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Hi,
I have done a search on here and found a few relevant threads but I wanted to double check with my specific case.
I am planning going to be changing out my old 1996-build wood frames windows for PVC as a DIY project. I have been on Planning Portal and downloaded the relevant regs, but one thing I am not 100% sure on is the requirement for egress windows.
My basic plan was to provide means of fire escape only to "habitable rooms", in my case the lounge and two bedrooms. This was what the one and only double glazing salesman I let into my home said was required. However, the regs I have read aren't very clear on the definition of a "habitable room" and seem to urge fitting egress windows all over the place.
In fact all my windows could become fire escapes. There is no problem with the minimum area or 450mm height / width limit on any of them. The only real issue is the landing window which is too small to be equally divided into two panes without them being <450mm wide and too large to become a single pane (it would look wrong against the other two windows on that aspect which are all multi-pane). Ideally I would like to make that window two equal panes of <450mm width, one fixed and one opening (so not a fire escape).
Other rooms:
The ground floor lounge has patio doors to the rear and a large window to the front. I wanted to make the window non-egress to improve security as I am assuming the patio doors can be classed as a fire escape. I was not going to fit an egress window in the ground floor kitchen for security and also because the room is not "habitable".
Apart from the landing, the only other first floor room that I am undecided about is the bathroom / toilet. This has a small top hinged window which is just large enough to be a fire escape, but I was not going to make it so as the room is not "habitable".
All the ground floor rooms have doors directly onto a hallway which leads to the front door. All the first floor rooms have door directly onto a landing which leads via stairs to the ground floor hallway immediately adjacent to the front door.
I have already contacted my local planning office by e-mail but they take several days to respond and tend to answer the question they think I asked, rather than the one I actually asked
If anyone can clarify what I should be doing (or even just point me tot he relevant pages in the building regs) that would be helpful.
Thanks!
I have done a search on here and found a few relevant threads but I wanted to double check with my specific case.
I am planning going to be changing out my old 1996-build wood frames windows for PVC as a DIY project. I have been on Planning Portal and downloaded the relevant regs, but one thing I am not 100% sure on is the requirement for egress windows.
My basic plan was to provide means of fire escape only to "habitable rooms", in my case the lounge and two bedrooms. This was what the one and only double glazing salesman I let into my home said was required. However, the regs I have read aren't very clear on the definition of a "habitable room" and seem to urge fitting egress windows all over the place.
In fact all my windows could become fire escapes. There is no problem with the minimum area or 450mm height / width limit on any of them. The only real issue is the landing window which is too small to be equally divided into two panes without them being <450mm wide and too large to become a single pane (it would look wrong against the other two windows on that aspect which are all multi-pane). Ideally I would like to make that window two equal panes of <450mm width, one fixed and one opening (so not a fire escape).
Other rooms:
The ground floor lounge has patio doors to the rear and a large window to the front. I wanted to make the window non-egress to improve security as I am assuming the patio doors can be classed as a fire escape. I was not going to fit an egress window in the ground floor kitchen for security and also because the room is not "habitable".
Apart from the landing, the only other first floor room that I am undecided about is the bathroom / toilet. This has a small top hinged window which is just large enough to be a fire escape, but I was not going to make it so as the room is not "habitable".
All the ground floor rooms have doors directly onto a hallway which leads to the front door. All the first floor rooms have door directly onto a landing which leads via stairs to the ground floor hallway immediately adjacent to the front door.
I have already contacted my local planning office by e-mail but they take several days to respond and tend to answer the question they think I asked, rather than the one I actually asked
If anyone can clarify what I should be doing (or even just point me tot he relevant pages in the building regs) that would be helpful.Thanks!
