Adding New Room to Existing Room-in-Roof

[John Peden]

My house, and all the houses on my street, were built before 1900 and included a room-in-roof, with stairs and a bay window.

We've just recently ripped out the old lath and plaster (Jesus wept...what a mess that made), insulated and are finishing up the boarding.

The room originally included a storage area, behind a stud wall that had no windows. We've moved the stud wall and the new room will not be habitable but I'm wondering if we were to make it into a bedroom/bathroom, would any additional work be required?

The neighbour put some skylights into their 'storage area' and added a door that opened from the top of the stairs (rather than the existing bedroom) but explained they had to add a fire break and fire doors for this to qualify as a fourth bedroom.

Assume we'd have to do something similar?

 

[^woody^]

Not necessarily. It depends on what extra risk you are introducing.

 

[tony1851]

By adding a room, an inspector would probably conclude that there was a defacto increase in risk.
Even if the new (additional) room was not regarded as habitable by the OP, Part B of the regs would apply as the floor would be more than 4.5m above ground level. Hence the need for suitable means of escape/detection.
If it was to be only a bathroom entered from the existing room, no additional fire safety measures required.

 

[Leofric]

We've moved the stud wall and the new room will not be habitable but I'm wondering if we were to make it into a bedroom/bathroom,

A bedroom is classed as a habitable room.