Phone call from BCO RE: Loft windows

[freddiemercurystwin]

As has been mentioned several times, if it appears there is an ongoing risk to life for example the floor is only 125mm thick and has obviously had no reinforcement whatsoever or there is no separation between the loft and the first floor and he feels its in regular use he may take enforcement action. At the very least he will mark you down on his system as having a non compliant (illegal) loft conversion. Unless it looks bad he'll probably leave it at that having written to you.

However when you come to sell the buyers solicitor will ask you for a Building Regs Certificate, when you cannot produce one the buyer will probably walk away unless you are prepared to get retrospective approval. This will also pop up in the searches. If anyone including yourself wants to do any more compliant work on the property and get Approval they will hold the loft to ransom. Whilst this is not strictly legal for them to do this I have witnessed this practice going on.

 

[^woody^]

IME, he will make you correct any safety issues, or revert it back to a loft and inspect when you have done so and require you to sign a document to the effect of not using it again as a room unless you apply for the required approval.

And for safety concerns you will have a matter of a few weeks to sort it out

 

[Ian H]

I'm happy with that then, i'd be interested in his views on me making it compliant and gaining the retrospective approval if possible.

I'll give him a ring in the morning and invite him round.

 

[joinerjohn]

Not necessarily been reported by a neighbour. These days, councils are increasingly making use of Google Earth to spot alterations to houses. It's surprising what this has thrown up. Specially with council tax banding reviews taking place.

 

[geraldthehamster]

So what are his options? Can he make me do anything? Can I get into any sort of trouble?

As various people have said, I really wouldn't worry too much. The council can't serve you with an enforcement notice to change anything, as it is more than 12 months since the work was completed. The only action they could take would be via the court, and (in my opinion) they are unlikely to do this unless something was positively dangerous, and they considered it in the public interest to do so, and you were being uncooperative.

I'd guess that he'll try to assess whether the regs were complied with, and advise you what you would need to do to make the work comply. Depending on his demeanour he might tut a bit but you're not going to be "in trouble".

From my recollection of having a loft conversion done in 2007, the requirements then in force (they have since changed) would concern:

Size of the joists, which would need to conform to the span tables (these are available in an older edition of the relevant approved document, which I can find you a link to when I get home, unless anyone else has it).

I think insulation was needed in the floor, for fire prevention.

The roof itself needed to be insulated to a certain standard (which we met with 5 inches of Kingspan board).

The door to the new room needed to be a 30 minute fire door, with closer.

Either an escape window of certain dimensions needed to be fitted, or every door to the escape corridor (ie the passage from conversion to outside door) needed to be a 30 minute fire door, with closer.

The stairs need minimum headroom at the top landing of 2 metres, or if this is not practicable, 1.8 might be acceptable.

Stairs must have a maximum pitch of 42 degrees. There must be no more than 100mm between the spindles on the banisters.

There will be other details.

Having said all that, I'm not certain whether past un-notified work would be expected to conform to the rules then in force, or to the current rules, in order to get a certificate now. Someone will know. Off the top of my head, the main differences are that you can no longer avoid fire doors all the way down by having an escape window, and that closers are no longer needed on the fire doors, as it was recognised that everyone took them off afterwards

Hope some of this helps.

Cheers
Richard

 

[DevilDamo]

I think insulation was needed in the floor, for fire prevention.

Anything that will provide 30min. fire resistance.

The roof itself needed to be insulated to a certain standard (which we met with 5 inches of Kingspan board).

Yeh, that was then, but a little more is needed now and the most common form of providing insulation is between and under the rafters, e.g. 100mmm between maintaining a 50mm air gap (or 25mm air gap with breathable membrane) and 52.5mm insulation under and boards taped and jointed, etc...

The door to the new room needed to be a 30 minute fire door, with closer.

That is the most common apart from the need for self-closers no longer being a requirement.

The stairs need minimum headroom at the top landing of 2 metres, or if this is not practicable, 1.8 might be acceptable.

If headroom is tight, a min. 2m is required. This can be reduced to 1.9m on the centre line of the flight or 1.8m at the edge.

If a BR/regularisation application is submitted now, then the works will need to comply with the current regulations.

 

[Ian H]

I called him this morning but he couldn't come today so we will have to re-arange at a convienient time.

In the mean time i'll look into making it compliant or may go as far as starting again with it and include a gable end and large dormer on the back to satisfy the concerned neighbour. I think the original cost of the conversion was only about £1500 all in due to the house already being gutted and my grandad making the stairs, fitting the windows, no labour costs etc...

 

[Ian H]

I'm off work again today so called again this morning and just missed him but there was another BCO available so I requested him to attend.

The person at the BC office then asked if it was about my single story rear extension (done in 2007) and I said no and explained about the loft complaint etc... They advised me that I would have to make a new appplication in order to get them to visit and said 'the ball is in your court'.

They then explained about building regs being all about the quality of work and safety side of thing which I understand and that it will cause trouble if I ever came to sell the house. During the coversation (which lasted 25minutes) I explained I had done it myself in 2005 thinking BC was the same as PP.

At the end of the call they were happy to leave it as is but I asked for the original BCO to call me when he gets back to the office. He wanted to visit on tuesday so still must want to come and look.

After speaking with my missus we have decided we are more than happy to leave it 'as is' but would also be happy to rip it all out and start again with it bigger, better and fully approved by the BCO.

 

[Ian H]

Well, he called me back and arranged a visit.

He came round and had a look, took some photos etc... He said all he could do was to send me a letter saying it was unauthorised and that the letter would be recorded publicly and would cause trouble if and when I sell the house.

So, a lesson learnt, I can leave the room as is but will fit some form of fire escape other then the existing windows.

 

[Ian H]

I now have the letter which 'advises' me to remove the stairs and windows so I wont be tempted to use the room in future.

 

[geraldthehamster]

I now have the letter which 'advises' me to remove the stairs and windows so I wont be tempted to use the room in future.

"Advises" = we don't think we can make you do it.

Cheers
Richard