Conservatory question

leighblue

I am having a new conservatory fitted with a solid roof. The company fitting it are arranging for building regs sign off.
Will I be allowed to remove the door from the house to make it open plan?
Read a lot of forums & all questions on this subject seem to be from people whose conservatory doesn't have building regs looking to remove the doors

Hasbeen

leighblue wrote: »

I am having a new conservatory fitted with a solid roof. The company fitting it are arranging for building regs sign off.
Will I be allowed to remove the door from the house to make it open plan?
Read a lot of forums & all questions on this subject seem to be from people whose conservatory doesn't have building regs looking to remove the doors

As its a solid roof probably no problem. So no exterior door needed, but it will depend on building control.

a.turner

Conservatories are exempt from building regs but not when you remove the doors.

ed110220

It's worth remembering before trying to get around them that building regulations are designed to protect the inhabitant (sometimes from his/her own foolishness). In this case from wastefully losing heat from the house through a conservatory with no doors to block it.

Aylesbury_Duck

You can do what you like but it'll cost you in heating costs and may cost you if you ever want to sell the house.

Typhoon2000

Yes of course you can keep the door open or take it off it’s hinges once it has been signed off. Yes it will cost you more in heating or may be you prefer it cooler and don’t have/ can’t afford air conditioning.
You will likely have to reinstate it if you plan on selling.

leighblue

Thanks for the responses so far, but am still not sure on the answer

My new conservatory will have a building regs certificate - as I opted for a solid roof, the firm fitting are also insulating the base & digging bigger footings, they are arranging for building regs sign off

That certificate will be based on there being a door in place between the house & the conservatory

What I want to know, is if I have a building reg certificate, can I then remove the doors and add a radiator without any further issues in the future

Davesnave

leighblue wrote: »

Thanks for the responses so far, but am still not sure on the answer

My new conservatory will have a building regs certificate - as I opted for a solid roof, the firm fitting are also insulating the base & digging bigger footings, they are arranging for building regs sign off

That certificate will be based on there being a door in place between the house & the conservatory

What I want to know, is if I have a building reg certificate, can I then remove the doors and add a radiator without any further issues in the future

What 'issues in the future' are you expecting? Councils don't usually have a Conservatory Compliance Unit who force entry to see if you still have the external grade doors or a radiator on.

To get building regs compliance, your 'conservatory' will have to meet the u values required of a standard build. If it does, it will surely be treated in the same way as one, but no one is going to check up on it in the future.

I've done all the same extra stuff with my conservatory, but stopped short of the solid roof because of light loss in the room behind. That was altogether more important than obtaining building regs. It's still a very useable space, whatever status it has with the local authority.

It sounds to me as if what you are creating may be a garden room, not a conservatory.

Doozergirl

Is it an extension or is it a conservatory?

And if you are spending extra money on a solid roof and deeper footings for a conservatory, why aren't you having it signed off by building control as an extension, given that extensions add value and conservatories don't.

No one can guarantee that a conservatory with the doors removed and a radiator inserted won't give you enforcement issues - although it's highly unlikely.

It will be raised when you come to sell though and don't produce a certificate for an extension.