Ground Floor emergency escape windows

[willbish]

Im having some push back from BCO regarding my lack of emergency escape windows on the ground floor.

The family room and the study are the issue.
BCO happy to turn a blind eye to the study, because its "only a small room" as long as I remove the door.

However removing the door for the family room is not a solution, apparently.

The way I see it, there are 2 means of escape from the kitchen (front door through porch & back door)

Using the BCO's metric shouldn't every ground floor room require an escape window.

What can I use to gently persuade and leave him thinking he's still the boss?!

[mike2016]

Is this a problem caused by use of open plan and lack of a hallway that connects rooms together? So a fire in the kitchen / open plan space could trap people in the Family Room?

 

Obvious question - the small window at the bottom of the family room, can this open? If so - does that count as an exit? you can always make it taller / wider / french door it if necessary at this stage? 

[ProDave]

I was going to ask the same. In what way does the window to the family room not comply as a means of escape?  Make it bigger, wider, opening and correct height so it is a means of escape.

[Conor]

  On 13/03/2024 at 07:06, willbish said:

Using the BCO's metric shouldn't every ground floor room require an escape window.

 

 

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Only habitable rooms need an escape route. The Kitchen / dining area are one room, and have their escape routes. As the kitchen is not seperated from the rest of the house, all rooms will require their own escape routes. The Pantry, utility, wet room etc are not habitable spaces so do not require escape routes. The Study and Family rooms are definitely habitable rooms and are in effect "rooms within a room", with no protected escape route. Not having a door wont cut it, they are distinctly different spaces. They most definitely need escape windows. You're watching a movie, fall asleep, woken up by smoke alarms. Open the family room door to be greeted with a wall of flames from the kitchen. How do you get out?

Edited March 13, 2024 by Conor

[Kelvin]

I’m surprised the BCO is turning a blind eye to the study by not fitting a door. 
 

Our family room opens into the open plan room. We fitted a tilt and turn full height window in the family room so effectively a door. 

[ETC]

Your BCO isn't turning a blind eye at all. All he's doing is making the study part of the overall open plan Kitchen/Living/Dining - removing the "Inner Room". Same goes for the Living Room - remove the door and you're home in a boat.

 

You have inner rooms which need an alternative means of escape.

 

I am also surprised he didn't ask for a sprinkler mist system in the Kitchen. The stairs coming into the Kitchen is dangerous.

[willbish]

  On 13/03/2024 at 08:50, ProDave said:

In what way does the window to the family room not comply as a means of escape?

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Its a fixed window.
House is all but finished. Not interested in finger pointing, just hoping for a solution that doesn't involve major works.

 

 

[willbish]

Window meets the size/area requirement...

[Kelvin]

  On 13/03/2024 at 12:24, willbish said:

Its a fixed window.
House is all but finished. Not interested in finger pointing, just hoping for a solution that doesn't involve major works.

 

 

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The regs are quite clear I’m afraid. 

[saveasteading]

The issue is simple enough. Can residents get safely from that room to exit without going past the fire?

Non disruptive options might be to give very early warning using a fire alarm from the kitchen to the room. Or sprinklers on the route or for the kitchen.

[Mr Punter]

I think you will need to change the study window to and escape window

[saveasteading]

I'd suggest giving the fire alarm some thought. As developed for recent Scottish regulations, these are now wireless and cheap. You'd need a plan and the bco agreement but I'd think it might be accepted.

[DevilDamo]

The Family room would also need an openable window in order to with ADF (purge ventilation). Has the BCO not mentioned that in addition to fire escape?