Velux window in garage conversion

[queenbee]

We bought our house as a 4 bed house but one of the bedrooms is a conversion over the garage with a single Velux window. We had always believed that the house was priced as a 3.5 bedroom house because of this.

Below the Velux window is a strange fitted step. We believed that this was to meet building regs at the time as it looks like you could use it as a means of escape in a fire. We understand these regs are no longer in place and would like to remove the step.

Can anyone foresee any problems with this? Either in meeting current regs or with pricing the room as a bedroom? We're not having any building work on the room, but are having a couple of new Veluxes putting in which doesn't require BC.

Thanks.

 

[Ian H]

Would you be making an escape harder?

 

[^woody^]

It should conform to the regulations of the time it was built. You can't say that regulations have now changed, so that you can alter the work to meet current regulations.

But it's your house and no one will check. Just hope that you don't have a fire and need to use it, as any insurance could be invalid as you have altered the risk.

I don't know how anyone can value a house as having half a bedroom.

 

[Nakajo]

A urinal, but no potty.

 

[garyo]

Below the Velux window is a strange fitted step. We believed that this was to meet building regs at the time as it looks like you could use it as a means of escape in a fire. We understand these regs are no longer in place and would like to remove the step.

How far off the floor is the bottom of the velux? Could you (or the intended occupants of the room) get out without the step?

I was talking to my BCO about my Juliet balcony railings a couple of weeks ago. He was reinforcing the importance of them being exactly 1100mm off the FFL. Too high and the room is inescapable. Too low and they're dangerous!

 

[John D v2.0]

But it's your house and no one will check. Just hope that you don't have a fire and need to use it, as you might be dead

Fixed that for you woody!!

OP Always think about what your kids/elderly relatives could get out of in a fire, that's why building regs are strict.

 

[Notch7]

How far off the floor is the bottom of the velux? Could you (or the intended occupants of the room) get out without the step?

I was talking to my BCO about my Juliet balcony railings a couple of weeks ago. He was reinforcing the importance of them being exactly 1100mm off the FFL. Too high and the room is inescapable. Too low and they're dangerous!

The same issues apply to windows where more than 1 building reg needs to comply.

For example lockable window handles, but need to fire escape.....

low level windows, need to have restrictors but may also be means of escape.

And as you say Juliet Balcony 1100mm rules. Ive found customers dont like the railings 1100mm high on a shortish door they look awfully high from outside. Stupid things anyway, an architects fad I just done a house load of joiner for a customer that is having 7 juliette balcony French door sets, some of the rooms dont have windows....so you have to open the doors to let in any fresh air!

 

[Nakajo]

That's pretty normal on modern developments.