Loft Conversion - Fire door at bottom of loft stairs advice?

[paulrockliffe]

You need a fire alarm and fire door. The fire door lets you stay in the loft while you wait for help, or isolate the rest of the house from a loft fire. The alarm gives you early warning, but you can't rely on then being able to get out immediately.

I'm in the same position, though I can't put the door at the bottom as there are two rooms off the new stairs. We have split-level and exposed trusses so it's very open looking across the stairs and I don't want to lose that. I think the compromise will be to built the ballustrade around the stairs to the required height, then glaze to the ceiling with suitable glass, but I'm a bit off working through the detail.

 

[paulrockliffe]

You need a fire alarm and fire door. The fire door lets you stay in the loft while you wait for help, or isolate the rest of the house from a loft fire. The alarm gives you early warning, but you can't rely on then being able to get out immediately.

You can't exit the stairs into a habitable room either, you need a protected corridor to an exit.

I'm in the same position, though I can't put the door at the bottom as there are two rooms off the new stairs. We have split-level and exposed trusses so it's very open looking across the stairs and I don't want to lose that. I think the compromise will be to built the ballustrade around the stairs to the required height, then glaze to the ceiling with suitable glass, but I'm a bit off working through the detail.

 

[GeArZ SpAnKy]

Who should I speak to to get an initial idea of what's possible and ball park figures

 

[Leofric]

The requirements for fire safety including smoke detection and means of escape in case of fire are shown in Approved Document B. Smoke alarms are required at each floor level ,these things should be considered by the architect and plans submitted to Building Control for approval. If you start messing about with the architect's plans they would be justified in washing their hands of any design responsibility.

 

[GeArZ SpAnKy]

The requirements for fire safety including smoke detection and means of escape in case of fire are shown in Approved Document B. Smoke alarms are required at each floor level ,these things should be considered by the architect and plans submitted to Building Control for approval. If you start messing about with the architect's plans they would be justified in washing their hands of any design responsibility.

Thanks leofric, you think I should get an architect in to look at it, I hear they're pricey, I'm hoping to do the work DIY, aside from electrics and fire alarm (need the qualified man for the paper trail)

 

[Leofric]

Some confusion , I was replying to the original poster who was using an architect but I see now it was an old post
However, if you are proposing a loft conversion an architectural designer would be the person to contact to discuss it in the first instance. If it looks feasible (not all lofts are suitable for conversion ) a Full Plans Submission for Building Regs approval is the way to go.