Egress Window onto lean-to roof

[EmmaEdward]

I've been desperately searching for the answer to this and coming up short!! Does anyone know if an egress/escape window can lead onto a lean-to roof, of which you would need to then walk along about 3-4 metres over the garage to then be rescued in the event of a fire?

We are looking at a loft conversion and really don't want to have to install all fire doors etc, but there will be a window on the landing of the staircase coming down from loft to first floor level - so I was wondering if we created a protected lobby around the staircase, could this window be used in the event of a fire to escape. It is only 4m above ground level so it would complies in that respect, and the opening size etc would comply......but you'd have to walk along the roof to get to the ground level. Does anyone please know if this would pass building regs??

Thank you!! Desperate in Devon!! Emma

 

[Tigercubrider]

I am no expert but I doubt it. 4M is actually quite high as a fall.
could a horizontal metal catwalk type arrangement possibly suit this situation?

 

[EmmaEdward]

Hi! Thank you for your response - the 4m height is the inner floor level, not the roof level. To comply with building regs, an egress window has to be a maximum 4.5m from the outside floor level to enable the fire brigade to get a ladder to you! So it's within the recommended distance. And unfortunately a metal catwalk type thing would look awful and not something I would be happy with attached to my house. But thank you for your suggestion

 

[jeds]

It's not impossible Emma, but not straightforward either. Building control require the escape route to be safe and fire sterile, so the roof would need to be protected from falling etc. and also be from fire protected materials. You would also need means of escape from the roof and the window would need to be escape standard. Fire escape can be negotiated, to some extent. For a loft conversion you will need somebody to design it. My advice is find a good designer who understands the regs and can come up with a solution.

 

[^woody^]

You can't use a pitched tiled roof as an escape route, even if you made the handrails, fitted lighting and made it fire resistant.

How is grandma and two year old Johnny going to negotiate that on cold icy January night?

 

[wessex101]

That is a very interesting point. If it was a fire egress window to a fist floor room it would be acceptable but as it is on the stairs of the escape route from a second floor room I suspect it will not.
Worth running it by Building Control though as technically (assuming it is just 1 room in the loft conversion) your first floor escape route is compliant.

 

[FranH]

Hey Emma, did you end up doing this (or find any literature to back it up?). This is exactly how the previous owners of our house did their loft conversion (only our egress window exit goes onto a small one-storey extension to the front). Their plan got council approved and was built to spec, but then they were refused the completion certificate. We're trying to clear it up now, so any insight would be great