews may cover other offices.
Read reviews on TrustpilotWhich council covers your home?
Building control in Surrey is run by district and borough councils, not Surrey County Council. Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, Runnymede, Spelthorne and Surrey Heath addresses are served by other teams or partnerships—check your council’s website before choosing.
Get comparable quotes, not just a headline fee
- Send each option the same drawings, project description, postcode and intended start date.
- Ask whether the quote includes VAT, plan checking, inspections, additional visits and the final certificate.
- Confirm who books visits, required notice and how design changes are handled.
- For a private provider, verify the exact legal name, registration and work scope on the official register.
Reviews can show whether visits were booked reliably and certificates issued, but a star score is not proof of compliance. Read our council vs private building control guide for the wider choice, and the completion certificate guide if past work is missing sign-off—a new private appointment is not a route to retrospective approval.
Sources and research limits
Council and provider pages researched on 27 October 2026. Registration claims were not independently confirmed against live register entries and no review scores are reproduced. Editorial research, not an endorsement. General information, not professional or legal advice.