Scotland - where are fire doors required?

[osmononame]

Hi all,

 

Looking to see if anyone has had any experience in building over three floors in Scotland? I have been looking at the Technical Handbook and for ease have attached our plans. 

 

Having had a look at the technical handbook am I correct in thinking that we need:

 

1. Fire doors with self closers on the ground floor kitchen/family area entrance but no where else on the ground floor (these fire doors would then allow the stairs and bedrooms upstairs to become a protected enclosure?)

2. Fire doors with self closers on the bedrooms on first and second floor (as both floors will be 4.5m above ground level and thus you need this as a protected enclosure to get out in case of fire?)

3. Regular doors on bathrooms / ensuites

 

Does that sound correct? Alternative to self closers would be a sprinkler system in the kitchen and then we could do away with the protected enclosure? Have I missed anything or misunderstood the handbook? 

First Floor.pdf Ground Floor.pdf Second Floor.pdf

[the_r_sole]

That's a huge landing!

Doors to apartments will need fire doors, doors to stores/bathrooms etc not...

If you're not going down the normal route, employ a specialist fire guy otherwise you'll be months trying to get something through building standards...

But your architect should be marking on the drawings where protected enclosures, fire doors etc are

Edited August 31, 2020 by the_r_sole

[Gus Potter]

Well done Osmononame wading through the fire regs.

 

As a word of encouragement I see you're in South Lanarkshire and BC will help you with this if you approach matters in a reasonable way. What you have here is akin to a three storey town house so nothing out the ordinary in terms of fire design. Alternatively, think about the case where you have a two storey house and you want to convert the attic.. thus three storeys, again nothing off the scale.

 

What is worth while doing is to get an SE on board as soon as you can. You will need to pay for this but it will be worth the expense (you'll probably need to pay later anyway) and it will more often than not lead to an over all saving without compromising on the design. To make the enclosure you also need to protect the structure that holds the enclosure in place.. hence the SE early.

 

I would explore the protected enclosure route first before a sprinkler system, not least as you have the ongoing maintenance and testing, mains pressure or loading (weight) from a supply tank and so on.. you can get some pretty acceptable looking fire doors etc these days.

 

All the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[osmononame]

55 minutes ago, the_r_sole said:

That's a huge landing!

Doors to apartments will need fire doors, doors to stores/bathrooms etc not...

If you're not going down the normal route, employ a specialist fire guy otherwise you'll be months trying to get something through building standards...

But your architect should be marking on the drawings where protected enclosures, fire doors etc are

 

Architect is doing that but just trying to get ahead of the curve where I can.

 

I got the plot with the foundations already in and then we changed the style of the house somewhat dramatically and it left us with the somewhat massive halls. It is what it is as we couldnt get the loading's to work with the founds any other way. We will make good use of them with build in cupboards etc! 

[osmononame]

24 minutes ago, Gus Potter said:

Well done Osmononame wading through the fire regs.

 

As a word of encouragement I see you're in South Lanarkshire and BC will help you with this if you approach matters in a reasonable way. What you have here is akin to a three storey town house so nothing out the ordinary in terms of fire design. Alternatively, think about the case where you have a two storey house and you want to convert the attic.. thus three storeys, again nothing off the scale.

 

What is worth while doing is to get an SE on board as soon as you can. You will need to pay for this but it will be worth the expense (you'll probably need to pay later anyway) and it will more often than not lead to an over all saving without compromising on the design. To make the enclosure you also need to protect the structure that holds the enclosure in place.. hence the SE early.

 

I would explore the protected enclosure route first before a sprinkler system, not least as you have the ongoing maintenance and testing, mains pressure or loading (weight) from a supply tank and so on.. you can get some pretty acceptable looking fire doors etc these days.

 

All the best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Already have the SE on board and drawings all done on that front for the loading's / joists / steelworks etc. In fact he was on site a few minutes ago while we discussed the rear garden (currently 2m below the doors / finished ground floor so need to build up the garden without loading the somewhat ancient retaining walls!! - its a weird shape).

 

We have been having discussions with BC and doubt we will have an issue on that front - SLC have always been reasonable any time I have had to speak to them.

[Gus Potter]

Looks like you are on the right track.

 

All the best with the project.