What are planning and building controls? Why do they exist? Can you deal with them yourself or is it best to ask a specialist? As with any task, you can decide for yourself when you know exactly what's involved.

First of all, it's important to understand what planning and building regulations are. It's easy to think of them as restrictive, bureaucratic tools put in place purely to thwart your ambitions. However, they're essential safety mechanisms which have been designed to protect you, your neighbours and the local environment.

The regulatory bodies will give you permission to carry out your plans unless there are very good reasons not to - in which case they must explain their decision. And if you disagree, you have the right to appeal against it.