Building regs - circulation spaces in a private dwelling

[dave_s13]

I've got planning for my extension and now I'm at the stage where I need to actually make what I want fit in the space I've got, which is tight.

No, I didn't employ the services of an architect, I drew it all up did the planning application myself. So only me and the internet to look things up.

I am aware of part M and how it deals with such things as door widths, corridor widths and WC room size but that seems to be for new builds or alterations on the ground floor where wheelchair access is more likely needed.

This is a 2 storey extension, adding a new bathroom/wc on the side the changing some of the existing internal layout to create 3 new bedrooms (and retain our master bed).

The question is. Where you are changing things in this context are there minimum requirements for door widths, landings and corridor sizes. I'm just in the process of drawing it up in more detail following a meeting with a structural engineer and I'm going to fire that off the my local building control for an opinion. I just wondered if these things are set in stone or do they just work to guidelines that have some flexibility?

[duffy78]

dave_s13 said:

minimum requirements for door widths, landings and corridor sizes.

Re door width. Just have a look what standard size doors are available. Something like 700- 800.

landing size comes under building regs, think you need something like the width of the stairs as a landing at the top of the stairs before any door openings.

Corridor width, something like 800 - 900 would give you decent enough width to get furniture like beds and wardrobes maneuvered along them.

[dave_s13]

Cheers.

I might post up a plan later and let you all laugh at it.

It's a tight space and getting into the new bathroom of the half landing (up a couple of stairs) is proving nigh on impossible without using a bifold door, which I'm not sure will comply.

[Muppet32]

Generally speaking you don't want a door narrower than 30" (762mm) unless it's a small toilet/en suite as the doorway will be restrictive for furniture moving and will feel tight just walking through it. A corridor of around 1m in width is about as narrow as you'd want to go. As mentioned above, the landing 'length' at the top of the stairs needs to be at least the width of the stairs (usually around 900mm)

None of the above counts downstairs as you need to consider DDA issues.

[V8RX7]

I found that technically whilst things are set in stone for the drawings.

No one cares nor checks them on site.

If you were a builder and the client complains then the Council may enforce them.

[dave_s13]

Cheers.

Thinking about using a pocket door and then sacrificing bit of headroom in the new room below which is only a small utility. My wife is short.



Building control are happy to give advice too, which is nice so I'll see what they suggest.