guide to extending renovating your home · planning permission. the guide is divided into chapters...

HOMEGUIDE TO EXTENDING & RENOVATING YOUR

LOFT CONVERSIONS • GARAGE CONVERSIONS • CELLAR CONVERSIONS • DOMESTIC EXTENSIONS

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE TO EVERYTHING EXTENDING & RENOVATING

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Barnsley guide to extending & renovating your home 1

Contents

2 Barnsley guide to extending & renovating your home

Introduction 3Domestic Extensions 11Conservatories 19Loft Conversions 23Garage Conversions 31Domestic Cellar Conversions 36Barns & Farm Buildings 41Rewiring & Electrical Alterations 43Other Alterations 46Outdoors 53Radon 56Chimneys, Flues & Wood Burners 58Mining 62Selling Your Property 64And Finally – How to Save Money 65

After reading this guide, should you wish to proceed with a project requiring Building Regulations Approval, please ensure that you use Barnsley Building Control Services. This is because we provide an independent, impartial, and publicly accountable service which is carried out by a team of experienced surveyors with unrivalled local knowledge. The service is non-profit making and the standards will be implemented fairly and professionally.

We very gratefully acknowledge the support of the firms whose advertisements appear throughout this publication.As a reciprocal gesture we have pleasure in drawing the attention of our readers to their announcements.It is necessary however for it to be made clear that, whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication and the statements it contains, neither the promoter involved nor the Publisher can accept responsibility for any inaccuracies, or for the products or services advertised.Designed and published by LABC Publishing (part of zinc media), Kings House, Royal Court, Brook Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 7AE. Tel: (01625) 613000. www.zincmedia.com Ref: PXS 2019 © LABC Publishing. All rights reserved.

this publication is also available as an ebook: www.extendingyourhome.com/barnsley

Your home is likely to be one of your biggest assets, it is a major long-term investment and over the course of your occupancy your home will have to adapt to the changing needs of you and your family.

BackgroundYour home is likely to be one of your biggest assets, it is a major long-term investment and over the course of your occupancy your home will have to adapt to the changing needs of you and your family.

Within England and Wales most construction work is covered by the Building Regulations. These are technical standards set by the government and all but the most minor building work carried out must conform to these standards.

The standards cover many aspects of health and safety within buildings as well as energy consumption and accessibility. The Building Regulations are detailed technical standards set to ensure that the building stock within England and Wales is built to a reasonable standard and that it meets the needs of the population.

The Building Regulations are minimum acceptable standards, they do not cover quality of workmanship or finishes beyond that required to ensure the safe construction of the building. It is possible that a building which complies with the Building Regulations may not meet the finishing standards that you require and you should be mindful of this when you are

entering into contractual arrangements with your builder.

There is a legal requirement on both the builder and the owner of the building to make an appropriate Building Regulations Application and to comply with the Building Regulations. Failure to do so can result in prosecution through the Magistrates’ Court.

Purpose of this GuideThis guide will take you through the Building Control process. It is not a substitute for professional advice but it aims to show how your project will be affected by the Building Regulations. Separate advice should be sought for Planning Permission. The guide is divided into chapters that contain advice about typical building projects and it is hoped that when you have read it you will have a better understanding of what is involved in a domestic building project.

Domestic projects that may require Building Regulations consent include:

• Extensions

• Garageconversions

• Loftconversions

• Cellarconversions

IntRoDUCtIon



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• Structuralalterationse.g.removingloadbearing walls

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• Neworreplacementwindows

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• Replacementroofcoverings

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• Somegarages

• Someconservatories

If you are considering a building project and you are unsure as to whether it will require Building Regulations consent please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to advise you.

the Building Regulations ProcessIf your project needs Building Regulations consent you will need to make a Building Regulations application.

How to ProceedUnless you are experienced in construction you will need to get some professional advice. There are a number of ways of obtaining this including:

1. Appointing an architect/technician or building surveyor: these will prepare drawings and designs for your proposal, obtain the necessary approvals and if required they will also help you to find a suitable builder and manage the project for you.

2. Appointing a design & build company: these companies offer a one-stop shop for construction projects, their design department will prepare the necessary drawings and obtain the necessary approvals and their construction departments will translate these drawings into reality.

3. Using an experienced builder: some builders have experience in carrying out domestic projects and may be able to offer you a package similar to the design & build companies.

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Making a Building Regulations ApplicationThere are two ways of making a Building Regulations application:

Full Plans ApplicationThis is often thought of as the traditional way of applying for Building Regulations Approval. The building designer will draw up detailed plans and supporting information for the proposed scheme and will send them to us together with an application form and the necessary fee. We will then check the details and following any necessary consultations and liaisons with the building designer issue Building Regulations Approval.

Work can start any time after the application has been received although it is wise to wait until the scheme has had its initial check under the Building Regulations, this usually takes between two and three weeks.

Our team of surveyors will liaise with your builder and inspect the work in progress on site. When the project is satisfactorily completed a Building Regulations Completion Certificate will be issued showing that the project has been independently inspected and that, as far as could be assessed, it complied with the Building Regulations.

Building notice ApplicationThis system is best suited to small projects carried out by a competent builder and is not recommended unless your builder and designer are very experienced in the type of project that you are undertaking and are fully aware of the requirements of the Building Regulations. Under this scheme no formal Approval of plans is issued and work is approved on site as it progresses.

tousetheBuildingNoticeprocessyouoryour agent will need to submit a Building Noticeapplicationformtogetherwithasitelocation plan and the required fee. Work

can commence 48 hours after the notice has been accepted.

When work commences one of our surveyors will meet with your builder to discuss your intentions, to agree how the work should be carried out, agree when the work will need to be inspected and to establish whether any further information will be required e.g. structural calculations or drawings.

When the project is satisfactorily completed a Building Regulations Completion Certificate will be issued showing that the project has been independently inspected and that, as far as could be assessed, it complied with the Building Regulations.

The forms for making a Building Regulations application can be obtained by telephoning or calling into our offices, or can be downloaded from our website https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/planning-and-buildings/building-control

Within england and Wales most construction work is covered by the Building Regulations. these are technical standards set by the government and all but the most minor building work carried out must conform to these standards

“

“6 Barnsley guide to extending & renovating your home

tips for using self Certified Contractors1. Always ensure the contractor is

registered for the work they are undertaking, eg. If you are having a new heating system installed ensure the contractor is a registered installer not a service engineer.

2. Always ensure that at the end of the job the contractor issues you with a Certificate confirming that the work complies with the Building Regulations, you may need this when you come to sell your property.

3. If you are in any doubt about anything either contact the relevant trade association or contact Barnsley Building Control for advice.

other Permissions you may RequirePlanning Permission: many domestic alterations will also require Planning Permission, further advice is available from the Planning Portal www.planningportal.co.uk or to confirm whether Planning Permission will be required for your project please either contact one of our Planning Officers or

self CertificationTo help you to gain Building Regulations approval more easily the government have allowed certain trade bodies to self certify their members’ work and to issue Building Regulations certificates. An example of the bodies which can issue these certificates are:

1. FensA–ContractorsregisteredwithfENSAcanissuecertificatesforreplacement windows.

2. CeRtAss – Contractors registered with CERTASS can issue certificates for replacement windows.

3. GAs sAFe – Registered contractors can issue certificates for installations and alterations to gas, hot water and heating systems so long as the contractor is a registered installer and not just a service engineer.

4. oFteC – Registered OFTEC installers can issue certificates for installation of and alteration to oil burning boilers and appliances.

5. HetAs – Registered HETAS installers can issue certificates for installation of and alteration to solid fuel burning boilers and appliances.

6. Part P – Electrical Contractors registered under one of the Part P schemes can issue certificates for domestic electrical work.

7. CompetentRoofer – Contractors under this scheme can carry out works to your roof either full or partial replacement.

Details of the current competent person self-certification schemes can be found on: www.gov.uk/building-regulations-competent-person-schemes.


download and complete the householder enquiry form from our website https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/planning-and-buildings/home-improvements-and-building-work/pre-application-advice-for-homeowners

Party Wall Act: if your proposal affects a Party Wall or if you will need to excavate foundations close to your neighbour’s

house you may need to give them notice under the Party Wall Act. This is a Civil Act and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council do not have any enforcing power under the Act. A guidance document can be downloaded from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523010/Party_Wall_etc__Act_1996_-_Explanatory_Booklet.pdf

Completion CertificatesWhen your project has been satisfactorily completed under the Building Regulations we will issue a Completion Certificate. This is a legal document that you will need if you want to sell your house, you may also need it for re-mortgaging or insurance purposes. Please ensure that we are called in to carry out our final inspection at the end of the project to ensure that your Completion Certificate is issued.

the Inspection ProcessWhatever type of project you are undertaking we will arrange to carry out a series of inspections of the work in progress. Whilst we cannot be on site all of the time the inspections will be carried out at key stages so that we can be reasonably sure that the work carried out complies with the Building Regulations.

