Building Regulations

GEEGEE8

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3359575/Thatched-roof-homes-are-back.html

Interesting article on thatched roofs, and their fire protection.

pipsta

GEEGEE8 wrote: »

Because logically, it would be inappropriate to rip down old houses because they don't meet current regulations.

I agree, current regulations would be out of place in your old cottage.

Therefore, you need to speak to an architect who can advise you whether a staircase that would suit the building is possible under current regulations.

Im re-building it in the same way regardless, will be perectly safe, might be 1 degree to steep or shallow but its my house want to restore it to its former glory and i wont do that conforming to regs.

LOL i must seem a right stubbon sod!!

Im honestly not, just having a little rant.. bare with me

GEEGEE8

Yes, you do seem stubborn.. lol

Just hope it works out for you...

baldelectrician

pipsta wrote: »

Im re-building it in the same way regardless, will be perectly safe, might be 1 degree to steep or shallow but its my house want to restore it to its former glory and i wont do that conforming to regs.

LOL i must seem a right stubbon sod!!

Im honestly not, just having a little rant.. bare with me

There are differences here
Maintenance (replacing like with like) usually has little issue with buildig standards (providing you are not making things any less safe)

New work (change of use; from a non-habitable space to one that is habitable) comes under new regs
A garage conversion and an extension comes under this

It cost me more for my under floor insulation and my wall insulation than it cost me to buy flooring for my extension. I had to put 100mm kingspan sheets in between the joists in my extension

I had some left and I did part of my existing house - really made a difference to my heating bills - even in the cold snap earlier on.

Owain_Moneysaver

pipsta wrote: »

I wish it did have a thatched roof, went a long time ago!!

Prime example there, how can a roof made of combustible material be safe! yet youre not allowed to have no insulation if you choose lol

If you have a thatch roof now there would be fireproof boarding under the thatch, the thatch might be treated for fire resistancy, and there would be additional requirements for smoke detectors in the loft etc. The point is not to stop the house burning down but give you enough time to get out before you die.

You can have a straw bale house if you really want one.

You also do not have to have any specific insulation. However new build (which a conversion counts as) has to meet certain SAP ratings; if you want to have single-glazed leaded lights you can, you can even meet current SAP ratings with solid granite walls - they would be several metres thick though.

The majority of houses in this country are spec built by developers who would cut every corner possible if it wasn't for Building Regs (and quite often cut corners anyway and hope they aren't picked up by the laughable self-certifying inspection schemes)