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Building regs for staircase ?
Hello,
I am planning to offer on a bungalow with a loft extension and recently built proper staircase. The estate agent said they can’t call it a third bedroom because there is no planning permission for that. I’ve asked them if there are any building regulation documents and they said they will need to check with the owners. My question is - for a simple loft conversion on a bungalow with one Velux window and staircase, would there still be complex building regulations that need adhering to? If I could get a bargain off the asking price due to the lack of documents would it be very difficult to seek retrospectively ? Thanks!
1 Answer from a MyBuilder Extension Builder
Hello dnicu26,
You should ask the seller if the have had any drawings produced for the loft conversion in the first instance. All these works "should" have been signed off by Building Control. I'd be cautious if it hasn't as there could be remedial works that may need to be undertaken to ensure that the loft conversion complies with current Building Regulations.
Retrospectively applying for Building Regulations Approval depends on what information you have to hand, for example:
- Were there structural elements removed / steels added that required structural calculations?
- Were new floor joists installed? What size are they?
- What thickness / type of roof insulation was installed to meet the thermal requirements (U value) set out in Part L of the Building Regulations?
I believe the seller may be able to provide you with some form of indemnity insurance as part of the sale, for your piece of mind, but I'd do some more digging for information about the loft conversion in the first instance.
Hope this helps.
David Coloini
Coloini Architecture
Answered 14th Jun 2018
