Dormer Loft & Kitchen Doors - True?

Regrad

Hi All

We're about to install a dormer loft in our property plus also rennovating the whole house.

We wanted to open up the kitchen/diner so that it was doorless to the hallway. You could almost say the hallway (leading to the front door) and the kitchen/diner (with a patio door) was a single room.

Our loft architect vaguely mentioned that we can't do this and we must have doors between the kitchen/diner and hallway for fire safety reasons.

Is this true? I can't find any building regs alluding to this.

Thanks
Regard

Grimbal

I personally wouldn't want a kitchen open to the rest of the house, gven that a kitchen is where a fire is most likely to start. When we replace the doors in our renovation project, we're definitely going to install a fire door there!

ETA - is your conversion to the loft on what will effectively be the third floor? If so, I think you have to design what is called a "protected stairwell" with firedoors opening on to it, and improved fire resistance to the walls

cddc

Your Architect is correct if its not in building regs its certainly in fire ones. A fire door between the kitchen and the rest of the house is certainly sensible in any case.

pimento

On the DIY SOS programme last night, they had put a glass wall and door between the kitchen and the hall. It looked OK and let in much more light.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013pm0d

Regrad

Thanks all, I definitely will be sticking with doors. Even if it wasn't in a rulebook somewhere, it just seems sensible!