We will tailor the inspections carried out to suit your individual project and we will generally arrange these inspections with your builder. If during the project you have any concerns, if you want something specific inspecting, or if you would like to meet to discuss any issues please contact us and we will make the necessary arrangements.


Building control made easy through LABCLABC is a not-for-profit membership organisation that represents all local authority building control teams in England and Wales. Our members ensure that all buildings are safe, dry, warm, healthy and easy to live in.

Our members help you reach the standards required by the Building Regulations by giving feedback on your plans and visiting your home during your building work. As we are from your local council, we are nearby, understand local buildings and want to help local people.

We give you peace of mind when you are dealing with builders and we provide a really good value not-for-profit service.

Use the postcode search on www.labc.co.uk to find your local authority building control team.

5 easy steps to use your local authority building control team 1. Contact your local authority building control

team to find out whether you need building control approval for your project.

2. Free pre-application advice is often available before you submit a building regulation application. Use this opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your project.

3. submit your building regulations application and plans to your local authority building control team. They will check your plans to ensure your proposed design meets the full range of building standards including: structural stability, fire safety and energy efficiency. They will give you helpful feedback and suggestions which helps to spot potential problems -saving you time, trouble and expense.

4. A schedule of inspections onsite will be agreed once your plans are submitted to check work as the build progresses - making sure your project is safe, legal and helping to resolve any technical issues.

5. A completion certificate will be issued at the end of the project, which you’ll need when you sell your home.



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suitability: most houses are suitable for extending, providing that you have the space. When you are thinking about whether your house is suitable for extending you might like to consider:

1. How will you access your extension?

2. What effect will your extension have on the circulation in and around your home?

3. What effect will your extension have on your existing house and garden? Will it block out light from existing rooms or make some rooms unusable? Will you still be able to get into your garden?

4. Is your existing house built from an unusual construction for example prefabricated panels, concrete frame etc?

If you can resolve all of these issues then your house may well be suitable for extending.

How to Proceed: extensions are complex projects and unless you are experienced in construction you will need to get some professional advice. The introduction contained advice about obtaining this and with this in place we can now consider some of the technical issues that affect domestic extensions.

technical IssuesFoundations: the foundations are one of the most important parts of your extension and often one of the most expensive. For domestic extensions concrete trenchfill foundations are the most common, these should be taken down into firm natural ground and should generally be a minimum of 450mm to 1m deep, depending on your location and the ground conditions. In areas with clay subsoil trees up to 20m away can have a significant effect on foundations which generally means that they need to be

DoMestIC eXtensIons

If you need more space and you do not want to move house you may wish to consider extending your home. Your home is probably your most valuable asset so it is important that your extension project is carefully planned. This guide is not a substitute for professional advice but has been written to provide you with useful information about how the Building Regulations will affect your extension.


YOUR HOME IS PROBABLY YOUR MOST vALUABLE ASSET SO IT iSimpoRtANtthAtyouRExtENSioNpRojECtiSCAREfuLLypLANNEd

deeper, sometimes as deep as 2.5m. If you are concerned about any trees please get in touch with us and we will give you some advice regarding foundation depths.

Ground Floor: the ground floor of your extension performs a number of tasks: it must support the floor loading, keep out damp and provide thermal insulation. A common method of ground floor construction is a multilayer structure, the top soil under the extension floor area is removed and a layer of compacted stone is placed over the site. This is covered with sand and a layer of 1200g polythene is then placed over the sand and lapped in with the damp proof course in the wall. A layer of insulation is then provided and a concrete slab at least 100mm thick is poured over the insulation (some insulation may require an additional membrane). The concrete can either be float finished or a screed applied at a later date.

On some sites where the ground floor is significantly higher than external ground level or where the site has been affected by trees, a suspended floor may be needed.

Certain ground conditions will affect the ground floor detail


These can be formed from either concrete or timber and if you need any guidance regarding suspended floors, please get in touch with us for advice.

Walls: the walls of your extension must carry the loads from the floors and roof, keep the weather out of the extension and provide thermal insulation. Cavity walls are commonly used for domestic extensions. These are made up from bricks and blocks and the cavity is insulated as the work proceeds. When building walls remember to ensure that you have adequate buttressing at the corner of your extension, lintels over all openings, wall ties to join the leaves of your cavity wall together and a suitable damp proof course. If you are building up against your neighbour’s house you will also need to ensure that your wall provides adequate sound resistance.

First Floor: two storey extensions will require a first floor, these are generally made up from timber floor joists which span between load bearing walls. The

joists support floor boarding above and plasterboard is then fixed to the underside of the joists to provide a ceiling finish and fire resistance. The size of the floor joists will depend on the span so please contact us for advice on the joist size required. The floor will also need to include sound insulation, in domestic extensions 100mm of sound deadening mineral wool placed between the joists is generally sufficient.

the Roof structure: the roof of your extension will need to be designed to keep out the rain and snow and may need to cope with some light loft storage loading.

Generally two types of roof are used for domestic extensions:

Flat Roofs: this is the simplest type of roof structure and for some extensions, generally single storey, a flat roof can provide a practical and economic solution. Timber joists are used to span between the loadbearing walls or supporting beams which are then covered with a plywood

itiSimpoRtANttoENSuREthAtyoupLANyouRExtENSioNCAREfuLLyANdGEtthEWoRkCARRiEdoutByANExpERiENCEdCoNtRACtoR


decking laid on firring strips to provide a fall. Thermal insulation is then placed over the decking and generally finished with a waterproof covering of three layers of bonded roofing felt. Where insulation is provided below the decking it will require a 50mm void below the decking that is insulated on both sides. Critical things to consider in this type of roof are the size and support of the roof joists and the way that the roof will be insulated and, if necessary, ventilated.

Pitched Roofs: if a flat roof is not suitable for your needs you are likely to require a pitched roof. These are generally more substantial structures that are finished with roof tiles or slates. The supporting structure of the roof can be formed in two ways:

1. trussed Rafter Roofs: these are quick to construct, measurements are taken from site and roof trusses are made up in a factory, that are then delivered to site ready for installation. Each roof is individually designed by the roof truss manufacturer using specialist computer software meaning the carpenter’s time on site can be significantly reduced.

2. traditional Roofs: A carpenter cuts a traditional roof on site. The roof structure

will generally be designed by an architect or structural engineer and the timber is then delivered to site where the carpenter will set out the roof and cut each of the individual timbers to size before installing them. This type of roof offers the greatest flexibility in roof shape and is often the only way of roofing complicated extensions especially where the new roof must join onto an existing structure.

The size of the timbers and supporting beams required in a roof will depend on the loadings and spans involved in each case, complex roofs will require a structural engineer’s design but our Building Control Surveyors will be happy to assist your builder in designing simple roof structures.

Once the timber roof frame is in place the roof must be covered to provide weather protection, pitched roofs are generally finished with tiles or slates with a layer of roofing membrane or felt under them. The tiles are supported by the rafters using timber battens. To provide adequate weather resistance the tiles overlap each other and they must have an adequate pitch. For extensions it is common to use tiles or slates that match the main house although this is not always possible if the extension roof has a very low pitch. Our Building Control Surveyors will be happy to assist you with any enquiries that you have about roof finishes.

stairs: if your extension has more than one storey you may need to install a staircase and careful design of this can be critical to the success of the extension. If a stair is installed it should be designed in accordance with the following guidance.

Width: there is no minimum width for stairs in the Building Regulations however they will need to be useable. Generally stairs are 850–1000mm wide.

Pitch: the maximum pitch for the stair should not exceed 42 degrees.

DID YoU KnoW?“the clear

headroom over the stair should be at

least 2m.”


Rise and Going: the maximum rise of each tread of a domestic stair should not exceed 220mm and the going should be at least 220mm.

Headroom: the clear headroom over the pitch line of the stair should be at least 2m.

Handrails and Balustrades: the stair should be provided with a handrail at least 900mm high and any exposed edges of stairs or landings should be provided with balustrading at least 900mm high. You should not have any opening in the balustrade that exceeds 100mm, this is to prevent young children from falling through it.

Fire Precautions: it is important that you consider fire precautions when you are designing your extension. The most dangerous fires generally occur at night when everyone is asleep and to give you awareness of a fire the Building Regulations advise that mains operated smoke detectors should be installed on each floor of the house when it is extended.

To prevent people being trapped by a fire all rooms that do not open directly onto a hall and all first floor rooms should have a window or door that is large enough for people to escape through. If you are using a window as your secondary fire escape it should have a clear opening of at least 0.33m2 at least 450mm wide and 450mm high and cill height not more than 1100mm above floor level.

