Open plan kitchen and regs advice

[tomds87]

Hi Guys,

I am having a loft conversion in the new year to create an extra bedroom and living space. Our plan is to convert our kitchen/diner and current living room into an open plan kitchen/diner. The wall between the two rooms is a stud wall and non load bearing. I am looking to open this wall up and remove the kitchen door. Does anyone know if there would be any issues around fire regs or building regs doing this? Would I need any permissions? I know that the door to the hallway would need to be a fire door due to the loft conversion. The kitchen layout would remain the same in terms of plumbing and gas/oven locations. I have attached drawings to give you an idea of what I mean.

Thanks

Tom

 

[mikeey84]

I think, and stress the word think, as long as you have a protected route to the front door, and fire doors between the kitchen and stairs, you should be OK,l. But worth posting this question in the building regs forum, as there are some real experts in there

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No problem with that regs wise, apart from stinking onions or curry smells hanging around in your living room all evening and the washing machine clanking away etc etc.

 

[JohnD]

No problem with that regs wise, apart from stinking onions or curry smells hanging around in your living room all evening and the washing machine clanking away etc etc.

I have something similar and like the idea of folding glass doors to provide separation, for those reasons.

Or possibly some kind of screen or curtain

 

[Don777]

I have today building control regards the same issue you have only 3 ways either build the wall around landing ,or install water mist system, or install sprinklers there is no other way to have open plan living space and loft conversion I have open plan living and started doing loft and the doors they told me every single door on first floor have to be fire rated

 

[Don777]

some build the fake wall on landing ground floor covered on plasterboard installed fire rated doors and waited till full project is done document issued and the took the wall down

 

[jeds]

Assuming you plan to keep the walls between kitchen and living room, and assuming that wall is sufficient for 30 minutes fire protection, the plan looks ok and sprinklers should not be needed. You will also be required to change all doors on the hall, stairs and landings to FD30 fire doors.

 

[Diver Fred]

Hi Guys,

I am having a loft conversion in the new year to create an extra bedroom and living space. Our plan is to convert our kitchen/diner and current living room into an open plan kitchen/diner. The wall between the two rooms is a stud wall and non load bearing. I am looking to open this wall up and remove the kitchen door. Does anyone know if there would be any issues around fire regs or building regs doing this? Would I need any permissions? I know that the door to the hallway would need to be a fire door due to the loft conversion. The kitchen layout would remain the same in terms of plumbing and gas/oven locations. I have attached drawings to give you an idea of what I mean.

Thanks

Tom

I know it's the modern and trendy way but I absolutely hate it! The house I lived in up to my mid twenties was open plan. Could never understand why I didn't get repeat invites or have long relationships until one girlfriend explained as part of not wishing to continue seeing me was, in her words, my clothes (and bedroom) stunk of stale cooking.
Thinking about it had to be true. My father was as most men of that generation, a lover of frying pan cooking, and didn't have an extractor fan and when we did, he would never switch it on. It was only when I'd worked away from home for 6 weeks continuous I could smell what others smelt in the parents house.

So, do think about such, smells, kitchen noises etc. in the living and relaxing areas of the house. If you must take walls down then do seriously think about having means of separating the kitchen area off.