Fire Reg's on Loft Conversion

[timhousing]

Hi,

I have recently had a loft conversion in my house which was completed, we were advised at time of construction for our mid terrace that we needed to comply with building regs on structure which we have done. Also, the fire regs were offered at :

Sprinkler system - 3k
The staircase that opens to the living room at the back of the house having another opening opposite the staircase door so there would be 2 openings to the front room and the living room at the back
A corridor being built in the living room which would be means of escape - a stud wall basically with firedoors
Changing the stairs around !

These are all a little mad to us but we have been told these are the options, or we should close the loft and not use it and not be signed off. We aren't allowed a kick board either which building control offered and then said we could not have within the same day, no agreement made formally.

My girlfriend thinks that the only option is to open the stair case up at the bottom which will in turn take out our shelving system in the front room and in my opinion look really weird for a mid terrace which is small.

If we had the stud wall built which I can have done which will create a corridor in the living room this will make our living room very diddy to make it smaller and then have it signed off would we still need to keep that wall to keep our home insurance ?

I am happy to have a temporary fix and then take the wall down so we can get it signed off, I know this seems madness but in my opinion the option of a 3k sprinkler system.

But a new door in a living room which will be expensive but viable and to build a stud wall seems all a little daft but again doable. For me the corridor seems the cheapest and most logical option.

Your thoughts would be most welcome.....

 

[bernardgreen]

and then have it signed off would we still need to keep that wall to keep our home insurance ?

Yes.

The reason is to protect the escape route from the loft room(s) to the outside of the house. This route must be separated from rooms where a fire might occur. The reason is to allow people to escape from the house without having to pass through flames and smoke.

 

[tony1851]

If you build a wall to get the sign-off, and then take it down, it will invalidate your insurance.

 

[^woody^]

If you don't care about your own lives, at least give some thought to your neighbour's lives and property FFS.

Selfish. SMH

 

[Doggit]

Have I missed something. How come the loft conversion has been finished, yet you're only now being offered how to handle the fire regs. This should have been done at the design stage, and BC should be checking things as they go along. When I converted my house, they initially wanted a corridor in the living room, but then accepted an interlinked smoke alarm system instead; and self closers on all doors, instead of fire doors. The only fire door they insisted on, was up to the loft itself.

 

[noseall]

Come on Woodbine, a bit harsh. We are talking about some swanky shelves over people suffocating or burning to death. Get things in perspective.

 

[wessex101]

But it is only a means of escape provision, not structural fire protection. So if they want to kill themselves in a fire I cannot see how it will affect the neighbours or their insurance (other than their life insurance) anymore than a standard 2 storey house.

Since they did away with the self closing doors I fail to see that the means of escape provision is strictly effective anymore.

 

[^woody^]

Come on Woodbine, a bit harsh. We are talking about some swanky shelves over people suffocating or burning to death. Get things in perspective.

I'm all for darwinism, but there is always an impact on others when fools just think of themselves.