Fire is a very dangerous thing and careful design and planning are required to ensure that the risks it poses are minimised.

Ventilation: fresh air is essential to healthy living and the Building Regulations require your extension to have adequate ventilation. Generally an opening window with a ‘trickle vent’ is all that is required, with the window having an openable area equivalent to at least 1/20th of the floor area of the room that it is ventilating. The trickle vent is a small slot type vent that you

can leave open to allow some background ventilation without the need to open the window, generally these are found in the top of the window frame. If your extension contains a kitchen, utility room or bathroom you will need to provide an extract fan in these areas and your Building Control Surveyor will be pleased to provide you with more detailed advice when they call on site.

Drainage: it is usually possible to connect drainage from extensions into the existing drainage systems. Drainage can be divided into two types, foul water and rainwater and generally speaking the drainage systems should be kept separate. Foul drainage is generally discharged through a series of pipes and manholes to a public sewer although some properties will have septic tanks or private sewage treatment plants. When planning your extension look for manholes and try and find out where your drains are running so that you can work out how any new drains will connect to them. It is important that all new underground drain pipes have a diameter of at least 100mm so that they do not block, are watertight and have manholes or access points so that any blockages can be cleared. Where possible rainwater drainage should not be discharged to foul sewers as this can cause problems with flooding. The preferred solutions are to discharge rainwater to soakaways located in your garden at least 5m from any building or to storm water sewers if they are available.

Heating: most extensions will need to be heated and you will need to check with your heating engineer that your existing system has sufficient capacity to heat your extended house. You may also need to move your boiler, if for example, your extension will cover the flue outlet. Any alterations to your heating system should be carried out by a suitably qualified plumber or heating engineer registered with Gas Safe for gas fired boilers or OFTEC


thermal Insulation: CO2 emissions are a major concern in today’s environment and you will need to provide a high level of insulation within your extension. Your extension should provide an insulated envelope so that the amount of heat escaping is minimised. The roof, walls and floors of your extension should all include thermal insulation; walls generally have insulation placed within the cavity, roofs generally have insulation in the loft area and sheets of insulation can be placed beneath the concrete of your ground floor.

Another major area where heat is lost from buildings is the windows and these require special attention: 24mm double glazing units incorporating low emissivity glass are generally required and, unless energy improvements are carried out in the existing house, the window area of your extension is limited by the Building Regulations to 25% of the floor area plus the area of any existing openings covered by the extension.

High levels of insulation can result in problems with condensation and care must be taken to ensure adequate ventilation is available to rooms and particularly in roof voids.

As well as insulating your extension you will need to consider the efficiency of any services you put into it. Low energy light fittings should be used where possible and any new heating systems should work to high levels of efficiency and have suitable thermostats and controls.


for oil fired boilers. Any new boilers will need to be highly efficient condensing boilers and the new radiators that you install in your extension should be fitted with thermostatic radiator valves so that you can ensure that they use heat efficiently.

sound Insulation: to reduce unwanted noise the walls and floor around bedrooms will need to be insulated to reduce sound transmission, this is generally achieved by placing 100mm of sound deadening quilt in the floor void and in the partitions around the bedrooms.

electrical Installations: as part of the Building Regulations process you will need to supply British Standard Test Certificates for most new electrical installations. When selecting your electrical contractor please ensure that they are competent to provide you with these test certificates as otherwise you are likely to incur additional costs for testing the circuits.

Glazing: to reduce the risk of people injuring themselves, glazing in and around doors and all glazing within 800mm of floor level should be either toughened or laminated glass.

Conclusion: whereas a well designed and constructed extension is a definite asset to your home that can provide useful extra space and add value to your property, a poorly thought-out extension can reduce your property’s value and in some cases compromise your safety and the structural integrity of your home. It is important to ensure that you plan your extension carefully and get the work carried out by an experienced contractor.

The Building Regulations exist to ensure that buildings are constructed to a reasonable standard; Building Control will be pleased to provide you with any further assistance that you require during the design and construction of your extension.


ConsentsPlanning

Conservatories can often be built without the need for a full planning application under the Permitted Development Rules (PDRs), subject to meeting a number of conditions (which also apply to extensions). The maximum depth to the rear of the house allowed under these rules is six metres (or eight metres for detached houses), with a height limit of four metres and no wider than the existing rear elevation – which in most cases should provide ample space. But before proceeding, in some cases you will first

need to write to your Local Planning Authority with a description of the proposal. They will then notify adjoining neighbours who will have 21 days to make an objection. For full details go to www.rightsurvey.co.uk/planning.html

There are some important exceptions to these rules, so always check with your local Planning Authority at the design stage.

Building Regulations

Conservatories are normally exempt from building regulations when:

• They are built at ground level and are less than 30m2 in floor area.

Conservatories are sometimes constructed as part of a renovation project and are a relatively inexpensive way of adding extra space to your home.

this guide covers popular home renovation works. Please see the sister guidebook – ‘Guide to extending Your Home’ – for information about adding new space to your property with a home extension, loft conversion, or converting garages and outbuildings. (Details can be found on the contents page).

ConseRVAtoRIes


• The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality walls, doors or windows.

• They have an independent heating system with separate temperature and on/off controls.

• Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the applicable building regulations requirements (see below).

• Any new structural opening between the conservatory and the existing house will require building regulations approval, even if the conservatory itself is an exempt structure.

• You are advised not to construct conservatories where they will restrict ladder access to windows serving rooms in roof or loft conversions, particularly if any of the windows are intended to help escape or rescue if there is a fire.

But even with all the above boxes ticked, there are some other areas where the Building Regulations could potentially still apply:

• If the structure is built over a shared drain run (check before excavating!). N.B.youarenotallowedtobuildovera Public Sewer – to find out if there are any Public Sewers on your property check with your local Water Authority.

• Any new electrical circuits must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations, so an application will need to be made unless the work is carried out by a ‘competent person’.

• Any structural alterations, such as a new opening from the house to the conservatory will require Building Regulations approval, even if the conservatory itself is an exempt building.

Conservatory Design

When it comes to designing your conservatory, there are some general points to bear in mind:

• Better quality designs have base walls of cavity masonry construction laid to normal foundation depths, upon which the superstructure is fixed – as opposed to simply being erected upon a thin concrete slab (which can lead to problems with structural movement).

• Flues serving wall-mounted boilers are often located so they clash with the proposed conservatory. This normally means having to relocate the boiler so the flue is well clear of the building.

• ventilated roof ridges should be incorporated to relieve air pressure and prevent ‘wind uplift’ that can push out lightweight roof panels.

• Try to avoid building the conservatory where it could hamper rescue by ladder in the event of fire to windows serving upper floors.

Replacement of Conservatory Roofs

Many conservatories are now reaching the end of their natural life or are starting to cost substantially more to heat. Homeowners are now looking for cost effective ways of retaining their existing floor space whilst improving the energy efficiency of the conservatory. To this end they are giving consideration to replacing their existing obsolete translucent roofs with solid ones.Conservatories have been exempt from compliance with Building Regulations for many years – as long as it is a lightweight structure comprising of predominantly glazed walls/roof and that the conservatory is thermally separated from the main dwelling.When building work is carried out to significantly reduce the proportion of glazing or level of translucence to the roof – the conservatory can no longer be classed as exempt from Building Regulations compliance.So, if you intend to replace your existing conservatory roof with either a• Traditional timber roof construction

with tile/slate covering immediately on top of the existing glazed conservatory frame


or a

• Lightweight composite roof immediately on top of the existing glazed conservatory frame

- a Building Regulation application must be submitted.

The main issues of awareness in your conservatory construction are:

Foundations – trial holes will need to be excavated in order to assess the existing conservatory foundations. This will be required to ensure that the foundation is suitable to support the new roof loading.

Roof construction – structural assessment of the existing conservatory framework will need to be carried out to ensure that it is suitable to support the new roof loading – It will be necessary to verify the type and extent of reinforcement within the existing vertical frames.

If there is no suitable reinforcement in the existing frames to support the new roof loading – then it may be necessary to install new window frames or additional reinforcement installed abutting the existing frames.

energy efficiency – the new roof construction should be provided with satisfactory thickness of insulation so as to comply with current Building Regulations.

The separating wall/doors between the conservatory and the main dwelling must always remain in position.

Please contact your Building Control team to discuss the upgrading of your conservatory roof prior to commencing building work.

You will be advised regarding the following:

• howtosubmityourBuildingNoticeapplication – and appropriate fee.

• Arranging an initial site inspection from Building Control in order to discuss the project with you and your contractor.

