Loft Conversion With An Open Plan Ground Floor Possible?

[jagillham]

Can anybody offer some advise on how (if it is even possible) I can convert the loft into a 3rd bedroom, when the ground floor is open plan? Reading through the building regulations it would seem this could be problematic in terms of the fire parts?

The ground floor has had all the internal walls removed as you can see on the plans below.

The loft spreads over the main part of the house (7200mm x 3800mm) only.

I will get a proper set of plans made up if this is possible, I'm just looking for somewhere to start from at the moment.

Thanks in advance

 

[Chri5]

I think your issue is all to do with the adjusted ground floor structure, the steel used to replace the centre wall was designed against the loading for the 1st floor layout.

I'd imagine the loft is viable subject to full steel framing and calcs that include the overall building loads including the ground floor support.

 

[jagillham]

Structually we should be OK. This was a "2 up 2 down" before, so in the middle of the big room is 2 steel beams which would have been the walls either side of the staircase. Upstairs one wall was removed so the void where the stairs used to come up could become part of the smaller bedroom and landing. The steel beam upstairs is over spec'd as we were considering the conversion at the time. It is something like 203 x 203.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Yes the open plan ground floor will be a problem from an escape point of view, Inspectors very occasionally accept extra smoke detectors but usually will insist on sprinklers system being installed so often not viable. this has come up in the building regs section a few times eg http://search.diynot.com/forum_sear...tbytime=0&author=&search=Search+Forum&stype=0

 

[jagillham]

Thank for the link(s), I had come across a couple of those threads already as it happens. I was rather hoping with a floor plan somebody might spot something I didn't, because going down the sprinkler route is likely to tip the balance between converting or moving.

How would I go about finding out if just the wired alarms would be acceptable? Will the BCO just tell me, or is it a case of submitting plans and waiting for a yay/nay?

Also, has anybody had a domestic sprinkler installed recently or knows the rough cost?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Phone your Local Building Control and ask to speak with the actual inspector who deals with your area, with a bit of luck he may offer to pop out or a visit to discuss the options. You can talk to some Private Inspectors (ie not LA) too they may be a little more relaxed.

Expect to be paying around £2-3K for sprinklers. but you may get away with a living room only system.

Forget about the structure until you establish if the layout is a show stopper.