Loft conversion - fire regulations query

Tirian

Just had a very nice chap in to have a look at our loft and tell us what our options might be for conversion (ideally we'd like a bedroom and ensuite up there).

All conversation was fairly much as expected, likely costs and process pretty much in the ballpark we were thinking. Then the bombshell.

Apparently he thought it would be likely that, in order to meet fire safety regs, we would have to replace nearly all the other doors in the house with fire doors - that would be three (and maybe four) existing bedroom doors, and two lounge doors. I was a little staggered at this - especially as several of these doors are period feature (with beautiful stained glass windows in). They were a consideration in our purchase of the house, in fact. I can't quite fathom how adding a loft room makes this necessary ... but that I suppose is by the by.

My question is, are there any alternatives? Anything else that could be done that would obviate the need to replace these doors? Because if that's the cost of the loft conversion, I am beginning to think that doing the cellar instead (if possible) is going to be much preferable.

martinsurrey

Unfortunately your builder is likely to be right, by going an extra floor up you need a protected staircase, which means stopping a fire getting into it before the people in the loft have time to escape...

The only other real solutions are a sprinkler system (never going to happen in a house) or an external fire rated staircase from the loft to ground level (Again unlikely to work)

What I have known people to do (but don’t agree with) is to buy the cheapest fire doors they can, put them on to get building regs sign off, and then change them back to their old ones once the dust has settled...

I DO NOT recommend this as the fire doors could save someone’s life, but that doesn’t stop people doing it.

Tirian

Won't those people also have trouble when they try to sell? Presumably a survey would note the date of the extension and lack of the fire doors ..?

I've had a think about the external staircase. It might be just about feasible, though we would have to lose a lean-to at the bottom of the house.

The guy also mentioned the possibility of designating a first floor window as fire access window of some sort. I'm not sure quite how that would work, and he didn't elaborate ... but if that were a possibility then we'd certainly consider that. Sprinklers would presumably have to go on every level? If so, then as you say that's out of the question really.

monty-doggy

We just have one fire door, the one leading up the second staircase to the loft.

Tirian

martinsurrey wrote: »

I DO NOT recommend this as the fire doors could save someone’s life, but that doesn’t stop people doing it.

Point is very genuinely taken ... I have no intention of making our daughter an orphan.

But ... how much riskier is it really to be in a loft room with the doors as they are than to be, say, in the house as it is? Not to mention, we don't tend to keep the doors in the house closed anyway, as we can't hear our daughter in the night if we do.

Surely installing smoke alarms would make far more difference in any case!!

An academic discussion anyway, because the regs are what they are ... and if we have to replace all the doors, I don't think we'll be doing it. But if time is the issue, then surely an alarm system that warned you sooner would provide the same benefit as doors that slow the spread?

Tirian

monty-doggy wrote: »

We just have one fire door, the one leading up the second staircase to the loft.

When was yours put in though? A fire door on the second staircase wouldn't be a problem. But presumably if that were all that was needed, our chap wouldn't be doing himself out of a job by suggesting we would need all the rest done too ...

monty-doggy

It was done in 2007 before we moved in.

martinsurrey

monty-doggy wrote: »

We just have one fire door, the one leading up the second staircase to the loft.

And I had a house without a ground floor toilet (which is no longer allowed for new builds).

what’s your point?

Current building regs are all that are important, and a protected staircase is one of them, if the loft doesn’t have its own independent and fixed means of escape (in which case it only has to be separated fromt he rest of the house by a fire door).

I draw your attention to approved document B1 of the building regulations.

page 15 section 2.6.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/partb/bcapproveddocumentsb/bcapproveddocbvol1/#Download

dotdash79

Speak to your local council and see what they say.

pmlindyloo

If I were in your position and before you make any decisions I would be telephoning your local Building Control and asking for their advice.

It is always best to get these things sorted with the correct authority.

You will need a Building Regulations certificate.

Before your builder begins work it is vital (in my opinion) that he knows exactly what Building Regulations require. It is far better to have an estimate based on what is required by BR than on what your builder believes is needed. You do not want to have nasty 'add-ons' because of work that your builder has not estimated for but is required in order to get your certificate.

monty-doggy

martinsurrey wrote: »

And I had a house without a ground floor toilet (which is no longer allowed for new builds).

what’s your point?

Current building regs are all that are important, and a protected staircase is one of them, if the loft doesn’t have its own independent and fixed means of escape (in which case it only has to be separated fromt he rest of the house by a fire door).

I draw your attention to approved document B1 of the building regulations.



page 15 section 2.6.

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/partb/bcapproveddocumentsb/bcapproveddocbvol1/#Download

My point is my statement exactly. I only have one. Why the need for sarcasm??