• Providing trial holes so that your Building Control Surveyor can assess the suitability of your existing foundations

• Discussing and agreeing support to your proposed roof construction with your Building Control Surveyor.

Garden rooms

Where your conservatory doesn’t meet the necessary Building Regulations criteria, it will be classed as a home extension which will need to fully comply. This is covered in the booklet ‘Extending Your Home’, but the following points are worth noting:

• Adding a conservatory to create a large open plan kitchen/diner can create a pleasant, bright feel. But without any dividing doors to separate it from the main house, much of your room heat will be channelled straight out to the conservatory, sending energy bills rocketing. Simple polycarbonate roofs can allow more than 15 times the amount of heat to escape than conventional tiled roofs. In summer the opposite problem can occur, as the sun heats the enclosed space to unbearable temperatures. So where there is no thermal separation from the house, new rooms must be designed so they don’t leak heat and the design will need to meet demanding thermal efficiency requirements (Part L).

• There are limits on the extent of glazed areas (normally equivalent to no more than 25% of the extension’s floor area + an additional area to compensate for any existing doors or windows which are covered up due to the works).

• Some kind of heating system will be required, such as an extra radiator or new underfloor heating. It should be capable of being controlled separately from the rest of the house so it can be set to a lower temperature or turned completely off.



58 Sheffi eld Road, Hoyland Common, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S74 0DQ

• Site Clearance• Foundations• Deep Drainage• Sewer Connections• Sewer Diversions

• Demolition• Septic Tanks &

Pumping Stations• Concreting

Works

Call us: 07929 07516301226 743680

[email protected]

www.jackelliottgroundworks.co.uk



LoftConversionsA family run business, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The business has over 35 years of experience in the building trade.

Jole Plant Hire & Groundworks, 5 Chapel Cro� , Hemingfi eld, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S73 0PL.

Plant Hire & GroundworksJole Plant Hire is a family run business established 15 years ago. We off er our services throughout Yorkshire and have genera� ons of experience in all aspects of Excava� ons, Groundworks, Drainage and Demoli� on.

Call: 07960 919 622Email: [email protected]

www.joleplanthire.co.uk

• Excava� ons• Groundworks• Demoli� on• Civil Engineering• Grab Hire• Plant Hire• Aggregates• Ra� Founda� ons• Founda� ons• Concre� ng• Foul Sewer Connec� ons• Drainage• Street Works• Dropped Kerbs

• Driveways• Tarmac• Adopted Road• Access Roads• Site Clearance• Skip Hire

...AWELLCoNvERtEdLoftiSAdEfiNitEASSEttoyouRhomE,itCANpRovidEuSEfuLExtRASpACEANdAddvALUE TO YOUR PROPERTY.

LoFt ConVeRsIons

Introduction: most houses have a large space under their roofs normally known as the loft or attic, a space is often under-utilised and, which in some instances, can offer an ideal opportunity for expanding your home. This guide has been written to provide you with useful information about how the Building Regulations will affect your loft conversion project.

suitability: not all lofts are suitable for conversion and as a first step it is wise to go into your loft and carry out a brief survey before you get too far into the planning of your project. When carrying out your survey check:

• thatthereisenoughheightwithinyour loft to stand comfortably, bearing in mind that your new floor is likely to

be around 200mm higher than your existing ceiling joists and the insulation to the roof may lower the height by up to 150mm.

• thattheloftspaceislargeenoughtoprovide a useable room.

• thattherearen’tanychimneysorservices passing through the loft space that will need moving.

• thatyourroofhasfeltunderthetilesorisfully weathertight.

If the answer to all of these questions is ‘Yes’ then your loft may well be suitable for conversion.

How to Proceed: loft conversions are complex projects and unless you are experienced in construction you will



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need to get some professional advice. The introduction contained advice about obtaining this and with this in place we can now consider some of the technical issues that affect loft conversions.

technical Issuesthe Roof structure: the roof of your home is currently designed to keep out the rain and snow and to cope with some light loft storage loading. After a loft conversion your roof will have to cope with significantly increased loadings. A new floor structure will usually be required and it is likely that a number of the structural elements will usually need to be altered to allow for circulation within the room, roof windows etc. Roofs can generally be divided into two types.

trussed Rafter Roofs: these have been common since the 1970s and roofs of this type are difficult to convert. Roof trusses are

complex pieces of engineering and they should not be altered without the advice of a structural engineer. When converting this type of roof it is common for a series of beams to be installed to provide support to the new floor and to strengthen the rafters, this allows the bracing sections of the trusses to be cut out to create a clear floor area.

traditional Roofs: these are generally made up from a series of rafters and purlins spanning between load bearing walls. These roofs are less complicated to convert than trussed rafter roofs, however, beams are often required to provide support to the new floor structure and the existing purlins and a structural engineer’s design will be required for all but the simplest conversions.

When considering a loft conversion don’t be tempted to simply board over your

...ifthEANSWERtoALLofthESEquEStioNSiS‘yES’thENyouRLoftmAyWELLBESuitABLEfoRCoNvERSioN.


existing ceiling joists and rafters, this can adversely affect the value of your property, negate your building insurance and in some circumstances can cause overloading and endanger the structural stability and occupants of your home.

Accessing your Loft Conversion: if you want to convert your loft for habitable use you will need to install a staircase and careful design of this can be critical to the success of your conversion. If there is enough headroom it is often best to continue the stair in the existing stairwell as this saves space and gives a feeling of continuity within the home, alternatively part of a room will have to be partitioned off to accommodate the new staircase. Wherever the stair is installed it should be designed in accordance with the following guidance.



Headroom: the clear headroom over the stair should be at least 2m, for some loft conversions the Building Regulations allow a reduced headroom of 1.9m over the centre of the stair and 1.8m on the outside edge.

Handrails and Balustrades: the stair should be provided with a handrail at least 900mm high and any exposed edges of stairs or landings should be provided with balustrading at least 900mm high. For loft conversions where space is very limited and only one room is created, a steeper traditional staircase may be acceptable where floor space is very restricted. Where you propose this solution you are advised to speak with our building control team at an early stage.

Fire Precautions: house fires can kill and fire precautions are a major concern for the Building Regulations. The most dangerous fires generally occur at night when everyone is asleep and to give you awareness of a fire it is important that you install smoke detection. When converting your loft you will need to ensure that you


have mains powered, interlinked smoke detectors in the hall/landing areas on every floor of your house.

single storey Houses: the Building Regulations requirements for fire precautions in two storey housing are quite simple as it is generally felt that if you couldn’t get down the stairs you could jump from a first floor window. If you are converting the loft of a bungalow you will need to ensure that you have mains powered interlinked smoke detection at ground and first floor level and that all habitable rooms at first floor level have an ‘escape window’.

escape Windows: as their name suggests, are windows that are large enough to allow people to escape or be rescued through them. They need to have a clear opening area of at least 0.33m2 and a clear width of at least 450mm wide and 450mm high. The bottom of the opening light should be no more than 1100mm above floor level

and they should allow people to escape to a place free from danger. Escape windows need to be fitted with escape hinges that allow the window to fully open. Some of the standard hinges fitted to upvc windows do not achieve this so it is wise to check this with your glazing supplier when you order your windows.

two storey Houses: when you convert the loft of a house and create a third floor the Building Regulations require you to look at the fire precautions within the house a lot more seriously. Mains operated smoke detection needs to be fitted to give you awareness of a fire and, due to the height of your new floor, you can no longer rely on escaping safely through the windows. The only safe way out of the house is now down the stairs. So it is therefore vital that the stair is protected from fire. To protect the stair all of the doors that open onto the stair need to be twenty-minute rated fire doors and the stair should end up in a hall with a door direct to the outside. Generally, unless a

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WiLLNEEdtoGEtSomEpRofESSioNALAdviCE.


sprinkler system or alternative escape stair is provided, stairs cannot discharge into other rooms in three storey properties.

three storey Houses: if your house already has three storeys and you wish to add one or more additional floors, loft conversions become more complicated. You are likely to need to install a sprinkler system or a second escape stair and the project will need specialist design. Please contact us and we will be happy to provide you with more detailed advice if you are considering one of these projects.

Fire is very dangerous and careful design and planning is required to ensure that the risks it poses are minimised.

Bathrooms: it is often a nice idea to include a bath or shower room in your

loft conversion, the best place for this is generally directly above your existing bathroom as this should ensure that you can connect into the existing drainage and water supplies without the need for excessive pipework. Any bath or shower rooms will also need to be fitted with an extract fan to improve ventilation. It is a good idea to decide on the location of any bathrooms at an early stage in your space planning process.

thermal Insulation: CO2 emissions are a major concern in today’s environment and you will need to provide a high level of insulation to your roof as part of your loft conversion. The most common way of achieving this is to place a high performance insulation board in between and below the rafters. Unless your roof

sound Insulation: to reduce unwanted noise the walls and floor around bedrooms will need to be insulated to reduce sound transmission, this is generally achieved by placing 100mm of sound deadening quilt in the floor void and in the partitions around the bedrooms. If you are converting the loft of a semi-detached or terraced property you will need to ensure that the sound resistance of the Party Wall is upgraded so that sound transmission to your neighbours is reduced.


has a breathable felt you will need to leave a void above the insulation and ensure that you have effective roof ventilation to prevent the build up of condensation.

