How do I check the quality of the materials I buy?

A: When buying materials, is it enough to look for the CE mark?

Not for the materials that are covered by the Building Regulations. A CE marking will only guarantee performance to the minimum European standard and this may not be enough, or adapted to what’s specified in the Building Regulations’ technical guidance documents (ROI) / technical booklets (NI). In ROI make sure the products are NSAI Agrément certified and in NI that they are BBA certified. It is also important to read the conditions of the BBA and Agrément certs to ensure the product or material is installed correctly within the make-up of the building to ensure Building Regulations compliance.

— Information gathered from ROI Department of Housing and Building Control NI

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Written by Astrid Madsen

Astrid Madsen is the editor of the SelfBuild magazine. She previously held the same role in an Irish trade publication, before that she worked at the National Standards Authority of Ireland. She graduated with a BA in Urban Studies from Columbia University in New York and holds an MBA from the Instituto de Estudios Bursatiles in Madrid. France of origin, she now lives in Portarlington, County Laois, where she's taken on the task of renovating a listed building! Email astrid.madsen@selfbuild.ie

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