[Closed] Building regs advice?

Have read here: http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/internalwalls/
Likely it will need building regs. They don't like retrospective sign off but it is possible. You might need to expose certain elements to show the inspector.

Have you also told the tax man? You might have shifted up a council tax band by adding a room

Footprint hasn't changed (as divining a room and the box room too small) so don't think the council tax is an issue.

Seen the planning portal stuff now, cheers. Might just change it back again before we sell, can't see the mortgage but being a problem.

Cheers chaps.

Just ring them, round here they are great as long as you treat them right and don't give them BS. You may be worrying about not much, though it might cost you a fee and some exposing of internals but if you have photos then this is usually OK.

Have you also told the tax man? You might have shifted up a council tax band by adding a room

Council tax banding is only based upon the last selling price, nothing to do with any additional work.

Council tax banding is only based upon the last selling price

in most places its based on what they thought it was worth in 1991....

Any door provided in such a wall should have adequate fire resistance and be self-closing.

Ive seen the above (from building regs link) mentioned elsewhere, is that an actual insistence for new doors to be self closing, or only a possible in some circumstances (where acting as fire protection).

Have you also told the tax man? You might have shifted up a council tax band by adding a room

Seems I am ill-informed! Just read all of mumsnet, any change would only affect new owners (unless you challenged your own banding?!)

Like a moth to a flame............

You can submit a regularisation application to your local authority, this is essentially a slightly crap, and apparently hard to pronounce name for a retrospective application. A regularisation certificate has the same legal standing as a normal building regulations certificate in terms of house sales/mortgages etc.

The fee for such an application should not be too great, a few hundred quid tops, and require one inspection, to check that both bedrooms have an escape window*, the rooms are fitted with doors, and have a suitable partition between them.

*Unless you already have fire doors/a protected route or some weird layout, each first floor bedroom is required to have an escape window.

Windows should have an unobstructed openable area at least 0.33m², at least 450mm x 450mm, bottom of openable area no more than 1100mm above the floor.

If you get below 800 the glass needs to be toughened/protected and the window fitted with an overridable restrictor (100mm max opening).

A bloody minded surveyor may insist on mains powered, interlinked fire alarms on each storey, whilst it is advisable, if you don't already have them, I don't think we should insist on them in this situation.

EDIT: Saw the bit above about fire doors - not required if rooms are at first floor level and have escape window. Self closers are generally not required on fire doors in domestic situations these days anyway.

Ace, cheers Core. That's the sort of answer I was after!

Gx

Also meant to say Council tax may get in touch as to my knowledge most councils share info between departments and each then scours lists to see if there's anything they should be controlling under other legislation/collecting more money/making your life harder.