Change Outside Toilet to Inside Lobby Building Stipulations

[daveinkent]

Thanks for your attention. We are considering opening up a small part of the wall in our kitchen to create a doorway through to use the space in the attached outside toilet in our garden as storage/cupboard space/prep area which will involve bricking up the old outside loo door, but a fairly straightforward project.

Does anyone know what the current requirements are in relation to any regulations or controls for changing this outside space to a small but usable lobby area please ? Or indeed could point me in the right direction ? It is single skin and has a DPC, standing on its own concrete base.

Many thanks

Dave

 

[CaptainCaveman289]

Strictly speaking you will at least need regs on the opening, i.e. that it is correctly supported.

"Porches" under a certain size do not need any building regs as long as they are separated by an insulated (read; external) door and where there is heating it is independently controlled.
Naturally any glazing or electrics need to be regs compliant and should be installed by the relevant folk or checked by BC.

If it is to become part of the house (open doorway) then it should be fully compliant, insulation etc.


Or just get it done and don't worry about it.
The usual caveats apply:
they may fine you or insist you correct wrongs, the limit on enforcement is 2years if I remember correctly.
And/or (stupid) buyers may be put off in the future.


My house is over 100 years old and I've converted the coal shed/loo into a small attached room as office / storage / porch.
It's all been done properly but I didn't bother with BC.
If you read up, the amount of stuff that falls under BR is utterly mental so I suppose it's drawing a line where you and your experience is comfortable. It's not like it's a loft conversion.

The planning portal is always useful as would be googling "porch building regs" and searching through the official guidance.


Either that or someone will be along to correct me shortly

 

[Architexeter]

As CaptainCaveman289 states much of the regs for a project like this revolve around insulation. If a door is in place between this and the house then its not so much a problem but Building Regulations aside - is it going to be practical?
What will you use it for, you mention prep area but if its choffing cold you are going to want to be in the main kitchen. It may be worth insulating as this will make it more useable anyway.