Heating: to maximise the usability of the room you will probably want to install heating and in most instances the most effective way of doing this is to extend the existing central heating system. You will need to check with your plumber or heating engineer to ensure that your existing boiler has sufficient capacity to serve any additional radiators and any new radiators should be fitted with thermostatic valves to control the room temperature. If it is not possible to extend the existing system or if you prefer an alternative method of heating, e.g. electric panel heaters, careful consideration should be given as to how these can be switched and controlled to ensure that they function efficiently.

electrics: you are likely to require some electrical alterations as part of your conversion. Depending on the age and condition of your existing electrical system it is sometimes possible to extend existing

circuits but sometimes new circuits and even a new distribution board will be required. It is a good idea to get advice from a competent electrician at an early stage. When appointing an electrician please ensure that they are able to issue you with BS7671 test certificates when they have completed their installation as these will be required before your Building Regulations Completion Certificate can be issued and you will incur additional costs if the test certificates have not been provided.

Windows and Ventilation: any new habitable rooms will need to be ventilated. Generally this is achieved by providing an opening window or roof light equivalent to 1/20th of the floor area of the room with a trickle vent at high level. All new windows must be fitted with highly efficient double glazed units. In bath or shower rooms an extract fan should be fitted and in rooms without opening windows extract fans should be fitted that are triggered by the light switch with overrun timers that allow the fan to remain on after the light is turned out.

Conclusion: a well converted loft is a definite asset to your home, it can provide useful extra space and add value to your property. However a poorly converted loft can reduce your property’s value and in some cases compromise your safety and the structural integrity of your home. It is important to ensure that you plan your conversion carefully and get the work carried out by an experienced contractor.

The Building Regulations exist to ensure that buildings are constructed to a reasonable standard; Barnsley Building Control will be pleased to provide you with any further assistance that you require during the design and construction of your project.



Telephone: 01226 725358Email: [email protected]

www.buildersbarnsley.com

• New Build Projects• Extensions• Building Conversions• Out Buildings• Alterations• Refurbishments

General Buildersin Barnsley

36 Applehaigh View, Royston, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S71 4HR.



GarageConversionsA family run business, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The business has over 35 years of experience in the building trade.

GARAGe ConVeRsIons

suitability: if you have a brick or block garage attached to your house it is probably suitable for converting. When you are thinking about whether your garage is suitable for conversion you might like to consider:

• Whetherthereareanyknownproblemswith your garage, are there any cracks in it? Is it damp? Does the roof leak? Has the floor been contaminated with fuel or oil?

• howwillyougetintothenewroom?Have you got or can you put a doorway through to the garage from the house?

• Willyouhaveenoughparkingandstorage area if you convert your garage?

• isthereenoughroominyourgarageto provide the accommodation that you require or would you be better extending the property?

• isyourexistinggaragebuiltfromanunusual construction?

If you need more space and you do not want to move house you may wish to consider converting your garage. Your home is probably your most valuable asset so it is important that your conversion project is carefully planned. This guide is not a substitute for professional advice but has been written to provide you with useful information about how the Building Regulations will affect your conversion.

Certain ground conditions will effect the ground floor detail


For example, prefabricated panels, concrete frame etc.

If you can resolve all of these issues then your garage may well be suitable for conversion.

How to Proceed: garage conversions can be complex projects and unless you are experienced in construction you will need to get some professional advice. The introduction contained advice about obtaining this and with this in place we can now consider some of the technical issues that affect garage conversions.

technical IssuesInfilling the Garage Door opening: this tends to be the most visible part of your conversion from the outside and whatever you choose to infill the opening it will need some support. Some garages have a foundation that runs across the garage opening which you can use to support your infill. Unfortunately the only real way to tell if the front of your garage has an existing foundation is to dig a hole and find out.

If there is no foundation under your garage door opening there are two main options.

You can either:

1. Dig a foundation 1m deep or to the same depth as the foundations of the existing house, call us to inspect the foundation and then fill it with concrete.

Or

2. If the opening is only the width of a single garage door install two 150mm deep concrete lintels across the opening supported by the existing foundations.

Your Building Control Surveyor will be happy to provide you with more advice about which is the best option for you when we get to site. With the foundations in place the garage door opening can now be filled in. There are several options for how this can be done. The opening can be filled in with brickwork to match the house and a window. People generally

narrow the garage door opening slightly as a full width window can appear out of proportion. To keep the damp out and to provide insulation it is best to use a cavity wall and your new window should meet current energy efficiency requirements. Other options include installing a lightweight timber framed panel with a weatherproof external surface and insulation, this can be quicker and cheaper and has the advantage that it is easier to remove if you, or any future owners of the house, ever wanted to reinstate your garage. Whichever option you choose it is important that the infill panel provides adequate weather resistance and insulation and that all of the new work is tied into the existing construction. Your Building Control Surveyor will be happy to provide you with advice about this.

Raising the Floor Level: garage floors are generally lower than the floor in the main house and they often slope towards the garage door. For these reasons garage floors are generally raised as part of a conversion. There are two main ways of raising a garage floor. Whichever way you choose it is important to consider insulation and damp proofing. It is critical to ensure that any damp proof membranes provided to the floor are continuous with those in the walls, which are often at a higher level.


BEFORE

option 1 – Concrete: using this method a polythene membrane is placed over the garage floor, floor insulation is laid down, a second polythene membrane is installed and the floor level is brought up to the same level as the house using concrete or sand and cement screed.

option 2 – timber: this method involves placing treated timber floor joists onto a damp proof membrane placed over the existing concrete floor, placing floor insulation between the joists and covering the floor joists with floor boards or tongued and grooved chipboard. This type of floor will have to be ventilated though to prevent the build up of damp.

The floor can then be finished with carpet, laminate or any other decorative surface.

Lining the external Walls: the walls used to construct garages are not normally up to habitable standards and will usually require additional work for damp protection and thermal efficiency. They are sometimes formed from a single thickness of brickwork and even when built from cavity masonry they are often uninsulated.

The three main areas of concern when upgrading walls in a garage conversion are: weather and damp resistance, insulation and sound resistance. The upgrading scheme that you choose will be influenced by the original construction of your garage walls, these can be broadly divided into two categories.

Cavity Walls: if your garage is built from cavity walling, weather resistance and damp proofing are unlikely to be a problem. These walls generally have damp proof courses and providing that your wall is in good condition and is not showing signs of water ingress or rising damp the wall will simply require insulating and a plaster finish ready for your decoration. There are two options for insulating the wall: either the cavity can be injected with cavity wall insulation or an insulated lining board can be fixed to the inner face of the wall prior to plaster boarding or plastering. various boards are available and your Building Control Surveyor will be happy to provide advice as to which boards are suitable for your project.

AFTER


DID YoU KnoW?“to keep the damp out and to

provide insulation it is best to use a cavity wall and your new window

should be double-glazed”

solid Brick Walls: in garages these are generally only a single brick approximately 100mm thick and they often have intermediate piers that buttress the walls and give them additional strength. A single brick wall will not provide adequate weather resistance to a habitable room and a supplementary wall will need to be provided behind the original wall. This can be done either by building an additional skin of masonry to form a cavity wall, the cavity can be insulated as the wall is built and the wall can then be dry lined or plastered. Alternatively an independent timber framed wall can be constructed with a cavity between the new framing and the existing wall. The frame should be constructed from treated timber and insulation should be provided between the timber studs. Once the frame is in place an insulated plasterboard finish can be applied ready for decoration.

Occasionally garages are built with 225mm thick solid brick walls. If they are in good condition and have a damp proof course they will normally provide adequate weather resistance but they will need to be lined with an insulating board to improve their insulation.

Party Walls: if any of the walls of your garage are shared with a neighbour it is considered to be a Party Wall. These walls will need to be upgraded to reduce sound transfer between your new room and your neighbour’s property. Your Building Control Surveyor will be happy to provide you with advice as to how you can upgrade any Party Walls.

the Ceiling: unless your existing garage has an adequate ceiling you will need to provide one as part of your conversion. Plasterboard is the most common material used for ceilings as it offers good fire resistance and flame spread properties. Other materials can be used but they will generally need to be treated to improve their fire performance. If the garage is open to a roof you will need to provide insulation above the ceiling and the roof void will generally need to be ventilated above the insulation to reduce the risk of problems with condensation. In a pitched roof fibreglass insulation will normally suffice but with flat roofs, where space is confined, high performance insulation boards are often required. Your Building Control Surveyor will be happy to discuss this with you.


