Loft hatch / building regs question

Hoploz

We have an odd layout and are thinking of putting in a second staircase between ground and first floor in our house.
We have considered a full staircase but they take up a lot of space and it would be only for occasional use.

If we were to put a loft hatch/ladder in, would we need any building regs approval? The spot we are thinking of would be a study on the ground floor, rising to a bathroom upstairs.

This is because you have to walk through one bedroom to get to another which is inconvenient if guests are staying.


Sounds crazy but I like to think outside the box!

Alter_ego

Sounds OK so long as you're not cutting joists.

southcoastrgi

I can see it now, the loft hatch gives way & your guest ends up in the study still sat on the bog :rotfl::rotfl:

bob_a_builder

but I like to think outside the box!

You succeeded !

Hoploz

It's not the guests who would use it it's my young son - An adventure for him, he'd probably be using it all the time actually till the novelty wore off!

And the bathroom is laid out such that there is a perfect empty gap in the corner where you wouldn't stand

Furts

OP should think carefully about the practicality and safety of a loft ladder. I accept that they are cheap, and I access an upstairs room by using one. But I would be the first to admit that they are not safe, and they are not a substitute for a real staircase. As an example I have had guests and visitors who have declined to try to go up the loft ladder -they are no good for the elderly and dubious for use by small children.

Gloomendoom

Why not just build a khazi at the bottom of the garden.

System

I may have missed something here... But if its inconvenient to have one room accessed through another, how could it possibly be convenient to have the access through a bathroom?!?
You need to think it through!

Hoploz

The bathroom is en suite to my son's bedroom so he would come up the steps into hs own bathroom. I did say it was an awkward layout!

You walk through the spare bedroom to get to his bedroom. Guests would use a different bathroom.

Doozergirl

It's a bit confusing. I don't think a loft ladder as a regular form of access is acceptable, especially not if it's left in position. You say occassional but then younsay your son would love it and use it all the time.

It's not safe. My son would love it too, but it doesn't make it a particularly great idea.:o

Tigsteroonie

How often do you have guests? (ie how often would your son use this method of access as opposed to via the spare room?)

That side of matters sounds okay to me.I'd be more worried about bathroom sounds and smells permeating down into the study, especially if your son got lazy about closing the hatch.