Fensa and selling my house

[casey25]

Ok
I've done a foolish thing, but i'm sure i'm not the first one!
My brother in law has fitted some new windows for me over the past year (he works for a window maker, though not FENSA).
I now want to sell my house, and had no idea that i needed this work certifying.
It will cost £70 to get the building control peoplpe round so cost isn't whats worrying me - however, i've read that they will want to 'open up' things i.e. plaster etc to make sure they are fitted properly, and also to see about lintels etc.
It's a 1908 house that i have just got re-plastered and painted etc. So now i'm worried i've really ballsed up.
Any advice? Words of comfort would be nice!

 

[SASHWIZARD]

Sounds like someones winding you up to me
They have only ever visually checked the jobs i've put through them, main points were safety glass where required and fire escape hinges on bedroom windows.
I'm guessing the units will be up to spec as they are recently made up and should comply.
You may find they charge a fee determined by the cost of the works (if i remember correctly).
I dont believe there is a time limit for registering your windows so you have done nothing wrong apart from saving a few hundred pounds.

 

[casey25]

Thats a lot better news than i had earlier.

2 questions then:

The fire escape hinges? Can these be fitted to a new window retrospectively? How do i know if i have got them already?

Secondly, my bedroom window is about 12 inches off the floor - this would need safety glass then?

Is there anything else ive missed without you having to type up the whole regs for me? Ha.

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[SASHWIZARD]

The window 12" off the floor should be toughened, has the unit got any type of etching in one of the corners??
Fire escape hinges should allow the window to open a full 45 degrees rather than say 30 degrees which some standard hinges will do.
You can simply swap the hinges why all hinges dont open 45 degrees is a mystery??
The bedroom window fire escape opener needs to be of a certain width to allow a person to fit through but i dont think that will be a prob.
Units can be swapped if they need to be safety glass no big deal.
Units under 800mm high should be toughened as should door glass and units next too/above doors.

Use this advice as a rough guide line its a couple of years since a i had to deal with council/fensa and my memorys not what it used to be

Building control are helpfull from my experience if somethings not right they will return once you have it sorted, dont expect your fensa ticket to be issued overnight even when all is well!!

 

[Richard C]

Replacement windows are notifyable to BC & they must comply with current standards- safety glass on doors & any adjacent windows + where windows are less than 800mm from the floor; I just hope your windows are to current spec – ‘K’ glass & minimum air gap. BC may ask you to expose the lintels (or provide evidence of which ones were fitted) to any NEW window openings you’ve made otherwise there shouldn’t be a problem. According to my enquiries, the rule is that replacement windows in an ‘older style’ house must be no worse than the originals so you don’t have to comply with trickle vents (but you may have to fit open air bricks or forced ventilation in certain locations) or fire escapes at 1st floor level; but BC will advise. It’s going to be embarrassing but, generally, BC will be on your side (just make sure you co-operate & act ignorant), it may not be as financially painful as you think. Whatever, you don’t really have a choice, just be more careful next time!

I’m doing 1st major property renovation for 30 years & it’s a bit of a minefield; I’ve learned that you can do hardly anything these days without the need for a piece of paper from someone who is supposed to be a specialist & charges as such (what a joke!). Problem is none of this seems to be widely publicised to the unwary DIY who seem to be just carrying on as normal!

 

[casey25]

Ok, i think i have got it..........

My bedroom window: will get the glass swapped for safety glass.

All my window openings were existing, so i shouldn't have a problem with lintels - hope they had some in the first place

there is a small peice of glass above my front door: will get this changed for safety glass

My back door is a stable door, the top half being glass - will get this changed for safety glass

The hinges appear fine - theres only one window, the bedroom one, that would require fire hinges, and that defintely opens a full 45 degrees.

Ok, if i've missed anything let me know. :ast time i do any changes to anything!

 

[casey25]

Just noticed on another website a paragraph regarding Bay Windows

My living room has a bay window. It's not a square one, it's angled (3 pieces of glass). The top of the house does sit on top of it, but rather it jutts out with a flat roof. Hope that makes sense?!

Would the bay have to be reinforced?

 

[SASHWIZARD]

Are you sure the doors etc have not got toughened glass already???
As for the bay it should of been fitted with supports inbetween the windows ask your guy who fitted the bay.
Both of these i would expect as standard from the factory to be honest they should not be extras.

 

[casey25]

Just had a call from a Manager of a national firm, shall remain nameless, who said:

1) All windows must be fitted with Trickle vents now
2) The building regs guy will cost me £70 to inspect, then about £600 for building/planning permission etc for remedial works
3) My windows that were taken out did not have lintels above them. Do they really need them? Is it noticeable to the guy who comes round? Surely the UPVC ones are better than what was in and so it's not a problem?

Cheers

 

[SASHWIZARD]

mmmmm i would get building control in and rectify what he spots...act clueless

Do let us no how you get on.

 

[biffvernon]

1) All windows must be fitted with Trickle vents now

Not true. Trickle vents are just one of the possible means of ensuring the adequate ventilation that a room is required to have. Air bricks and passive stacks are alternatives. It's worth reading the Buildings Regulations rather than just relying on what suppliers tell you.

 

[Richard C]

1) All windows must be fitted with Trickle vents now

Not true. Trickle vents are just one of the possible means of ensuring the adequate ventilation that a room is required to have. Air bricks and passive stacks are alternatives. It's worth reading the Buildings Regulations rather than just relying on what suppliers tell you.

This is exactly my understanding as I posted earlier. Suppliers like you to have them because they usually stick this on as an extra; it's not much per window but can add up to a fair bit if your having a whole house done!

 

[casey25]

Right, i see.
I have a builder round tonight to quote me for the lintel above my kitchen window which i'm worried about, but also regarding putting in an extractor fan in the kitchen and 1 in the bathroom.
I suppose i could get him to quote for putting in air bricks into the rooms that have had windows done.

Excellent. Shouldnt be too expensive?

 

[biffvernon]

Usual practice in 1908 was to build window openings either with a lintel or, very commonly, with brick arches such that no extra lintel is required. What makes you think that now, after almost a century, your house should suddenly need extra lintels?

Oh, and I hate extractor fans. I'd never have one in my kitchen or bathroom. Can't you just open the window when you want to? An Edwardian house, unless it has bees badly 'modernised' should have all the chimneys, air vents, and leaky windows that you need for healthy living. Your problem is more likely to be limiting air changes. Trickle vents and extractor fans are for modern houses that behave like Tupperware boxes.

 

[casey25]

I take your point and appreciate your help.
My brother in law said there was not a lintel above the window. On the outside, i can see a row if bricks standing on end (soilder like). They are on top of the window frame. The inner skin of bricks in my kitchen is where i cna see slight sagging and cracking. Trust me, i'd rather not have to have a builder put a lintel in.

After reading lots of websites, i was under the impression that i am going to need trickle vents in every window, extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom, and air bricks in every room, just to satisfy the ventilation requirements.
The only reason i am asking all this is i'd rather have things in place before the Building Inspector comes round and makes me look a fool, or worse, fines me.