Doorway into 1st floor extension

[^woody^]

 

[wessex101]

Safety depends on familiarity. In a domestic setting for a couple of steps to a single bedroom on an abrupt change in direction it could easily be argued that the arrangement is safe.
For a public building, it would of course be a completely different matter.
The guidance given in the Approved Docs is just that - guidance - it is NOT law; there can be other ways of achieving compliance.

Whilst it is true that the approved document is only guidance you are going to need some grounds to claim the arrangement shown is safe. You cannot just say "I think it is safe and a bloke off the internet said it looked safe."
Personally I think the door directly on the top step is dangerous. You need to take in to account all types of people who may use that staircase, either now or as future owners and guests, elderly, pregnant, parents carrying a baby, small children. Especially with it being a bedroom when you might have to negotiate the stairs at night when not fully awake.
I would have thought the minimum would be a 600mm landing between the top step and door and preferably 800mm.

 

[noseall]

Safety depends on familiarity.

So as long as they don't sell the property to say a couple of doddering pensioners or a family with energetic toddlers, it's compliant.

 

[George_engineer]

You can only ask and see what they say. The old 'I'll move the door, get it signed off then move it back' card might swing it in your favour.

FWIW, thousands of houses will have similar arrangements. It's certianly less safe than what the regulations stipulate, but whether it's unduly dangerous will be up to the discretion of the BCO and (ultimately when the BCO is gone) the homeowner.

 

[^woody^]

At night, half asleep, when the fire alarm goes off.

Not burnt or choked to death, but a broken neck instead.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I suppose all people living in those millions of houses with stairs that wouldn't comply nowadays must suffer the same fate.

 

[Dereekoo]

At night, half asleep, when the fire alarm goes off.

Not burnt or choked to death, but a broken neck instead.

Has he got a fire alarm, is that part of the required regs now for the extension to be considered safe?

 

[noseall]

I suppose all people living in those millions of houses with stairs that wouldn't comply nowadays must suffer the same fate.

Depends on the non compliance. If its a headroom breach then I guess its a bumped head. If someone decided to set a really tall odd last tread then is a broken neck.

 

[^woody^]

Has he got a fire alarm, is that part of the required regs now for the extension to be considered safe?

A detector would be required on any new landing, and in some cases in any new bedroom, however in this case the risk is opening a door and falling down the threshold. The risk is heightened in certain situations.

 

[^woody^]

I suppose all people living in those millions of houses with stairs that wouldn't comply nowadays must suffer the same fate.

Of course, just like not every smoker dies a horrible death from lung cancer so everyone should just do what they like and take a chance.

However, there is a train of thought about risk and minimising it or designing it out. That's what regulations require and what good designer's do. The bad ones don't bother.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Ahh woody throwing his toys out the pram again because people disagree with him.

 

[^woody^]

Ahh woody throwing his toys out the pram again because people disagree with him.

what good designer's do. The bad ones don't bother.

No, there is no disagreement only clarity.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The OP's designer already did a proper design.

 

[williamglossop]

Just to clear this one up, the local council BCO made his final inspection and I discussed the doorway with him. He said its totally fine, and there are zero issues with it. The door opens away from landing. Fully compliant and means I haven't lost loads of space in the room.

 

[Dereekoo]

Thanks for the heads up. Interesting looking at original comments on who was right and who was wrong . 10/10 Tony and Merry Xmas