Fire safety regs

[tigsmom]

Hi, I'm thinking of making alterations to my kitchen (see pic). It currently is accessed from an arch through longer/dining room to the right and has a non escape window on the left and an external back door on the right. I am considering separating the lounge and dining room with a wall, making an access door from the hallway but keeping the arch through to the dining room which has patio doors to outside. Would I be able to brick up the back door, creating more storage space, if I change the window to an escape one? So to recap, the new kitchen would have an internal door from the hall, an arch through to a room with patio doors and an escape window. BTW it's not to scale! Thanks.

 

[OwainDIYer]

The kitchen plan is meaningless on its own. A door from the kitchen to the hall and thence to the final exit door will be sufficient for the kitchen. You should consider whether this means passing the cooker though as that's the most common source of fire in a kitchen.

The arrangements for the dining room may be more questionable. A current and proposed floor plan of the entire floor would be required. An "escape" window is not a means of escape, it's a means of access for firefighters to upper storeys. Patio doors are not a means of escape if they give onto an enclosed garden; you need to be able to get out and away from the building to a place of safety.

 

[^woody^]

Your text is confusing without a whole ground floor plan to refer to.

But, fire regs don't apply to houses. The only criteria is that you must be able to leave a room and then go directly to a door to the outside. ie without passing through another room.

An escape window will count as a means of escape in place of a door if necessary.

 

[^woody^]

An "escape" window is not a means of escape, it's a means of access for firefighters to upper storeys. Patio doors are not a means of escape if they give onto an enclosed garden;

That's not correct. Both are acceptable.

 

[tigsmom]

Now I'm confused! Does this plan help? Again, nts.
The electric cooker is directly opposite the arch but I can relocate it.
The part of the kitchen beyond the dining room is a single storey extension.
The patio doors lead to a very long garden with tenfoot access to the rear and we are a corner property.

 

[John D v2.0]

Don't worry too much about the cooker, it's the tumble dryer you have to worry about!
I don't think there's any specific requirements about appliances but smoke alarms would be the best fire safety improvement.
Talk to your building control as they have a flexible approach around this area I have found. But direct access onto the hall will be enough as woody says.

 

[^woody^]

You can do what you proposed. No escape window necessary as you have escape via the hallway, and things will be no worse than they are now.

This work is not subject to a building control application, but would need to follow the principles.

 

[tigsmom]

Thank you. I really hate my kitchen because there is very little storage space so extra units would make life a bit easier. I may even start baking again