Adding a Downstairs Toilet and Sink

ITtim

I hope someone can help me. 12months ago we built an extension on our house.

The size of the extension comes within our councils freebuild criteria.

When we asked about adding a downstairs toilet to it when we were finding out this info from the council we were told we'd need building regs.

So instead we built it without a loo.

Now we have changed our minds and would like to make this a downstairs toilet. Since the build is complete and it is essentially part of our house do we need to seek permision etc from anyone?

I would ask the council except i always end up being more confused than when i started!

Any help and advice appreciated.

ITtim

anyone?

Soubrette

Aren't building regs the specifications that all building work has to adhere to? For example when we replaced our upstairs hall bannisters, the vertical rails had to have a certain minimum size between them?

Did you mean planning permission?

Sorry to be not much help though

Sou

jockster211

Hi ITtim


You will need to apply for a Building warrant to make any internal changes. Anything you then change must adhere to building regs.

You may get advice saying 'not to bother' but I'd say it only leads to heartache later, usually during the stressful time of house selling.

Jockster

ITtim

So is a building warrant similar to building regs? the place where we want to put the toilet is a bit of a grey area.

its within the size limit for what we would see as our 'freebuild' limit (if that makes sense) and also because we have a dividing external door it could be considered a 'porch' even though its decorated etc.

with these in mind should we be looking at doing it any other way?

MX5huggy

Don't know where this term "building warrant" comes from but maybe that's what building regs give you before you start work.

Did you get Building regs for the extension? because you should have. Permited development ("freebuild limit") is about planning permission not building regs.

You should get building regs in for the building of the toilet.

ITtim

MX5huggy wrote: »

Don't know where this term "building warrant" comes from but maybe that's what building regs give you before you start work.

Did you get Building regs for the extension? because you should have. Permited development ("freebuild limit") is about planning permission not building regs.

You should get building regs in for the building of the toilet.

I've just downloaded a document about building regs from my local council and it suggests that since my 'extenstion' is exempt becuase it falls under 30m square. the electrics were fitted and signed off by a profesional. So i'm pretty happy with that.

The toilet however i can see would require regs. does anyone know what this might cost and is it frowned upon to do this retrospectively?

jockster211

MX5huggy wrote: »

Don't know where this term "building warrant" comes from but maybe that's what building regs give you before you start work.

Its the paperwork you get once the work is completed. Building regs are the minimum standard that the work must meet.

Its not uncommon for work to be done & approved retrospectively, but it is risky. Especially when doing plumbing or Electrics the Building control guys may make several visits over the course of the works to ensure everything meets the standards required. The risk when applying retrospectively is they may 'make' you open stuff up to show it meets the standards, and by that point you don't have them onside any more.

Do you really want to open the floors up to show the BC guy that your soil/waste is at the correct fall/metre, after you've tiled it?:mad:


As I said in a previous post you may be advised by some to just apply retrospectively. I would never advise this. The BC are usually very helpful & willingly give good advice. In your case I'd be giving them a call to find out where a WC could go, costs for the building warrant & any advice they could give you.

Good Luck

Jockster

jennifernil

A Building warrant is what we up here in Scotland need when building/extending. It is different from Planning Permission, and is usually always needed even when something is covered by permitted development.

Planning Permission here covers stuff like how the building will look, whether it fits in with other properties, whether it fits in with the Local Plan etc.

A Building Warrant covers the technical stuff, structure, electricals, drains, insulation etc, and is only granted if the proposed structure will comply with the Building Regulations. Up here you would be extremely foolish to start any building work without obtaining a Building Warrant if one is required.

Here the installation of an additional toilet always requires a Building Warrant.