Heating: to maximise the usability of the room you will probably want to install heating; in many instances the most effective way of doing this is to extend the existing central heating system. You will need to check with your plumber or heating engineer to ensure that your existing boiler has sufficient capacity to serve any additional radiators and any new radiators should be fitted with thermostatic valves to control the room temperature. If it is not possible to extend the existing system, or, if you prefer an alternative method of heating, e.g. electric panel heaters, careful consideration should be given as to how these can be switched and controlled to ensure that they function efficiently.

Drainage: if you are looking to include a sink, bathroom, shower room or cloakroom in your conversion it is important that you consider drainage at an early stage. Any new appliances will need to connect to your existing foul drainage system as they are not allowed to be connected into rainwater drains. When planning your layouts make sure that there are suitable routes for pipes to run to a point where they can connect to existing drains.

Windows and Ventilation: any new habitable rooms will need to be ventilated. Generally this is achieved by providing an opening window equivalent to 1/20th of the floor area of the room with a trickle vent at high level. All new windows must be fitted with highly efficient double glazed units and it is wise to make sure that they contain an opener with a clear area of at least 0.33m2 and 450mm wide and 450mm high. This should be large enough for you to escape through in the case of fire. This is essential if the door out of your garage opens into a room other than your entrance hall. Special fire escape hinges should be fitted to this window to ensure that it can be fully opened if you ever need it. In bath or shower rooms an extract fan should be fitted and in rooms without opening windows extract fans should be fitted that are triggered by the light switch with

overrun timers that allow the fan to remain on after the light is turned out.

Fire Precautions: when you are investing money in your home it is a good opportunity to review the fire precautions that are available in the existing house. Mains operated smoke detection significantly improves fire safety in the home and the Building Regulations require that it should be installed where garages are converted to habitable rooms.

electrics: you are likely to require some electrical alterations as part of your conversion. Depending on the age and condition of your existing electrical system it is sometimes possible to extend existing circuits but sometimes new circuits and even a new distribution board will be required. It is a good idea to get advice from a competent electrician at an early stage. When appointing an electrician please ensure that they are able to issue you with BS7671 test certificates when they have completed their installation as these will be required before your Building Regulations Completion Certificate can be issued and you will incur additional costs if the test certificates have not been provided.

Conclusion: a well designed and constructed garage conversion can be a definite asset to your home that can provide useful extra space and add value to your property. A poorly thought-out conversion can reduce your property’s value and in some cases compromise your safety and the structural integrity of your home. It is important to ensure that you plan your conversion carefully and get the work carried out by an experienced contractor.The Building Regulations exist to ensure that buildings are constructed to a reasonable standard; Barnsley Building Control will be pleased to provide you with any further assistance that you require during the design and construction of your project.


suitability: if you have a cellar beneath your house it may well be suitable for converting. When you are thinking about whether your cellar is suitable for conversion you might like to consider:

• istheresufficientheadroominthecellar,bearing in mind that the ceiling and the floor treatments that you will have to install are likely to reduce the available headroom?

• doesthecellareverflood?

• Whatistheaccesslike?isthereaplacefor a staircase?

• Willyouhaveenoughstorageareaifyou convert your cellar?

• isthereenoughroominyourcellarto provide the accommodation that you require or would you be better extending the property?

• isthereanyventilationtoyourcellarorcould any be provided?

If you can resolve all of these issues then your cellar may well be suitable for conversion.

How to Proceed: Cellar conversions can be complex projects and unless you are experienced in construction you will need to get some professional advice. The introduction contained advice about how

to select professional advice and with this in place we can now consider some of the technical issues that affect cellar conversions.

technical IssuesLowering the Cellar Floor: if there is not sufficient headroom in your cellar it is sometimes possible to lower the cellar floor. This is not however a simple operation and careful consideration needs to be given to whether lowering the floor will undermine the house or the neighbour’s house foundations and whether the floor will end up below the

DoMestIC CeLLAR ConVeRsIonsIf you are fortunate enough to have a cellar beneath your house and you need more space you may wish to consider converting your cellar. Your home is probably your most valuable asset so it is important that your conversion project is carefully planned. This guide is not a substitute for professional advice but has been written to provide you with useful information about how the Building Regulations will affect your conversion.

DID YoU KnoW?“the maximum pitch

for the stair should not exceed 42 degrees.”


water table and make the property more vulnerable to flooding. Specialist advice should always be taken before considering lowering cellar floors.

Access: some cellars already have good stepped access to them, whether the existing stairs will provide suitable access to a habitable room is a matter of judgment and our Building Control Surveyors will be happy to offer advice. If there are no steps,

or if the existing steps are inadequate, a new stair will need to be installed. Careful consideration should be given to the best location for the stair and this will be influenced by a number of factors including the layout of the existing house and cellar, the headroom available and whether a secondary means of escape can be provided from the cellar area. Wherever the stair is installed it should be designed in accordance with the following guidance.



Cellar andBasementConversionsA family run business, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The business has over 35 years of experience in the building trade.

Waterproofing: as most cellars are set within the ground they tend to suffer from problems with damp. If it is to be converted to a habitable room your cellar will need to be damp proofed. A number of systems are available for damp proofing cellars and most of them use a proprietary waterproof render system known as tanking. This is applied so that it forms a continuous damp proof layer across the floor and up the walls and is generally installed by specialist companies who will offer an insurance backed guarantee for the installation. Protecting your cellar from damp is an important part of the cellar conversion process and we will need to approve details of the system that you are using and the installer prior to installation.




Headroom: there are no reductions permitted – it is a simple 2m minimum above the pitch line.

Handrails and Balustrades: the stair should be provided with a handrail at least 900mm high and any exposed edges of stairs or landings should be provided with balustrading at least 900mm high.

Fire Precautions: your cellar will need to be provided with suitable escape routes in case of a fire. If your cellar has a light well it may be possible to upgrade this so that as

well as providing ventilation to the room it can provide a secondary fire escape. To be considered as a secondary fire escape it would need to be fitted with a door or window with a clear area of at least 0.33m2 and 450mm wide and 450mm high. Special fire escape hinges should be fitted to this window to ensure that it can be fully opened if you ever need it and you should be able to easily climb up from the light well to ground level. If you cannot provide a secondary fire escape the staircase will need to end up in a fire protected hallway with a door direct to outside.

When converting your cellar it is a good opportunity to review the fire precautions that are available in the existing house. Mains operated smoke detection significantly improves fire safety in the

...AWELLCoNvERtEdCELLARCANBEANiNtEREStiNGSpACEANdCANBEAGREAtWAyofGEttiNGExtRARoomiNyouRHOUSE.


home and the Building Regulations require that it should be installed where cellars are converted to habitable rooms.

Drainage: if you are looking to include a sink, bathroom, shower room or even a washing machine in your conversion it is important that you consider drainage at an early stage. Any new appliances will need to connect to your existing foul drainage system and the drains are usually above the level of the appliances that you wish to install. You are likely to need to install a pumped drainage system and various package systems are available that macerate the drainage and pump it via a small diameter pipe to the existing drainage system. When planning your layouts make sure that there are suitable routes for pipes to run to a point where they can connect to existing drains.

the Ceiling: unless your existing cellar has an adequate ceiling you will need to provide one as part of your conversion. Plasterboard is the most common material used for ceilings as it offers good fire resistance and flame spread properties. Other materials can be used but they will generally need to be treated to improve their fire performance. If either your cellar

or the room above is to be used as a bedroom you will need to install 100mm of acoustic quilt within the floor void between the rooms.

Heating: to maximise the usability of the room you will probably want to install heating, in most instances the most effective way of doing this is to extend the existing central heating system. You will need to check with your plumber or heating engineer to ensure that your existing boiler and pump has sufficient capacity to serve any additional radiators. Any new radiators should be fitted with thermostatic valves

DID YoU KnoW?“any new habitable

rooms will need to be ventilated”


Conclusion: a well converted cellar can be an interesting space and can be a great way of getting extra room in your house. Cellar conversions are often not simple projects and a poorly thought-out conversion can reduce your property’s value and in some cases compromise your safety and the structural integrity of your home. It is important to ensure that you plan your conversion carefully and get the work carried out by an experienced contractor.

The Building Regulations exist to ensure that buildings are constructed to a reasonable standard; Barnsley Building Control will be pleased to provide you with any further assistance that you require during the design and construction of your project.

to control the room temperature. If it is not possible to extend the existing system, or, if you prefer an alternative method of heating, e.g. electric panel heaters, careful consideration should be given as to how these can be switched and controlled to ensure that they function efficiently.

