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Building and Fire Regulations - help please
UK007BullDog
Posts: 2,607 Forumite
I have some questions about the Building and Fire Regulations in England and am asking for some help.
1. Where can I find a good readable set of building regs and fire regs online for Kent or SE London?
2. Where (if anyone knows) does it state in either of the above that one cannot take out ALL of the internal walls on a 3 storey town house on the ground floor?
Background:
We have a 3 storey end of terrace town house built in the 1980's. It is timber framed and bricked up.
I would like to remove the two internal walls on the ground floor to join the 3 rooms together as one (open planning) Hallway, the room which used to be the internal garage and the room to the back of the house.
Building reg guy from the council comes to inspect the site and says that I can only take out the wall dividing the garage from the back room. The long wall for the hallway has to stay due to fire regulations. Said that in case of a fire downstairs the hallway would give us the time required to escape the property. The two rooms joined will be a larger kitchen with dining area. Said if fire in kitchen the two doors and the hallway wall will help us escape via the stairs. Said this is the case with all 3 storey town houses. Others who have flaunted the rules might have difficulty selling in future and if a case of fire might not get compensation from insurance companies.
Is this information correct?
Just does not seem to make any sense to me as many properties are built now-a-days with total open plan layout. Or am I missing something? We always have our doors open so if there was a fire we would know right away as I have also installed 3 fire alarms.
He said if I were to open plan it downstairs I would have to install a sprinkler system on the ground floor.
Your help and comments invited please.
1. Where can I find a good readable set of building regs and fire regs online for Kent or SE London?
2. Where (if anyone knows) does it state in either of the above that one cannot take out ALL of the internal walls on a 3 storey town house on the ground floor?
Background:
We have a 3 storey end of terrace town house built in the 1980's. It is timber framed and bricked up.
I would like to remove the two internal walls on the ground floor to join the 3 rooms together as one (open planning) Hallway, the room which used to be the internal garage and the room to the back of the house.
Building reg guy from the council comes to inspect the site and says that I can only take out the wall dividing the garage from the back room. The long wall for the hallway has to stay due to fire regulations. Said that in case of a fire downstairs the hallway would give us the time required to escape the property. The two rooms joined will be a larger kitchen with dining area. Said if fire in kitchen the two doors and the hallway wall will help us escape via the stairs. Said this is the case with all 3 storey town houses. Others who have flaunted the rules might have difficulty selling in future and if a case of fire might not get compensation from insurance companies.
Is this information correct?
Just does not seem to make any sense to me as many properties are built now-a-days with total open plan layout. Or am I missing something? We always have our doors open so if there was a fire we would know right away as I have also installed 3 fire alarms.
He said if I were to open plan it downstairs I would have to install a sprinkler system on the ground floor.
Your help and comments invited please.
0
Comments
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Good morning: You could try http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/ everything you ever wanted to know about building regulations, planning etc.
HTH
CanuckleheadAsk to see CIPHE (Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering)0 -
Thank you Canucklehead !
saved the site in my favs and yes the building reg guy was correct. Will have to keep that wall in the property due to fire safety and means of escape.
However will ask my son what the cost would be for a sprinkler system as he is a plumber he can do something for his mom. Hope just they do not look ugly then I rather have the wall to deal with.0 -
If you only have to have a sprinkler system fitted downstairs then I don't thin kthe cost would be THAT high. If you were having the walls ripped out anyway then presumably you'd be having the ceiling replastered too so it is only a case of getting your son to put pipework in the ceiling for you and installing the sprinklers.
You can get concealed sprinklers like these http://www.jerman.com/fire-sprinkler.com/mirage.htm which don't really stand out and if the choice is having a few of them in your ceiling or having a wall downstairs ruining your open plan then I know which one i'd have
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