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1.2What’s changed

Major technical changes

The following major technical changes have been made to this edition of the Standards:

  • Chapter 6.2 ‘External timber framed walls’ now refers to the STA Assure scheme as an alternative approach to timber frame certification
  • Chapter 6.10 ‘Light steel framing’ has been revised
  • Chapter 8.1 ‘Internal services’ has revised guidance for flow rates from combination boilers

Minor technical changes

Minor technical changes have been made to the following clauses:

  • 5.4.7b – amended to clarify maximum permissible crack widths in structural concrete waterproofing
  • 6.4.9 – updated to reflect the guidance in BS EN 1995-1-1 for deflection and vibration limits
  • 6.11.7c – amended to clarify where weepholes should be incorporated in rendered walls
  • 7.2.19 – amended to recognise that plastic roof clips are acceptable to NHBC
  • 7.2.19a – amended to align with BS 5534 where smaller hip tiles do not require mechanical fixing
  • 7.2.19a – reference made to BS 8612 ‘Dry fixed ridge, hip, and verge systems for slating and tiling. Specification’
  • 10.2.6a Table 1 – updated guidance for acceptable path widths

We have taken the opportunity to make a number of editorial changes throughout the document. This includes updating references to British Standards.

Guidance for light steel internal partitions has been moved to chapter 6.3 ‘Internal walls’.

3D models

3D models can be accessed directly within Standards Plus, the online version of the Standards, by clicking on the embedded icons. They can also be viewed on the NHBC 3D Viewer app, which hosts a library of the 3D models to view on iOS and Android devices.