Ventilation: any new habitable rooms will need to be ventilated and this can sometimes present a problem for cellar conversions. Where the cellar contains a light well this can sometimes be adapted to include an opening window equivalent to 1/20th of the floor area of the room with a trickle vent at high level. In any bath or shower rooms an extract fan should be fitted and if they do not have opening windows extract fans should be fitted that are triggered by the light switch with overrun timers that allow the fan to remain on after the light is turned out. Where natural ventilation through windows is not practical a mechanical ventilation system will need to be installed and various package systems are available on the market. ventilation should be considered early in the design stage as, if mechanical ventilation is required, the duct work will need to be accommodated.

thermal Insulation: CO2 emissions are a major concern in today’s environment and you will need to provide a high level

of insulation within your conversion. Your cellar should provide an insulated envelope so that the amount of heat escaping is minimised. The walls and floor of your cellar are generally lined with insulating boards and the windows should include 24mm double glazing units incorporating low emissivity glass. As well as insulating your extension you will need to consider the efficiency of any services you put into it. Low energy light fittings should be used where possible and any new heating systems should work to high levels of efficiency and have suitable thermostats and controls.

electrics: you are likely to require some electrical alterations as part of your conversion. Depending on the age and condition of your existing electrical system it is sometimes possible to extend existing circuits but sometimes new circuits and even a new distribution board will be required. It is a good idea to get advice from a competent electrician at an early stage. When appointing an electrician please ensure that they are able to issue you with BS7671 test certificates when they have completed their installation as these will be required before your Building Regulations Completion Certificate can be issued and you will incur additional costs if the test certificates have not been provided.


BARns & FARM BUILDInGsChanges over time to the rural economy have resulted in a surplus of redundant barns and other farm buildings. Although barns can make ideal conversion projects, obtaining planning consent for residential use is not always feasible, particularly where such historic buildings are listed. Even where consent is granted, there can be significant design challenges.

suitability

Traditional barn construction varies across the country, being either of timber, stone, brick or mud. More recent farm buildings, typically clad with corrugated sheeting, are less contentious in planning terms but mostly comprise only basic shells with considerably less appeal and potential for conversion.

size & shape

Traditional farm buildings are generally well suited to conversion in terms of their size and dimensions. But to comply with strict planning requirements, only very limited changes may be permitted. To maximise

daylight without making alterations that could compromise the building’s character one solution is to install small slit windows in dark glass at eaves level. To avoid subdividing the interior, attached additions can often be utilised to create smaller spaces. Fortunately, some Building Regulations requirements for upgrading historic buildings are relatively flexible, such as the extent of insulation, but some requirements are more onerous, notably those concerned with escape in the event of fire.

Location

Many disused farm buildings are in prime locations where new housebuilding wouldn’t be entertained, making residential conversion an enticing prospect. But in remote rural areas the cost of providing new mains services can be very expensive. Noiseanddisturbancefromadjoiningfarmsis also a potential concern. The potential for


creating car parking and garden space is usually very good.

Financial and legal

Many redundant farm buildings are dilapidated, requiring extensive remedial work. Furthermore, the cost of complying with demanding planning conditions, e.g. where the use of traditional materials is stipulated can be substantial, particularly with listed buildings. Another consideration is the presence of asbestos-based materials which are common in farm buildings and can be very expensive to have removed.

From a legal perspective, it’s essential that solicitors check that all relevant access rights are in place – because land without access is virtually worthless. Or where someone else owns the track leading to the property there is the potential risk of being held to ransom for the subsequent granting of such rights. And roads that are unadopted and unmade may have significant upkeep liabilities.

Planning

Full planning permission is needed for a change of use (not just outline consent). Listed building consent may also in some cases be required.

Conversion to residential use is widely regarded as potentially the most damaging in terms of the impact on an old building’s historic character, features and setting. It therefore tends to be considered as a last resort with alternative potential uses given priority, such as the re-use of buildings for farm-related business (eg conversion to farm offices, shops or workshops). Uses such as leisure/tourism, restaurants and recreation are generally less demanding of the building and its setting and can also contribute to the rural economy. So a marketing exercise may first need to be carried out to identify whether there is demand for a less damaging non-residential use.

Where no other viable use can be identified, designs for conversion to

residential should be ‘true to the building’ by seeking to retain its form and character rather than merely transform it into a new house.

As a general rule, a successful application should demonstrate:

* Retention of historic features, materials and finishes

* Respect for the building’s agricultural character, robustness and simplicity

* Preservation of the building’s impact upon the landscape (so it’s unspoilt by car parking and boundary walls etc).

* The safeguarding of any protected species in farm buildings, such as owls and bats.

The aim should be to retain key characteristics, particularly:

* Walling materials and finishes

* The pattern of existing doors and windows (new external openings should be minimal, instead making the most of existing entrances and cart doors)

* The roof shape and coverings (dormers are never acceptable and rooflights kept to a minimum).

Detailed guidelines on barn conversions are available from the Development Control Department at the Council, and a preliminary discussion is always advisable. Other planning policies that may apply include:

• highways:transportissuescanbeamajor factor when determining suitable re-use of buildings, particularly in remote areas.

• Greenbelt:thecriteriaforchangeofuseor conversion of buildings in the Green Belt are normally set out in the Council Development Plan.


Re-WIRInG AnD eLeCtRICAL ALteRAtIonsBuilding RegulationsAll new electrical work must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations which restricts DIY electrical work on grounds of safety. However, you are still allowed to carry out some work yourself without notifying Building Control. Minor repairs and maintenance are permitted, as well as ‘like for like’ replacements, such as changing existing sockets, switches and ceiling pendants or even replacing damaged cables. As long as the job isn’t within a ‘special location’ such as a bathroom or outdoors, you’re also allowed to install additional new light fittings, switches, sockets and even add a single fused spur to an existing circuit (a ‘spur’ is a new cable and socket run as a branch from an existing socket on the ring main).

Everything else, such as installing complete new circuits or changing a fuseboard for a consumer unit, is classed as ‘notifiable work’. This requires a Building Regulations application to be made in advance so the work can be inspected and checked. However, in most cases the electrician can self-certify their work as they’re normally registered with a body that gives them the necessary ‘registered installer’ status (also known as ‘competent persons’) such as the ECA (Electrical Contractors Association) orNiCEiC(NationalinspectionCouncilforElectrical Installation Contracting).

A ‘non-qualified’ person can still carry out notifiable electrical work as long as Building Control are informed – but if you fail to do this and the work is found to be unsafe, it can lead to a hefty fine.

Upon completion of the job, it is a legal requirement for the electrician to test the new system and hand over a signed BS 7671 electrical safety certificate. In addition, you should be sent a Building Regulations compliance certificate for all notifiable work by the operator of the registration scheme.

Re-wiringProperties dating from the 1970s or earlier that still have their original wiring, will now be overdue for complete renewal. The first job normally involves routing all the cables and fixing the backing-boxes in place. This is known as ‘first fix’. The ‘second fix’ stage involves fitting all the covers to the switches and sockets and installing light fittings and ceiling roses etc.

Rewiring an occupied property is more difficult than in new construction, especially in flats, where cables are often buried within inaccessible floors or ceilings. So re-wiring can cause considerable disruption and expense.

Traditionally, cables running along masonry walls would be buried in channels known as ‘chases’ gouged out of the walls. In new construction cables can be run behind flat


steel shields which are pinned to the bare walls and then plastered over, or can be hidden within timber studwork walls.

Cables also normally need to be run through floors, which can mean drilling holes in timber joists to feed them through, but there are strict rules about how to do this without weakening the floor structure.

When refurbishing a property, constructing a new false ceiling below the existing one can conceal lots of new cabling as well as improving fire and sound insulation. Similarly, dry-lining the main walls with plasterboard can create useful ducts for cables and wall lights whilst simultaneously boosting thermal insulation.

Alterations and improvementsIf you want to upgrade your electrical system with some new switches, sockets or light fittings, it’s always a good idea to provide the electrician with a drawing showing the required positions. Common electrical improvements include:

Adding extra sockets

One of the most common complaints amongst house buyers is that there are insufficient numbers of power points for all the various gadgets that modern life demands. So extending a circuit to add an extra socket or two is a popular improvementwhenrenovating.Newcabling can be surface run in plastic conduit to avoid damaging decorations and cutting chases into walls, but this needs to be done neatly.

Depending on room size, a modern household requires about three or four DSSOs (double switched socket outlets) for each bedroom, five or six each for kitchens and living rooms and a couple for halls and landings. The Building Regulations now require that power sockets must be positioned no lower than 450mm above the floor and light switches no higher than 1200mm from the floor.

