Ventilation for kitchen/dining room extension

Hi,

I hope this is the right place to get some advice on ventilation for our kitchen.

We recently had a kitchen/dining room extension built onto our 1930s house. This has increased the size of the room to some 33 square metres. The old dining room leads directly onto the new build through an open wall, although the original wall that separated the kitchen from the dining room is still in situ. This gives a overall open space on around 43 square metres. The room is well ventilated with two sets of French doors and two windows that open, with a fitted gas hob and an electric double oven.

My question is: do building regulation require us to install a flued extractor hood, a charcoal filter one, or can we go without?

Many thanks for your anticipated help...

So has a new kitchen been formed in the extension?

Thanks for you reply, Richard.

The new build, which is kitchen & dining area, extends the original kitchen quite considerably. The original kitchen was 3.4m x 2.2m.

Thanks,

Jamie

Assuming the kitchen is now part of the new build, it must have forced extraction venting through an outside wall; re-circulating carbon filter fans are useless anyway & now obsolete as far as new builds go. The regulations were updated on October 1st & changed somewhat but, as your extension is already built, I assume a Building Notice was submitted before that date & so the older regs will apply. I assume you did submit a Building Notice, have you had any of the work inspected?

Minimum extraction rate for a kitchen is 30 litres/second where extraction is over the hob; 60 litres/second if you fit the fan elsewhere in the kitchen. The windows/doors in the new extension must also have trickle vents fitted. There are regulations that cover many other aspects of your extension/new kitchen build which must be observed before your LABC will issue a compliance certificate.

Hi Richard,

That is correct; the kitchen is part of the new build, which was completed in May this year. The doors and the larger of the two windows are fitted with trickle vents. We intend to fit a hooded extractor over the hob and I assume this still means that it will need to be flued.

By Building Notice I assume you mean planning permission, and if so, yes we did submit. The build has been inspected on a number of occasions by a local authority Building Inspector, and during his last visit he told us the we needed to have a flued extractor unit. His next visit should be his last, assuming that he issues a completion certificate.

Jamie

hippyboy said:

We intend to fit a hooded extractor over the hob and I assume this still means that it will need to be flued.

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If the cooker is on an outside wall go straight through, if not it must be ducted to an outside wall.

hippyboy said:

By Building Notice I assume you mean planning permission, and if so, yes we did submit.

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Planning Permission is completely different to Building Notice submission (Building Regs. approval). PP gives you permission to build BN submission ensures you do the work in accordance with the relevant Building Regulations.

hippyboy said:

The build has been inspected on a number of occasions by a local authority Building Inspector, and during his last visit he told us the we needed to have a flued extractor unit.

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If your BI said you needed an extractor fan why did you doubt him . As you’ve had a number of inspections it sounds as if it was done under Building Notice but you don’t seem sure, did your builder arrange the submission & inspections?

hippyboy said:

His next visit should be his last, assuming that he issues a completion certificate.

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Assuming all the works has been completed in accordance with BR’s, the appropriate inspections have taken place & work passed compliant & the council has received a certificate of compliance from whoever did the electrical works then yes, hopefully!

I guess I justed wanted to be sure, as we only discovered that we need a flued extractor during his latest visit, and after we had purchased a charcoal filtered unit.

The BI is a very close friend of the architect we used. He made some glaring errors in his drawings that were only highlighted by the builder that we used, and during one of the BI vitits, I found myself bemoaning the architect, so began to suspect that he was suggesting things we need to do that we not part of building regulations. Sounds stupid now!!!

Regarding the Building Notice submission, I am not sure, but surely in view of the fact that the BI has inspected on a number of occasion this has been completed. I am a little concerned about this now, and wonder how I would go about finding out if there have been BN submissions.

The electrician has issued a certificate of completion although this has not been submitted to the local authority as yet.

Richard, many thanks for all your advice, it has been great.

Jamie

As far as Building Regs are concerned, compliance is your sole responsibility & no one else’s; Builders or Architects do not usually undertake BN submission or call inspections unless you instruct them to &/or it’s a specified condition in your contract, assuming you have one! If you’ve had inspections, didn’t submit a Building Notice & pay the fee then I can only assume;

a) your architect has either submitted a notice to your LABC on your behalf or is using an independent Building Inspector
b) your builder submitted a notice but is unlikely unless you asked him to; you can find out by telephoning your LABC but that may arouse suspicion

I don't want to sound alarmist & freely admit to being a suspicious old git, not trusting anyone but it sounds a bit fishy to me . In the first instance, I would check with your Architect exactly who this guy is doing the inspections, hopefully he’s a bona fide, independent BI & not just someone moonlighting from your LABC! You should also ask who is going to issue the completion certificate; is your “Architect” actually a registered Architect or just an architectural technician?

If you have a minor electrical works certificate from your electrician that should be enough but, in addition, a certificate is usually issued by his registration body, NICEIC (or similar).

Hi Richard,

I understand that compliance is our responsibility.

We paid our architect for the drawings, and wrote an additional cheque made out to the LA, which we gave to the architect for submission. This has cleared through our bank account. I don't know if it was for BN will check with him! Additionally, the builder we used (my brother-in-law) visited the LA and I suspect that this was also concerning the BN. Again I will check.

Our original plans were turned down, at which time we met with the LA. They know of our architect so I am happy that he is bona-fida.

On occasions we have telephoned the LA to arrange for the final BI inspection and have spoken directly to the him! He say he does not need to revisit until all the work has been undertaken and completion certificate is to be issued.

Am not sure if NICEIC have issued a certificate, but will contact our electrician to enquire.

Seen I have a lot of checking to do...