Fire Building Regs - staircase to loft

[andymet87]

Hi all. My parents are in the process of designing their forever home and they will have a large loft in the roofspace for storage. It is in fact large enough for future conversion if this were to ever be desired - but this is not the plan at this time.

Instead of creating a hatch and ladder there would be space to provide a staircase from the landing to the loft, with a door at the top of the staircase providing 'walk in' access to the loft. This would be much better as we are trying to future proof the house if mobility becomes an issue in the future.

They like this idea but don't like the idea of having to make all the staircase a protected area with doors onto the landing and downstairs hall self closing etc. I have read the regs and think that this would only be required if the loft were to contain habitable rooms - is this correct?

My understanding is that so long as there are no habitable rooms in the loft there is no need to provide a protected means of escape - and therefore no self closing doors etc on the landing.

Is this correct?

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[tony1851]

If you are providing permanent, fixed access to the loft (eg staircase or fixed ladder) then so far as Part B of the regs is concerned, it becomes a habitable room and the regs for three-storey house applies; what you call the space - or use it for - is irrelevant.

Instead of the fire doors and protected escape route, you can have open plan if you install sprinklers.

 

[andymet87]

Many thanks for clarifying - very helpful. Is that sprinklers in the hall (escape route) or throughout the house?

 

[andymet87]

Further to the above I have just read the below on the homebuilding and renovation website... Is it correct?

If so then I think we will be fine. The whole stairwell has doors to it - no open plan access to other rooms. The 7.5m refers to finished floor level of the top floor yea?

[QUOTE="new build three or four storey homes (with a top floor which does not 7.5m above ground level), a protected stairway must be created that is continuous to an external door at ground level. The stairway enclosure throughout should be constructed to be fire resistant for at least 30 minutes, with FD20-rated fire doors (which are resistant for at least 20 minutes) to all habitable rooms along it. Self-closers on these fire doors are no longer a requirement.[/QUOTE]

www.homebuilding.co.uk/part-b-fire-safety/

 

[^woody^]

Building regulations relating to fire safety and how compliance is assessed is currently being reviewed and changes are expected.

So how much "future proofing" can be done is debatable. You can design for what you want now under current regulations, or you risk having to alter things again in the future if you apply for the loft later and regulations have changed.

 

[tony1851]

Further to the above I have just read the below on the homebuilding and renovation website... Is it correct?

If so then I think we will be fine. The whole stairwell has doors to it - no open plan access to other rooms. The 7.5m refers to finished floor level of the top floor yea?

[QUOTE="new build three or four storey homes (with a top floor which does not 7.5m above ground level), a protected stairway must be created that is continuous to an external door at ground level. The stairway enclosure throughout should be constructed to be fire resistant for at least 30 minutes, with FD20-rated fire doors (which are resistant for at least 20 minutes) to all habitable rooms along it. Self-closers on these fire doors are no longer a requirement.

www.homebuilding.co.uk/part-b-fire-safety/[/QUOTE]
Yes, you don't need self-closers, but there should be hardwired interlinked detectors on each landing.
You might find it difficult getting FD20 doors.
Alternatively, many inspectors will accept normal doors if there is a detector/alarm in every habitable room as well as the stairwell.
It's all down to risk, really.

 

[andymet87]

You might find it difficult getting FD20 doors.

Thanks - presumably though we can just use FD30 doors which have a better rating. There are many very nice ones of these to choose from

I will report back to my parents...