Removing ground floor WC

[danalmond]

Some advise please,

We have a smallish 3 story house, and currently looking to change the layout of the Ground floor.

The ground floor is made up of only a living room, WC and separate kitchen. Given that the house is generally long and narrow, we are looking to remove the WC room which runs along the back of the Living Room. By doing so, we can create a more square Living Room, which will be far more user friendly. We have 2 other bathrooms with WC's upstairs, and have no use for the one on the Ground floor.

We are looking to increase the usable area of the Ground floor, given that its awfully cramped.

I have read that houses built after 1999 have Ground floor WC's to comply with Building Regs Part M.

Simply question, can i just remove the Ground floor WC room in its entirety, or will there be Building Regs complications?

Dan

 

[tony1851]

That would be a 'material alteration' under Building Regs, and would not be permitted as you would be making any compliance with Part M worse than it is now.

 

[danalmond]

Tony,

Thanks for your reply. Would you think there would be any mileage in putting out request (and such grounds for it), in a building regs application?

Also, the principal rooms are on the 1st floor, and it could also be deemed that the ground floor rooms (with the exception of the kitchen) are non habitable.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[tony1851]

IIRC, there needs to be an accessible wc on the entrance level of the house.

 

[danalmond]

Ok, thanks Tony. Ill peruse!

 

[Bifedelomo]

Danal, Tony is correct that removing the WC at ground floor level is a material alteration. Until recently, Part M did not apply to material alterations to dwellings, but as of October this year there is no longer an exemption. If you have already removed it prior to October (shhh!) you could perhaps apply for regularisation under the old regs...

 

[danalmond]

Bifedelomo,

Thanks for your reply. Are you saying that if the WC and basin were removed prior to October 2015, then that would be ok? Would i still have to apply for retrospective building regulations approval?

Dan

 

[Nakajo]

I can see people suddenly remembering that they did this for a very long time to come