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Fire regulations regarding putting a loft stairs in open plan living room
Fire regulations regarding putting a loft stairs in open plan living room
Does anyone have documents for Fire regulations regarding putting a loft in, when you have a open plan living room?
I’ve had 2 architects tell me 2 very different things!
One is telling me that I need a partition wall to the door and lose the open plan living room
One is telling me that I can put in a fire door and a fire escape window ( much more appealing and less work)
And I don’t know who to believe!
Any advice would be helpful
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12 Replies
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All ones we do now it’s wall and fire door to external door creating a fire break. Staircase has to be an enclosed fire escape. Speak to your local building control it’s them who signs off
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My understanding is if you don’t have a fire protected route to the point of exit, and want to retain an open plan layout that a water sprinkler system has to be installed.
Worth checking with LABC as sometimes especially working on older buildings various compromises may be found.
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Is this a house or bungalow?
For a house my LABC require a protected route ( so no open plan) or a misting system if you want to retain the open plan ground floor. Unfortunately there are still differing opinions and requirements in different areas, you will need to speak to building control in your area and ask what they will accept. A local loft specialist may be a better bet than an Architect.
https://www.labc.co.uk/news/loft-conversions-when-building-regulations-application-needed
labc.co.uk
Loft conversions: When is a building regulations application needed? | LABC
If your project involves adding a permanently fixed stair or fixed ladder, installing a floor or lining walls/rafters then the works are considered to be a loft conversion and an application will be required
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Yes as above but it’s not like the wet system in offices it’s mist system but can be 5 / 6 k to install
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If the existing house is 2 storey and the loft is adding a 3rd, then you’ll need to partition or sprinklers. Have a read of the building regs…
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Close off with a wall or mist suppression system
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The first one is likely the correct one. A escape window is no use in a loft as it’s too far from ground level. The other alternative is to have a sprinkler system fitted.
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You need to ask your building control officer what they require for sign off not the architect. Just completed a loft conversion and had fire doors fitted in ground floor and smoke alarms in every bedroom
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Ultimately if your adding a 2nd level you either have to ensure all habitable rooms are fitted with FD30 doors and linings, or if your seeking an open plan living space to either level below install some form of fire suppression system such as a miss system but you will also likely require a fire report from an fire consultant to justify to building control
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Along with this your windows will also need to meet escape requirements in line with Part B of the building regs
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You can leave open plan and put a puck sprinkler system done lots in London message me if you want any more info as well we do the full pack design and build for the last 40 years experience
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Needs to be divided really to make the escape route. Sprinkler system is a lot of hassle for domestic properties. To me the options you have are the same, they’ve just been worded differently, the fire door is essentially building the partition to allow for a new door.
Essentially you need to create an escape route. However that is achieved it doesn’t really matter as long as it can be closed off.
If you put a up a floor people I’m sure you will get loads of ideas to make it happen
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