No he won't fine you 
Sagging bricks is a matter for some concern. Are the windows that have been put in plastic?
Sagging bricks is a matter for some concern. Are the windows that have been put in plastic?
Fensa and selling my house
- Thread starter casey25
- Start date
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Yes they are - normal UPVC ones. I think they are metal inside (as much as i know about windows).
But then again, the old single metal window that was there before sat under the outer bricks anyway, so the inner bricks didn't rest on it.
I'm a bit confused now though. I don't want to instruct a builder to start putting in air bricks and extractor fans, then my borther in law round to do trickle vents on all windows, if theres not point.
Whatever happened to the days when you could do your house nice, take care of it, and not get penalised?!
But then again, the old single metal window that was there before sat under the outer bricks anyway, so the inner bricks didn't rest on it.
I'm a bit confused now though. I don't want to instruct a builder to start putting in air bricks and extractor fans, then my borther in law round to do trickle vents on all windows, if theres not point.
Whatever happened to the days when you could do your house nice, take care of it, and not get penalised?!
casey25 said:Whatever happened to the days when you could do your house nice, take care of it, and not get penalised?!
Ah, well if you and the previous owners of the house had just kept to the original materials and methods there would be no problem. The soldier course of bricks on the outside probably acts as a lintel and the inner bricks rested on the adeqautely strong timber window frame. Then someone took the timber out and put in a plastic window. Mistake. If it were my house I would put back timber windows, restoring the Edwardian features. Those were the days
Hi Casey, you must of gathered a few grey hairs recently huh??
Take it easy fella dont waste your money on what you think the building control guy will want get him round then get any neccesary work done.
I have known them to miss things in the past and at least you will no EXACTLY what is required as to be honest there is a lot of confusion since fensa have stuck there oar in
Take it easy fella
dont waste your money on what you think the building control guy will want get him round then get any neccesary work done.I have known them to miss things in the past and at least you will no EXACTLY what is required as to be honest there is a lot of confusion since fensa have stuck there oar in
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Right;
First off all the comment about not needing ventilation in an older house is valid, as long as it remains an ‘older house’ it’ll be OK! However, as soon as you install DG windows & doors, block up those ‘draughty’ air vents, close off those ‘old chimneys’ (why would anyone want to do that!) & install a few extra modern gas, oil or solid fuel appliances to stop you having to wear the 10 or so sweaters in the winter that they used to wear in 1908, the house is not going to be that much different from ‘a modern Tupperware box’ as far as natural ventilation is concerned!
Modern fossil fuel burning appliances need a good air supply to burn efficiently otherwise there is a risk that everyone in the house could end up suffering from the effects of Carbon Monoxide poisoning (headaches & drowsiness), or even worse in the event of a problem! That’s why BC insists on retrospective ventilation on modernisation projects, it really is not something you should neglect!
Getting back to your problem; remember BC cant force you to do anything if it’s no worse than it was before so you don’t need trickle vents on all the windows. New builds have them but if you have an older house there is no obligation to fit them & its better if you don’t have any at all; everyone always leaves them closed anyway! All BC want is positive ventilation of fossil fuel burning appliances so it’s better to install an ‘open’ air brick in rooms where you have a gas, oil or coal burning appliance; this is compulsory on new or significantly modernised builds; air also has to be ducted to the appliance if it’s away from the vent & enclosed under a worktop or in a cupboard. Generally, if you’ve modernised any habitable room (including fitting DG), you will need to provide adequate ventilation – an opening window! If not, you need to fit a extractor fan; these are also required, regardless in the kitchen/bathroom/utility in addition to an opening window.
Re the lintel problem, you probably don’t have problem but UPVC widows do not have the load bearing strength of timber so I would definitely take advice. Why don’t you just ask BC to advise you what you need to do? So you might feel a bit silly but anyone that hasn’t made a mistake hasn’t done anything, that’s how you learn! You will eventually have to get them in anyway so why not make them earn their money! They can’t ‘fine’ you & won’t have you dragged away at dawn to be hung, drawn & quartered like Mel Gibson was in Braveheart! The worse they can do is make you put right what is wrong & that can’t be bad can it!
First off all the comment about not needing ventilation in an older house is valid, as long as it remains an ‘older house’ it’ll be OK! However, as soon as you install DG windows & doors, block up those ‘draughty’ air vents, close off those ‘old chimneys’ (why would anyone want to do that!) & install a few extra modern gas, oil or solid fuel appliances to stop you having to wear the 10 or so sweaters in the winter that they used to wear in 1908, the house is not going to be that much different from ‘a modern Tupperware box’ as far as natural ventilation is concerned!
Modern fossil fuel burning appliances need a good air supply to burn efficiently otherwise there is a risk that everyone in the house could end up suffering from the effects of Carbon Monoxide poisoning (headaches & drowsiness), or even worse in the event of a problem! That’s why BC insists on retrospective ventilation on modernisation projects, it really is not something you should neglect!
