Building regulations, Part O

[Big Jimbo]

Just wanted to let people know that the new building regulations part O, are a pain. However, by spending a bit of time getting my head around them, and looking at some examples from places like Future Homes, i sat down with the Mrs for a couple of days, and got the calculater, pencil, paper and tape measure out.

Without cheating, i have got a pass using the Simplified Method...... Yippie.

The Mrs has produced some sort of computer spreadsheet thing, and entered all the figures. I actually feel that although my spelling and computer skills are crap, i could almost write an idiots guide to part O now.

It is defo one of those things that you need to consider at the design stage, as a tweek here or there can make a lot of difference.

For info, the house is 2500sq foot. 4 bed / 4 bath. Most of my glazing faces East, followed closely by West facing. I have some, but not a lot facing South, and very little facing North.

I was quoted about £1200 for thermal modelling, with more fees to follow if it needed alterations. So if you have some spare time, it is worth having a pop at doing yourself.  A certificate for building control, together with the work sheets, will be produced by the better half now.

I'm going to see if i can get my head around Heat loss cals next. Wish me luck.

[SteamyTea]

Well done.

 

8 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

i sat down with the Mrs for a couple of days, and got the calculater, pencil, paper and tape measure out.

That is the secret, people forget that when modelling physical things, real models really help.

 

[Big Jimbo]

@SteamyTea Joking aside, i was lucky that i had windows, and doors actually on site which had been used on my posh shed. This allowed me to actually measure things. One of the big surprizes was the angle that my side hung windows opened. To comply with the regs, at 650mm from the internal face of the wall, my side hung windows only opened to 47 degrees. Most examples i looked at estimated the opening angle at 70 degrees.

[SteamyTea]

21 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

One of the big surprizes was the angle that my side hung windows opened. To comply with the regs, at 650mm from the internal face of the wall, my side hung windows only opened to 47 degrees. Most examples i looked at estimated the opening angle at 70 degrees.

I hated trigonometry, and is one of those things that is set up oddly in a spreadsheet as they use radians by default.

 

[Susie]

Glad you found the spreadsheet. I got a pass with mine and BC are happy with the spreadsheet.  We’re a bungalow so have to sort some night time security out for the bedroom windows that are open at night. 
future homes also have template examples for recording the SAP as you build. 
You saved a bit by doing it yourself and can put the dynamic modelling money (+ VAT) towards something else. 

well done. 😀
 

[Big Jimbo]

@Susie Yes, i will have to sort out some guarding for the upstairs windows. My early doors, in my head plan is. MDF, sat on the top of the window, nailed to the wall, but not above 1100mm in order to comply with fire escape rules. Get passed by building control. Remove MDF, fill and paint. It is madness, you can't have an escape higher than 1100mm That is fair enough, but if any of your openings are lower than 1100mm you have to have guarding ! I watched my grandson the other week. Wanted to go on the trampoline in his garden. Pulled over a sit on truck, and used that to reach the trampoline. He is not yet 2 years old.

[SteamyTea]

51 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

. It is madness, you can't have an escape higher than 1100mm That is fair enough, but if any of your openings are lower than 1100mm you have to have guarding

See this bit at the end of the tape measure, bend it. Should get a 5mm variation then.

 

[Big Jimbo]

@SteamyTea you, my friend, are not making anything precision with that tape measure.

[SteamyTea]

Just now, Big Jimbo said:

@SteamyTea you, my friend, are not making anything precision with that tape measure.

No, but I could if I wanted to.  I don't even know where I got the tape from, seems to be one that just appeared one day.

I have a posh Stanley one, and a calibrated engineers rule.  It was calibrated in 1979, should still be good.