Building regs? Remove internal wall & block up doorway

PheoUK

Hi all,

Planning some internal changes to a house we are buying. Interested to know whether build regs apply to following changes:

- taking out non-load bearing wall between kitchen and living room to create open plan kitchen / living room
- blocking up existing doorway to kitchen from hallway (leaving one entrance into the new combined room from the hallway, plus rear egress thru conservatory into garden)

Anyone know if any of this work requires building consent?

southcoastrgi

any internal wall removal req BC, however if you are certain that it's not load bearing I'd be tempted not to say anything to anyone & just do it, however if it is load bearing this is a completely different kettle of fish

phill99

Sorry southcoastcorgi, but you are very wrong.

Internal wall removal ONLY requires building regulation consent if it is load bearing.

Blocking up a door doesn't require consent.

southcoastrgi

phill99 wrote: »

Sorry southcoastcorgi, but you are very wrong.

oh phill, you should know i very rarely post anything if i think it's wrong

clicky

phill99

It says in the portal BR "normally" apply to remove internal walls. I've worked on numerous projects where non load gearing walls have been removed. None have required consent, even after discussions with building control.

The only time it becomes an issue is if it compromises fire safety.

PheoUK

Did find that site and it was very clear on adding a wall but not removal. Virtually certain the wall is not load bearing as it's <9cm thick and mainly made of glass.

To be honest I was expecting that to be less of a problem than blocking up the doorway (thought they might be concerned about fire egress - although two room exits will remain.

If it does need building control, I presume if the works are as simple as I expect they would just come out, tick box it, maybe tell me to put mains smoke alarms in and then be done with it? Never done this before as you might be able to tell!

Thanks for the help!

southcoastrgi

phill99 wrote: »

It says in the portal BR "normally" apply to remove internal walls. I've worked on numerous projects where non load gearing walls have been removed. None have required consent, even after discussions with building control.

The only time it becomes an issue is if it compromises fire safety.

normally

1.
under normal or usual conditions; as a rule.
"normally, it takes three or four years to complete the training"
synonyms:usually, ordinarily, commonly, as a rule, as a general rule, generally, in general, in the general run of things, mostly, for the most part, by and large, mainly, most of the time, almost always, more often than not, on the whole;

I didn't say it would be an issue, i said it regd them, how would you know whether or not it regd them or there is an issue if you don't ask the question of BC