Any issues with building regulations when removing old external door to extension?

lucas20042004

Hello,

I wanted to open up the kitchen to the utility room (extension built in 2005), by removing the old external door and frame. The utility has its own back door. Is there any issues with building regs?

Thanks

FreeBear

If the utility room is a proper extension with building regs sign-off, the old door would now be classed as an interior one. So no reason (in my opinion) why it can not be changed.

ThisIsWeird

Your ute has its own radiator, so is presumably considered a fully 'habitable' room, so no issues.
If you already heat that room, then opening it up will make zero difference. If, however, you don't currently heat the ute, or not as high, then you'll need to expect a small increase in your energy bills in order to get it as warm as the kitchen/rest of the house.
I presume the extension conformed to building regs at the time? In which case it should be insulated to a fair standard - not to current regs, of course, but probably better than the rest of your house!
No issues doing this.

GDB2222

That’s a toilet at the back. Are you still required to have a 'ventilated lobby' between the toilet and kitchen?

Even if not required by regs, you may want a door for reasons of privacy etc. 

stuart45

Regs are that you need a wash basin but not 2 doors.

lucas20042004

Thanks for the replies!

Yes I believe that the extension conforms to regs and it’s heated and well insulated. I bought the house last year and I believe that this was all checked out.

Silvertabby

When we had our kitchen/utility/cloakroom re-done some time ago the chappie suggested knocking through between the kitchen and utility in order to make one large room, as it was no longer a requirement to have 2 doors between the loo and the kitchen.

We kept the utility room.  Our preference for two doors apart, I wanted a separate space for the washer, tumble dryer and kitty litter tray. Plus I would have missed the steel sink for the mucky jobs that have no business anywhere near a kitchen sink.

It's all down to preferences, but I would just change that old door for something nicer.

lucas20042004

The kitchen doesn’t have much worktop space and I don’t want to pay for a new kitchen so this seems like the next best thing, as there’s another worktop in the utility. It will provide a somewhat seamless transition to more kitchen space.

I suppose we can always get a new door and frame put in if it’s not working for us, as we would have replaced them anyway if we were keeping the utility as a separate room.

stuart45

When I spoke to a BCO about the 2 door requirement, he told me that the rule wasn't changed because it never existed. Before the internet existed most people didn't have copies of the regs at home, so the library was the normal place if you were that keen. Builders relied generally on word of mouth, and experience from jobs they'd done and talking to Building Control. In general, most people would prefer to avoid having a toilet opening directly into a kitchen, so it was usually avoided. 

ThisIsWeird

It needs a good extractor, for obvious reasons

Silvertabby

Am I right in thinking that all new build houses now have to have a downstairs toilet?  If not, the trend for smaller new builds to have a cloakroom just off a main living area - ie, lounge, dining area or kitchen - is just.....yuk.

When we were house hunting, I even discounted those with cloakrooms right next to the front door.