Fire safety requirement for a porch deemed habitable space

[Marvin]

Building control came today and stated that the 2.8 meter by 2.1 meter porch is a habitable space and therefore the fire safety requirement to the building and means of escape need to be reviewed and increased.

 

Is this right??  

[nod]

As far as an escape goes I presume it has a door The fire should be 30 minutes 1 layer of PB Increase it the a 15 mil fire board and tell him thanks for the advise which will leave him feeling cleverer than you 😁

[Marvin]

8 minutes ago, nod said:

As far as an escape goes I presume it has a door The fire should be 30 minutes 1 layer of PB Increase it the a 15 mil fire board and tell him thanks for the advise which will leave him feeling cleverer than you 😁

Hi @nod 

 

BC was saying as its a habitable space it effects the rest of the building because it makes the front room an inner room!  I spoke about brick, cavity, and timber frame wall, and said I would be using fireboard standard plasterboard, to which he said it was not necessary! I told him this was required by BC to all the timber framed external cavity walls to my bungalow and all inner load bearing walls!  WTF!

[Marvin]

This is the layout that BC consider the living room an inner room:

 

 

 

[ETC]

1 hour ago, Marvin said:

Hi @nod 

 

BC was saying as its a habitable space it effects the rest of the building because it makes the front room an inner room!  I spoke about brick, cavity, and timber frame wall, and said I would be using fireboard standard plasterboard, to which he said it was not necessary! I told him this was required by BC to all the timber framed external cavity walls to my bungalow and all inner load bearing walls!  WTF!

Rubbish. It's not a habitable room. Look at the definition in Approved Document B.

In any case if this were the case every single room on the ground and first floors in all houses all over the country would need EEWs.

 

Go back to him and ask him for a definition of a habitable room/space.

 

 

 

EDIT:

I have just looked at your floor plan. The Living Room is the inner room (to the first floor bedrooms which I am presuming if this is a new house all have EEs) - not the porch.

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by ETC

[Marvin]

Hi @ETC 

 

Yes we have also looked at regs.  Awaiting official email from BC. P.

[ETC]

If you have external doors to the kitchen and fire escape windows on the first floor you should be fine.

[ETC]

I think your BCO is being a bit disingenuous by telling you that the porch creates inner rooms. If this was the case them thousands of houses up and down the country would need EEWs to all habitable rooms not just on the first floor but on the ground floor.

[Marvin]

1 minute ago, ETC said:

If you have external doors to the kitchen and fire escape windows on the first floor you should be fine.

Yes we have the doors to the kitchen and acceptable size and position windows for fire exits 

[Marvin]

2 minutes ago, ETC said:

I think your BCO is being a bit disingenuous by telling you that the porch creates inner rooms. If this was the case them thousands of houses up and down the country would need EEWs to all habitable rooms not just on the first floor but on the ground floor.

I agree. Living room also has suitable EEWs.

[Marvin]

Town and country planning reference:

 

Amendment to Part 3, paragraph X 19. In paragraph X of Part 3 of Schedule 2 after the definition of “established agricultural unit” insert— ““habitable rooms” means any rooms used or intended to be used for sleeping or living which are not solely used for cooking purposes, but does not include bath or toilet facilities, service rooms, corridors, laundry rooms, hallways or utility rooms;”.

 

 

[Marvin]

 More of the same:

 

Interpretation of Part 20 C. For the purposes of Part 20— “habitable rooms” means any rooms used or intended to be used for sleeping or living which are not solely used for cooking purposes, but does not include bath or toilet facilities, service rooms, corridors, laundry rooms, hallways or utility rooms;

[nod]

For the extra cost which is about £7 per boards I would just enclose the interior of the porch with fire board 

Labour would be the same 

[ETC]

9 minutes ago, nod said:

For the extra cost which is about £7 per boards I would just enclose the interior of the porch with fire board 

Labour would be the same 

Why?

[Marvin]

12 minutes ago, nod said:

For the extra cost which is about £7 per boards I would just enclose the interior of the porch with fire board 

Labour would be the same 

hi @nod its really about fire alarm requirements and habitable room fire regulation rather than fire lining the timber frame - which I would do anyway.

[nod]

1 hour ago, Marvin said:

hi @nod its really about fire alarm requirements and habitable room fire regulation rather than fire lining the timber frame - which I would do anyway.

Ah

mis read 

Thought it was an escape route in a standard house