New door not compliant with building regs

walford58

Hi
I had new windows and doors fitted last February by a FENSA registered company. Quite a few problems in the installation including failure of the FENSA inspection, which was ultimately put right.
However I now have the certificate which does not include the two doors, which are less than 50% glazing.
According to current building regs, these doors must now be compliant, but FENSA still don't include them in their certificate.
I've asked the installer to put in writing that the doors are compliant - which would satisfy the local building control if it got into dispute. However they are unwilling to do so.
I've got some calculations now that clearly show that the doors do NOT comply with the regs, but the installer has just told me that he feels that "enough answers have already been given.. I am not inclined to give any more answers to often repeated questions."

I cannot prove that the doors are compliant and so I believe the installer has failed to meet his obligations. What can I do about this?

Thanks

Pete

keystone

walford58 wrote: »

I cannot prove that the doors are compliant and so I believe the installer has failed to meet his obligations.

The two parts of this sentence seem mutually exclusive to me.

What can I do about this?

Get thejm independently inspected.

Cheers

walford58

What I probably should have said was that I can prove by calculation that the doors are not compliant. The installer should have an obligation to meet the current building regulations.

Any suggestions who I could contact for an independent inspection? I don't think a competitor would be independent enough.

Cheers

System

Rather than being compliant with current building regs, were they compliant with the building regs in force at installation time?

walford58

No. The current regs were in force at the time of installation - February 2011 - and the regs applied from October 2010

System

what regulation is it that the doors don't comply with?
does your contract with the installer state that they will meet the current regulations or did you select the door type?
has a building standards officer been to inspect the works and raised an issue?

walford58

It's the thermal properties of L1B section 4.19 - the U-value should be 1.8W/m²°C but the calculations show it is 1.9
The contract is that the installer is FENSA registered and the FENSA requirements are that the installation should comply with building regulations. We selected from the doors that were offered by the installer.
I have asked building control, but because it was fitted by a FENSA registered installer, they're not interested. Seems to be some confusion between FENSA installation registration requirements and what the householder is required to do.

System

usually a door set will have a tested uvalue associated with it, so what is the manufacturers quoted value for the door set?

walford58

Unfortunately that is information that neither the installer nor the manufacturer are allowing me to have.
The only test certification that has been thrown at me is a PAS23/PAS24 certificate dated 2004 and another one for PAS24+A1 dated June 2011 - which may not be applicable to my doorset, as it was installed earlier than this.
I also have concerns about the security rating of the door - although it is certified to PAS24, the whole assembly includes two side panels which are a different material. The installer states that these side panels do not need to be certified as they are "reinforced and are secure". However again I've demonstrated that the side panel could be fairly easily cut, so what is the point of a PAS24 rated door when the side panels are an easier entry? I am trying to get some advice from the Crime Prevention Design Advisor.

System

I have never heard of a manufacturer withholding that information, there is no reason for them not to give you it!
It sounds like building standards don't want to get involved as the work is likely exempt from warrant since it was done by a fensa registered installer, suppose the only thing you can do is pursue it with fensa directly if you are that concerned by it, clearly the installer is not going to be helpful

walford58

There is a complaints procedure through FENSA for non-compliance.
Earlier in the saga I had asked FENSA to step in and force the installer to return and finish the installation (non-compliant glass fitted, windows not sealed, window frames bowed) and they temporarily suspended the installer's registration so he couldn't register any new jobs, but they soon agreed that to be released. I suppose they could do similar again, but it doesn't necessarily overcome the old boys network.