Getting back to your problem; remember BC cant force you to do anything if it’s no worse than it was before so you don’t need trickle vents on all the windows. New builds have them but if you have an older house there is no obligation to fit them & its better if you don’t have any at all; everyone always leaves them closed anyway! All BC want is positive ventilation of fossil fuel burning appliances so it’s better to install an ‘open’ air brick in rooms where you have a gas, oil or coal burning appliance; this is compulsory on new or significantly modernised builds; air also has to be ducted to the appliance if it’s away from the vent & enclosed under a worktop or in a cupboard. Generally, if you’ve modernised any habitable room (including fitting DG), you will need to provide adequate ventilation – an opening window! If not, you need to fit a extractor fan; these are also required, regardless in the kitchen/bathroom/utility in addition to an opening window.
Re the lintel problem, you probably don’t have problem but UPVC widows do not have the load bearing strength of timber so I would definitely take advice. Why don’t you just ask BC to advise you what you need to do? So you might feel a bit silly but anyone that hasn’t made a mistake hasn’t done anything, that’s how you learn! You will eventually have to get them in anyway so why not make them earn their money! They can’t ‘fine’ you & won’t have you dragged away at dawn to be hung, drawn & quartered like Mel Gibson was in Braveheart! The worse they can do is make you put right what is wrong & that can’t be bad can it!
Guys
I really appreciate your help.
I know you're all right, i shouldn't worry too much.
I am getting my safety glass done at the weekend for £60 by my brother in law.
After that, i will get the BC round to see what they think. I know that i will need an air brick in my living room as i have a wood burner, and no other ventilation. I also don't have the extractor fans.
But, like you said, they can advise me and tell me what i should do. At the end of the day, i will just have to stump up the money, get it done, and crack on.
I appreciate your help though, when you hear lots of bad stories from sales people regarding fines and other such things, you need people to re-assure you.
Thanks again
I really appreciate your help.
I know you're all right, i shouldn't worry too much.
I am getting my safety glass done at the weekend for £60 by my brother in law.
After that, i will get the BC round to see what they think. I know that i will need an air brick in my living room as i have a wood burner, and no other ventilation. I also don't have the extractor fans.
But, like you said, they can advise me and tell me what i should do. At the end of the day, i will just have to stump up the money, get it done, and crack on.
I appreciate your help though, when you hear lots of bad stories from sales people regarding fines and other such things, you need people to re-assure you.
Thanks again
I sold my house in March of this year and had no problems like the ones listed before.
I am sure I will be corrected, but it is up to your puchasers surveyor to find these things. Most people (including me) just go for the mortgage survey and this will just make sure the house exists, certainly if the loan amount is not near the value of the property.
I did some structral alterations on my old property and it did mean I had to change the window hinges, to gain more 'gap'. It was very easy and as a previous poster said why are all windows not like this?
I hope the above helps, but as others have said, don't rush into paying for someone to make changes that prove not to be needed.
Regards
Mike MS
I am sure I will be corrected, but it is up to your puchasers surveyor to find these things. Most people (including me) just go for the mortgage survey and this will just make sure the house exists, certainly if the loan amount is not near the value of the property.
I did some structral alterations on my old property and it did mean I had to change the window hinges, to gain more 'gap'. It was very easy and as a previous poster said why are all windows not like this?
I hope the above helps, but as others have said, don't rush into paying for someone to make changes that prove not to be needed.
Regards
Mike MS
For all you who gave me advice, heres what has happended.
I got my brother in law round and replaced my bedroom window glass for safety glass and got him to put trickle vents on all the windows. Cost was £95.00
Then got a builder round to quote for the 2 lintels (plus some pointing work elsewhere) - quoted £1350.00
Building Control came round today, checked the safety glass aspect, checked my hinges briefly to make sure they opened for fire regs........AND.......i should get my certificate by the end of the week!! Woohoo.
Nothing was mentioned about anything else.
My advice, if you have stress levels like me, is get a FENSA firm in first. But, if you are sure you know what you are doing, then it's very simple and not much cost to go the building control route.
Thanks again to everyone!
I got my brother in law round and replaced my bedroom window glass for safety glass and got him to put trickle vents on all the windows. Cost was £95.00
Then got a builder round to quote for the 2 lintels (plus some pointing work elsewhere) - quoted £1350.00
Building Control came round today, checked the safety glass aspect, checked my hinges briefly to make sure they opened for fire regs........AND.......i should get my certificate by the end of the week!! Woohoo.
Nothing was mentioned about anything else.
My advice, if you have stress levels like me, is get a FENSA firm in first. But, if you are sure you know what you are doing, then it's very simple and not much cost to go the building control route.
Thanks again to everyone!
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