New Stud Wall - Loft Conversion

[Don8]

I am wondering if anyone can shed some light on this situation. Renovating a 2 bed Victorian terrace in London. Currently the living area is all open plan with a small entrance area. We want to reinstate the corridor (up to the start of the stairs) by putting a stud wall up straight across from the entrance area to the kitchen. For 2 reasons, we'd like to making the living area feel more like a room that we can shut off and secondly because we fully intend to covert the loft in the future which will require this area to be closed off with fire doors in order for building control to sign it off unless we installed some form of mist system (as I understand it).

Our issue is that the supporting column for the rsj (installed before we purchased) projects from the wall in the corridor by 22cm. This creates a pinch point should we reinstate the corridor where the corridor might be under 60cm wide. This is obviously pretty tight especially getting furniture upstairs so to counter this we install double doors directly opposite as the access point into the lounge.

My query is whether this pinch point would raise issues with building control upon doing the loft? And with respect to double firedoors, can you just install two singles or is there an issue with the seal between them?

Local council weren't too helpful last time I contacted them

Thanks

Floorplan

• Don8
• 28 Nov 2018
• 2

 

[SFK]

Don8,
Double fire doors are available, you could ask the suppliers your questions:
https://www.safelincs.co.uk/custom-...MItqafvpz33gIVk-R3Ch3VfwhTEAAYASAAEgLmXfD_BwE

https://www.google.com/search?q=double+fire+doors&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-ab

And ask about their certification to give to BC.
sfk

 

[Nakajo]

Are you sure you wouldn't rather just install a mist system?

 

[Don8]

Don8,
Double fire doors are available, you could ask the suppliers your questions:
https://www.safelincs.co.uk/custom-...MItqafvpz33gIVk-R3Ch3VfwhTEAAYASAAEgLmXfD_BwE

https://www.google.com/search?q=double+fire+doors&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b-ab

And ask about their certification to give to BC.
sfk

Thanks, i'll contact them and see

Are you sure you wouldn't rather just install a mist system?

From google quotes for a mist system seem to start from 3k+, so a stud wall should be the cheaper route

 

[Nakajo]

A mist system starts at around £500! Besides, it can't be all about money.

 

[cdbe]

Personally I'd go to a lot of trouble to get rid of that projection. Presumably the foundations for the original dividing wall are still there so you could build a masonry dividing wall to support the beam with the section over the corridor cantilevered. No doubt would need SE input though.

 

[Don8]

A mist system starts at around £500! Besides, it can't be all about money.

We'd happily put in a corridor over a mist system if the supporting column wasn't there as it offers more wall space and makes the living area feel more homely. I'll research mist/sprinkler systems but the comments i've seen suggests it's a lot more than that.

Personally I'd go to a lot of trouble to get rid of that projection. Presumably the foundations for the original dividing wall are still there so you could build a masonry dividing wall to support the beam with the section over the corridor cantilevered. No doubt would need SE input though.

Okay i've arranged for some builders to come round so i'll discuss the options with them.

 

[Don8]

Does anyone have any more input or advice? Struggling to get my head around the regulations. Part M states hallways need to be 900mm which can reduce to 750mm at pinch points. The current small entrance part is only 830mm, so extending straight out from this to reinstate the original corridor wouldn't even meet the current regulations ignoring the RSJ support column issue? But is this true in reality, if I am not mistaken https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/relocating-doors-width-regs.189681/#post-1312076 suggests that I might be able to reinstate it as it was?

I'd then put a kink in the stud wall where the support column is so that the hallway width would be consistent. Rather avoid any structural works, builders don't know and BC aren't interested in advising unless I fork out for it

 

[Nakajo]

To recap, Part M Volume 1: Dwellings applies to newly erected dwellings, and dwellings undergoing material alteration, only. It does not apply to the extension of a dwelling.Further, Regulation 5 defines a ‘material change of use’ in which a building or part of a building that was previously used for one purpose will be used for another.

Does that help?

 

[Don8]

To recap, Part M Volume 1: Dwellings applies to newly erected dwellings, and dwellings undergoing material alteration, only. It does not apply to the extension of a dwelling.Further, Regulation 5 defines a ‘material change of use’ in which a building or part of a building that was previously used for one purpose will be used for another.

Does that help?

Many thanks Najako, yes that's very helpful. Is there a set of regulations or guidelines that apply to old dwellings? A 300mm corridor would obviously be ridiculous, a 600mm one very tight, an 800mm not so bad. At what point does it become an acceptable width, is it at the discretion of the building control?

 

[Don8]

Many thanks Najako, yes that's very helpful. Is there a set of regulations or guidelines that apply to old dwellings? A 300mm corridor would obviously be ridiculous, a 600mm one very tight, an 800mm not so bad. At what point does it become an acceptable width, is it at the discretion of the building control officer?

 

[Nakajo]

750mm is a commonly cited minimum standard.