Cold Deck Roof

[ihawk]

Hi first post so here goes...

So for whatever reason I had an issue with my planning firm and I now have to apply for a regularisation certificate even though the work was finished 6 months ago.

Ok now to the issue. My builder who I have to say was good, fitted a loft conversion with what I now know is a cold deck roof. It turns out though that it was not done correctly and the Celotex was pushed to the underside of the roof and not the top of the ceiling. To make matters worse there is no venting in the soffits.

The local authority has told me that this does not fit in with the building regs of 2010.

Now I have no issues with this personally as everything else is a really high standard finish and this is now a lived in en-suite bedroom. I can't afford for it to be ripped out and started again, let alone getting scaffolding put back up to vent the soffits etc...

So I suppose my questions are, where do I stand with regulations and can I be forced to rip out everything and start from scratch? I mean this will cost me a fortune as it will effect the whole room, from electrics, to decoration to fixtures etc etc.

or is there another less invasive solution?

Please help

 

[stuartturbo]

you may get away with redoing the roof,
All external stuff as the board go on top off the joists

 

[ihawk]

you may get away with redoing the roof,
All external stuff as the board go on top off the joists

Thanks, to be honest I think that will be just as bad. Can building regs force me? After all it's only insulation? there is nothing wrong with the structure..

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

They won't force you ie take action to make you put it right but you won't get your regularisation approved though unless you can prove what you have done is adequate. Strange you think your builder was good when he left you high and dry with no regs approval and a non compliant roof.

 

[ihawk]

They won't force you ie take action to make you put it right but you won't get your regularisation approved though unless you can prove what you have done is adequate. Strange you think your builder was good when he left you high and dry with no regs approval and a non compliant roof.

I know what you mean about the builder, but I suppose I feel so happy with the finish I may be blinded by the reality. So what if I don't get the regularisation, what next? What does that mean?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You may face some awkward questions why you didn't get it when you come to sell.

 

[^woody^]

If the space between the rafters has been completely filled with insulation, and there are no gaps for air to condense in, and a barrier fitted to stop moist air getting in, then you can't have a problem with condensation or rot

But the problem may be convincing a BC team stuck in 1950's thinking mode

However if this has not been done correctly, then things could be very different.

If its all done, and you think it is OK, then you can always leave it. When it comes to sell if it becomes an issue then get an indemnity insurance.

Whether the council take any action will depend on their own in house policies for dealing with non-compliance. Some are more strict than others - and this is potentially a structural issue

 

[ihawk]

Really useful reply's here thanks. I think the thing for me really is knowing to what scale my rights are. If the regularisation doesn't go through, what does that then mean, invalid home insurance, council tax etc.

I also wonder if I can get some kind of spray foam insulation to fill the gaps?

 

[luisdesign]

I agree with woody. Trouble is often that you need to prove it to the bc officer.

You may want to contact celotex techjical department. They should be able to advise you of the best way to full fill the roof and even produce a condensation calculation which you can then give to the bc officer to show that it wont cause a problem.

Ive not worked with celotex tech, but kingspan guys are happy to do this...

 

[noseall]

It's not so much building control officers being stuck in the dark ages.

Rather that water vapour is pretty tenacious stuff and will migrate easily to cold spaces. Couple that with the fact that the homeowner would need to convince bc that they have done it to a robust standard.

Also, moisture laden air can be easily got rid of via a vented air gap.

Summing it all up, building control would rather you take the easy comfy option because it is less work for them.

 

[ihawk]

It's not so much building control officers being stuck in the dark ages.

Rather that water vapour is pretty tenacious stuff and will migrate easily to cold spaces. Couple that with the fact that the homeowner would need to convince bc that they have done it to a robust standard.

Also, moisture laden air can be easily got rid of via a vented air gap.

Summing it all up, building control would rather you take the easy comfy option because it is less work for them.

I see what your saying about the moisture and maybe it's just me thinking after a 40k conversion there's not much left in the pot for a pack of biscuits let alone the a new roof!!!

So do you think the BC would go for venting front and back even though the PIR is pushed up to the roof and not sitting on the ceiling plasterboards ??

The more I think about it, the more I now hope that venting the rafter tiles and the cold roof soffits will suffice.

 

[Alastairreid]

So do you think the BC would go for venting front and back even though the PIR is pushed up to the roof and not sitting on the ceiling plasterboards ??

The more I think about it, the more I now hope that venting the rafter tiles and the cold roof soffits will suffice.

If the pir is pushed up hard to the deck then there is nothing to vent!
A fully filled void coupled with an adequate vapour barrier would be the best solution.
Then of course you would need to convince building control.

 

[luisdesign]

You shouldn't have to foot this bill...

+ if your builder did not follow the drawings and build something that does not comply with the regulations then it is his responsibility to put it right (at his own cost).

+ if your builder followed the drawings and these were not compliant then it is the responsibility of the designer to put it right.

Both parties should have insurances to cover this... and both will want to lay blame on the other.

I do have to ask though, if everything was finished and complete, with the builders gone - how did this issue get discovered?

 

[ihawk]

OK an update.

After a few meetings and conversations with the builder and planner I think we've made some headroom.

Firstly I've managed to look get every part of the PIR foam pulled down to the plaster ceiling through the spot lights. It did take some time but worked out well.
So now all that is needed as I see it is the sofitts vented. There is no way I can get scaffolding put back up but due to neighbor issues!! so I need to see if the roofer can do it via a ladder, although my conservatory could impact on this see picture.

Untitled

• ihawk
• 5 Feb 2013
• 1

 

[noseall]