Is this a habitable room-do I need a window?

[indus]

Hi

I've had my house extended and have a room that comes straight off my kitchen/snug. It has a door. It did have a window but because I wanted to use it as a cinema room I've blocked it up from the inside with plasterboard and skimmed it.

There are a multiple fire escape routes from the kitchen itself but none directly from the cinema room without going through the kitchen.

Will this get signed off by LBR or have I created a problem?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Jackrae]

It's a LARGE cupboard
What you do with it after sign-off is up to you

 

[indus]

It's a LARGE cupboard
What you do with it after sign-off is up to you

That's what I was thinking, ie it is just a large storage area for the kitchen. However I wanted to get on and put the carpet and some other bits and pieces in. Could LBR use this as a reason to say it's a habitable room?

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You will have to see what your BCO says.

 

[indus]

You will have to see what your BCO says.

Hi Freddy

I don't want to leave it to chance. If I 'finish' the room and the BCO says it's habitable then I'll have to rip down the plaster to reveal the window. Then after it's signed off I'll have to block it up again and redecorate. I'll end up wasting £1000s.

If I don't put a door on this room could it then be termed open plan to the kitchen?

Would pictures help?

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Technically as a habitable room it needs background ventilation which presumably it lacks, so whilst you can argue it's not habitable we know and I dare say your BCO will say you intend to use it as such. It has no means of escape other than through the kitchen which is obviously a non starter. So you can try your luck but I'd not be surprised if your BCO does not turn a blind eye. Why should he? It's reasonable to say that if you're watching your movie at full blast you may not hear the detector going off because the microwaves caught fire or whatever. Only your BCO can say what he will and will not sign off so talk to him now. If you knew there was no issue you wouldn't be here asking.

 

[indus]

Points taken Freddy, thanks.

Is there anything I can do now to make it more clearly a non habitable room? As it comes straight off the kitchen it really could be a storage area, utility room, wine storage room etc.

I've attached a picture if that helps.

 

[mattylad]

Put some free standing shelves in it.
It will then look more like a store room

 

[tony1851]

Under Part B, an inner room situation is only acceptable if the room is a kitchen,
laundry- or utility room, dressing room, bathroom, wc or shower room.

If you call it a utility room, it will need a fan. likewise a bathroom.

It's a question of degree and in the absence of evidence to show it is one of the above rooms, I think your BCO will class it as habitable.

Look at the situation from his point of view: if anyone was hurt or worse in a fire, the council (and therefore - he) could be held liable for not enforcing the regs. Why should the BCO put his job on the line for no valid reason?

 

[indus]

Under Part B, an inner room situation is only acceptable if the room is a kitchen,
laundry- or utility room, dressing room, bathroom, wc or shower room.

If you call it a utility room, it will need a fan. likewise a bathroom.

It's a question of degree and in the absence of evidence to show it is one of the above rooms, I think your BCO will class it as habitable.

Look at the situation from his point of view: if anyone was hurt or worse in a fire, the council (and therefore - he) could be held liable for not enforcing the regs. Why should the BCO put his job on the line for no valid reason?

Thanks Tony, I agree there is no reason why the BCO should put his neck on the line. My line of questioning now is whether I can take some steps such that the BCO can, with a clear conscious, make the call that it is indeed non habitable.

Btw, the room has an ac unit, could this satisfy the requirement for ventilation?

 

[tigs333]

could you not put the window back -and buy really good blackout blinds... the house would be worth more with a 'useable' space..

 

[indus]

I've had a chat to the nice BCO and he said given the size of the room (5.5m by 3m) they would always view it as being a habitable room.

Oh well, at least I know. I'll take down the plasterboard before they come.

Thanks to everybody for their advice.

 

[Jackrae]

Assuming, from your initial statement, that the actual window still exists why not open it back up and install a set of internal shutters that hide behind curtains which you can close to exclude all light when you want to perform cinematic adventures.

 

[indus]

Assuming, from your initial statement, that the actual window still exists why not open it back up and install a set of internal shutters that hide behind curtains which you can close to exclude all light when you want to perform cinematic adventures.

Keeping out the light, as you rightly point out, can be achieved by other methods. The problem is that where the window is placed is exactly where I need to mount my surround speaker!

I'll need to scratch my head and see what other solution I can come up with.

 

[cjard]

Looks like a walk-in pantry to me