Building Control Advice

[Calum95]

Hi Guys,

I'm after a bit of clarity on whether or not I "need" to get building control involved with some aspects of my restoration.

In total, I will be knocking two non-structural internal walls down, one upstairs and one downstairs, and I am changing a curved bay window into a square bay window with french doors.

I have been told by the guy doing the brickwork on the bay window that building control doesn't have to get involved for his scope of work, however in a perfect world I imagine it does.

Essentially all i'm asking is, will not getting building control involved cause me any complications when I come to rent? I'm not too worried about selling complications as that is going to be way down the line.

If anyone wants any more info, my restoration thread is here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Thanks for any help,
Cal

[Equus]

Calum95 said:

In total, I will be knocking two non-structural internal walls down, one upstairs and one downstairs...

Without having seen your 'before' and 'after' plans, it's technically possible that this could come within the scope of B.Regs, because you could be compromising separation of fire escape routes.

At worst case, this could obviously have rather serious legal consequences, if you were to rent out and a tenant was killed to death in a fire.

[bobtail4x4]

as above plus the replacement window needs regs unless covered by a fensa certificate.

[zedx19]

When I had the remanents of a chimney breast removed from downstairs, I had the council come out and sign it off, cost was minimal and they provided a certificate saying they were happy. My builder liased with the council to arrange appropriate timings for visits. I lived in the house at the time but now rent it out. Should I come to sell it and a solicitor picks up on it, I have the paperwork confirming all is ok.

For what it costs, just get the council to approve works. Also if and when you come to sell, no matter how many years down the line it is, you will regret not having the works signed off. Solicitors can be a nightmare as I'm currently experiencing selling a different house. Said house had a small lean to extension decades back and the buyers solicitors are wanting documentation for this extension, however we have nothing.

[Calum95]

Equus said:

Without having seen your 'before' and 'after' plans, it's technically possible that this could come within the scope of B.Regs, because you could be compromising separation of fire escape routes.

At worst case, this could obviously have rather serious legal consequences, if you were to rent out and a tenant was killed to death in a fire.

Can you elaborate the on the fire escape routes comment please, who determines which exit routes are classed as fire escape?

The upstairs internal wall is in the bathroom so can't see that affecting anything. The downstairs internal wall separated the kitchen and dinning room.

before floorplan:


After:


The windows will have a fensa cert.

Thanks for your help so far!

Edited by Calum95 on Thursday 22 September 10:15

[Equus]

Calum95 said:

Can you elaborate the on the fire escape routes comment please, who determines which exit routes are classed as fire escape?

Refer to Building Regulations Approved Document B. In very basic terms, you should be able to get out from any habitable room without going through another room, either via a protected escape route, or via an escape window that has to comply with certain dimensional requirements.

That layout looks ok, in terms of fire risk. If, for example, the wall you'd been removing had been between the lounge and the stairwell (to create an open plan stair in the lounge) you may have had issues.

[Calum95]

Equus said:

Refer to Building Regulations Approved Document B. In very basic terms, you should be able to get out from any habitable room without going through another room, either via a protected escape route, or via an escape window that has to comply with certain dimensional requirements.

That layout looks ok, in terms of fire risk. If, for example, the wall you'd been removing had been between the lounge and the stairwell (to create an open plan stair in the lounge) you may have had issues.

Thanks, I can't see any problems regarding that then.

[stanwan]

I've noticed that the utility room wall appears to have moved. If the garage is in use it will need to conform to modern fire regs and I believe a FD60 door which will need to be installed as a pre-hung doorset.

[Calum95]

stanwan said:

I've noticed that the utility room wall appears to have moved. If the garage is in use it will need to conform to modern fire regs and I believe a FD60 door which will need to be installed as a pre-hung doorset.

I've looked into that before and thought it was a FD30 door? I could be wrong though! Am I correct in thinking that the floor needs to be raised 100mm higher than the garage floor too?