Log burner and car port questions!

Competsoph

Hi all,

I am considering purchasing a property which has a log burner and car port and I have a few questions regarding both of these extras! (Please don’t comment on the fact I haven’t yet purchased the property. These questions are things I would like to consider to help make my decision regarding the property and any potential, thanks!).

1. Log burner: the property has a log burner in the living room. This was put in by the current owner. The flu from the burner actually goes through the ceiling, up through the corner of the bedroom above, before exiting via the loft and through the roof. I am aware I need to check that this was installed correctly however my questions are: 
a) could this flu be moved to the outside of the property, or will this provide heating to the bedroom?
b) can a burner provide enough heating for the living room or is this more of a feature (generic question I understand but the living room is rather large and the burner sits in the corner with a very cold stone floor!).
c) what legislation is required for this and what do I do if the owner says it was installed correctly but has no proof?

2. Perhaps my more burning question 🧐😂 this detached property comes with a car port along the whole left side of the house. This car port has plumbing and electricity as is being used half as a utility room. The port is 27” by 7” and features a sloping roof connected to the side of the house.
a) Can this car port be converted into an extension of the house, knocking out the joining wall? Or would this have to be knocked down first and the extension rebuilt from scratch. 

b) Would this require planning permission? (I believe not based on guidance online).
c) I believe costs for garage conversions are less than building from scratch but as this is a car port I’m unsure if this is the same.

Im finding this forum absolute gold for advice, thanks to anyone reading and stay safe!

Slinky

You can't assume anything about the car port. My old neighbours had one next to their garage, one of the reasons being the foul sewer for the street passed below it. They said they had never applied for permission to build a garage, but given the concerns raised by building control when we built our extension near the sewer, I doubt they'd be able to build over it.

Competsoph

This port is along the side of the house so doubt there’s any sewage etc. I’m just wondering whether I could use this existing build to extend the property really. Id rather not have to knowing it down completely.

Ectophile

1. Log burner: the property has a log burner in the living room. This was put in by the current owner. The flu from the burner actually goes through the ceiling, up through the corner of the bedroom above, before exiting via the loft and through the roof. I am aware I need to check that this was installed correctly however my questions are: 
a) could this flu be moved to the outside of the property, or will this provide heating to the bedroom?
b) can a burner provide enough heating for the living room or is this more of a feature (generic question I understand but the living room is rather large and the burner sits in the corner with a very cold stone floor!).
c) what legislation is required for this and what do I do if the owner says it was installed correctly but has no proof?

a) It could be, if you don't mind your house looking like a chip shop or Chinese takeaway.  It will provide some warmth for the bedroom in its current position.

b) A log burner can put out a fierce heat once it's up to temperature, which takes about 1/2 hour.  Even the small ones tend to be 5kW, which is a lot of heat for one room.

c) Building Regulations Part J. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/combustion-appliances-and-fuel-storage-systems-approved-document-j . Most would be installed by HETAS members, who would supply a certificate.  If not, it should have been signed off by your council's Building Control department.

Competsoph

Well appreciated @Ectophile

FreeBear

Ectophile said: c) Building Regulations Part J. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/combustion-appliances-and-fuel-storage-systems-approved-document-j . Most would be installed by HETAS members, who would supply a certificate.  If not, it should have been signed off by your council's Building Control department.

If the stove was installed by a HETAS (or similar) member, the LABC would (should) have been notified and a record of the work made. A call to the local council asking what works have been recorded should confirm if the stove installation has been done properly - Frame the request in general "what records do you hold" rather than specific questions.

Having the flue running through the bedroom will provide some valuable warmth in that room during the cold winter months - Even although I have a brick chimney in my home, the wood stove pumps some welcome heat in to the bedroom and keeps it warm at night.

Converting a car port in to an extension would require planning approval, especially if you are thinking of knocking down walls - You might be able to make the application under "permitted developments", but being on the side of the property, I doubt it.. If full planning permission is required, it should be a formality unless the property is in a conservation area.

Mutton_Geoff

FreeBear said:

If the stove was installed by a HETAS (or similar) member, the LABC would (should) have been notified and a record of the work made. A call to the local council asking what works have been recorded should confirm if the stove installation has been done properly - Frame the request in general "what records do you hold" rather than specific questions.

Might not even need to call them, just look up the building control part of the local authority's planning portal, eg for the Chiltern area, it looks like this: https://www.chiltern.gov.uk/article/6551/View-Building-Control-applications

Davesnave

For those in the know, your Question 2 would have been so much easier to answer if you had attached at least one photo, which is now dead easy and about the only advantage of this new-style forum.

Not a lot of people know that.....apparently!

TELLIT01

Competsoph said:

This port is along the side of the house so doubt there’s any sewage etc. I’m just wondering whether I could use this existing build to extend the property really. Id rather not have to knowing it down completely.

Don't make any assumptions.  We have a car port the length of the side of our house.  The drain runs the length of the house, serving the rainwater plus waste from the outside toilet and the kitchen.  We have a manhole halfway along, but our neighbour who has a very similar setup doesn't and didn't realise the direction of the drain run until we were talking to them shortly after they moved in.

Competsoph

Davesnave said:

For those in the know, your Question 2 would have been so much easier to answer if you had attached at least one photo, which is now dead easy and about the only advantage of this new-style forum.

This is the front and inside. 

molerat

Competsoph said:

This port is along the side of the house so doubt there’s any sewage etc. I’m just wondering whether I could use this existing build to extend the property really. Id rather not have to knowing it down completely.

What is that in the first picture then ?