Do I require planning permission/building regs???

[nutter58]

I have recently purchased a 1930's semi detached dwelling property which has not been touched internally or externally probably from the time it was built. The kitchen is absolutely tiny but is does however have a sun room at the rear which is entered via the rear kitchen door. My plan is to extend the kitchen making it open plan into the sun room. Can anyone please tell me whether or not I will require any planning permission or building regs in order to do the work. The structure (sun room) is already there I just wish to turn it into my kitchen.
Thanks

 

[Richard C]

My plan is to extend the kitchen making it open plan into the sun room. Can anyone please tell me whether or not I will require any planning permission

Very unlikely.

or building regs in order to do the work.

Almost certainly considering it’s age; the construction of the “sun room” will determine if it’s even possible to meet current regulations which, in all honesty, is very unlikely. Removing the (presumable) external access door & making it an integral part of the main property will mean it’s classed as an extension which must comply with current Building Regulations. Depending on the construction, that may be difficult or nigh on impossible; what’s the construction?

The structure (sun room) is already there I just wish to turn it into my kitchen.

Be very careful before you proceed or you could seriously jeopardise the saleability of your property; a kitchen that does not comply with Building Regs. effectively means your property has no kitchen, with a sizable discount to match.

 

[garyo]

As Richard says, tell us about the spec of the sun room.

Your saving grace could be that an untouched 1930's house must have a lot of potential for thermal improvement in the loft and windows. You might be able to get away with murder in terms of integrating a thermally appalling sun room into the main structure, on the basis that you fit double glazing to the rest of the house, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, etc.

That still leaves the rest of the building regulations though...

Gary

 

[nutter58]

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated!

The sun room itself is basically brick built upto approximately half way and then has single paned wooden framed windows running all the way around with a UPVC double glazed door on either side (if that makes sense!!). The whole house has had UPVC double glazed windows added at some point and I do not know whether or not the sun room has been added at a later date. The sun room does also have a flat felted roof. It would appear that both neighbours on either side are identical and they have either converted their sun rooms or had new extensions built.

 

[noseall]

If i am visualising your sun room accurately i would say it is probably cheaper to knock it down and build a b'regs compliant building instead of tarting-up this structure.

Just getting around the thermal issues will be enough to make you wield the sledge hammer.

 

[Richard C]

I agree with noseall; I think your on a looser as far as making the current structure compliant. If it were just being used as living space, you could remove the doors & get on with it as many do with conservatories, just reinstating the doors when they move. But converting it into your kitchen without the necessary BR approval will mean the property will effectively have no B Regs. compliant kitchen. Even assuming any prospective purchaser would be able to proceed in such circumstances (loan advance could be a problem), you may have to knock 0000’s off your asking price to enable the purchaser to fund a new kitchen. We’ve had a few very similar posts with conservatory/kitchen conversions causing grief for both the seller & prospective purchaser.