Fitting a new consumer unit

Installing a modern consumer unit (fuse box) is one of the simplest precautions to reduce the risk of electric shocks and fire. So if your old fuse box has ancient re-wireable fuses it should be replaced. Modern consumer units have MCBs (miniature circuit breakers) for each individual circuit. These automatically switch off or ‘trip’ when they sense a fault or overload, usually within 100 milliseconds, potentially saving lives.

Modern ‘split load’ consumer units also provide additional RCD (residual current device) protection for the more vulnerable circuits (e.g. to outbuildings).

safety testing

It is recommended that systems are tested every 10 years or upon change of ownership.

To check the condition of your electrical system it’s advisable to arrange for a thorough electrical inspection and test by a qualified electrician, who will provide a test certificate. This is essentially an MOT for your home and can be a lifesaver. It typically involves unscrewing and checking around 40% of all sockets and switches and lighting points in the house and takes several hours. This is followed by a series of tests carried out on the wiring as well as testing the insulation resistance to cables and checking the circuits, consumer unit and RCDs etc.

earth bonding

Many homes have electrical systems of 25-35 years of age which can still perform adequately with a spot of upgrading to bring them up to modern safety standards. This typically involves fitting ‘earth bonding’.

Electricity will always head for earth the quickest way possible, including via any human body that happens to be in the vicinity. So in order to prevent possibly


fatal electric shocks it makes sense to provide an alternative route. ‘Earth bonding’ protects occupants by connecting the metal components in the house with an earth wire (green and yellow sleeved). The requirement is to bond metal items such as incoming service pipes (water, gas, oil etc) as well as central heating pipes at the boiler, the hot and cold water pipes andmetalbathsetc.Newcopperpipingfor heating and water needs to be earth bonded to the electrical system (but not where pipework is run in plastic).

Bathrooms and kitchens

When it comes to electrical work, any ‘wet rooms’ are high risk areas. So special care is needed when planning room layouts in kitchens and bathrooms so that nothing electric should be touchable from where a person could be in contact with water at the same time.

In bathrooms a surprising number of electrical fittings may need to be accommodated, such as lighting, extractor fans, room heaters, shower units and pumps. However, only special low voltage safety fittings are allowed in bathrooms and no power sockets are permitted. All electrical circuits within bathrooms must be protected by Residual Current Devices (RCD) not exceeding 30mA and there are rules that limit fittings to defined safety zones within the room. Light switches should be of the pull-cord type or else located on the wall outside the bathroom.

outdoors

Another high risk area is outdoors. Many DIY power supplies run to garages and pond pumps etc. are potentially dangerous. This is why outdoor electrical work is now strictly controlled and circuits must be protected by RCD and cables must be run in special external grade protective conduit.

SKILLED ELECTRICIANSWhen you are looking for electricians

who will deliver efficient results quickly,you can count on CBS Electrical

Contractors in Barnsley. Whether yourequire a repair or an installation, we

will handle it professionally.

Gary: 07909 546 346 | Mark: 07970 654 645E: [email protected] W: cbselectricalcontractors.co.uk


otHeR ALteRAtIons

Removing Internal WallsInternal walls have a number of functions, some are fundamental to the structure of the house, some offer fire protection to the stairway and others merely divide up the space within the house and can be altered or removed with very few issues.

Load bearing walls are fundamental to the structure of the house and careful consideration needs to be given before they can be altered or removed. Alteration or removal of load bearing walls requires Building Regulations consent and generally speaking a structural engineer should be commissioned to design the alteration. The structural engineer will consider what loads the wall is taking and will design a beam and, if necessary, other supporting structure to ensure that the loads the wall was carrying are safely transmitted to the ground. We will then inspect the work as it progresses and then issue a completion certificate to show

A number of home improvement projects are covered by the Building Regulations and this chapter sets out to explain how the Building Regulations affect some of the projects that you may be considering.

This guide is not a substitute for professional advice but has been written to provide you with useful information about how the Building Regulations will affect your project.


that the work complied with the Building Regulations.

The walls around your staircase offer you some protection to allow you to escape if your house catches fire and any alteration of these walls requires Building Regulations consent. If these walls are removed it is essential that your house is fitted with mains operated smoke detection and that all of your rooms have windows suitable for fire escape purposes (see Fire Precautions – Domestic Extensions). If you wish to remove one of these walls contact us and we will arrange to visit you to establish whether the walls are essential to the fire protection within your house and advise what, if any,

additional work is required to allow the alterations to take place.

Bay Windows and ChimneysIn Building Regulations terms these are basically small extensions. They require Building Regulations consent and much of the guidance in the Extensions chapter is relevant albeit on a somewhat smaller scale. Chimneys require lining with a flue liner that is suitable for the fire that they will serve and the installer should test the flue prior to commissioning the fire.

We will carry out a series of inspections on these projects and issue a completion certificate when the works are satisfactorily completed.



Property AlterationsA family run business, based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The business has over 35 years of experience in the building trade.

in association with

making your dream home improvement project a reality

Working exclusively with LABC to provide a unique source of information, keeping householders up to date with Building Regulations and planning issues.

• Directory of local tradespeople• Advice on homeowner projects• Case studies• Homeowner guides and resources

Visit us on

www.homeandbuild.co.uk


These alterations require Building Regulations consent although in practice most of this work is carried out by contractors who can self certify their work. Details of some self certification schemes are given in the introduction to this guide and, if your contractor is able to self certify, you will not need to make a separate Building Regulations application.

If you wish to use a contractor who is not registered with a self certification scheme please contact us and we will arrange for the necessary application to be submitted, carry out the relevant inspections and issue your completion certificate when work has been satisfactorily completed.

Whichever scheme you use make sure that you get the completion certificate as you will need this if you wish to sell your house.

ConclusionThis guide has endeavoured to provide useful information about a range of typical domestic projects and we hope that you have found it useful.

If you need any further information about a project that you are considering please contact us and we will be happy to provide further advice.

Like for like replacement kitchens and bathrooms do not generally need Building Regulations consent but where new drainage is installed to serve a new bathroom or other appliance Building Regulations consent is required. With these projects we will carry out a series of inspections to ensure that the drainage and ventilation is satisfactory and issue a completion certificate when the works are satisfactorily completed.

Replacement Boilers and Alterations to electrical systems

neW DRAInAGe


The kitchen is often the focal-point of the home and one of the busiest rooms in the house. In new homes the traditional layout, comprising a kitchen with a separate dining room, has largely been superseded by spacious open-plan family kitchen/diners. So re-fitting and perhaps enlarging an existing kitchen can significantly add to the value of the property as well as transforming its appeal.

Re-Fitting Kitchens If you’re working to a tight budget, it shouldn’t be too hard to create an impression of opulence using relatively inexpensive units, perhaps set off with a good quality granite or hardwood worktop and some stylish fitted appliances.

ConsentsOther than in Listed buildings, re-fitting a kitchen shouldn’t raise any planning issues.

However, there are a number of areas where Building Regulations sometimes apply:

• Newdrainage.

• Structural alterations, e.g. taking out walls and chimney breasts.

• Gas fitting and boiler/cooking appliance installation.

• Electrical work involving provision of a new circuit or consumer unit.

The last two items are usually self-certified by approved installers, but for drainage and structural alterations Building Control will need to carry out inspections to check that new installations are satisfactory. If possible ventilation should also be upgraded with ducted extractor fans (e.g. to cooker hoods) and trickle vents to windows and doors.

Kitchen planningThere’s more to designing the layout of a kitchenthanfirstmeetstheeye.kitchensdepend on quite elaborate plumbing and electrical connections all being in the right

place. So it’s essential to carefully plan your requirements well in advance, as changing the position of fittings at a later date can cause a lot of extra expense and hassle re-routing electrics, gas pipes and plumbing.

There’s a lot of detail to get right when installing new kitchens, not least fitting new units into odd-shaped old rooms with bowed walls, minimal sockets and antique pipework.

It’s important to carefully consider the hot and cold water supply routes; the wastes for sinks, washing machines; and dishwashers, and vents for dryers. Check the position of all the new electric power point sockets and light switches in relation to the new units and appliances. Also bear in mind the positions for fused isolator switches, oven master controls, cooker hood fans and vent ducting as well as any under-unit lighting – not forgetting to check available power supplies for waste disposal units or water softeners etc.

kitchensupplierscannormallyprovidea detailed 3D image of the room to help visualise the new units in place before ordering. But rather than rely on a salesperson’s advice, it’s not too difficult to conceive your own ‘virtual kitchen’ using a simple pad of graph paper. Carefully sketch the layout, looking down from above. Draw a plan of the kitchen to scale, starting with the main walls and then add all the window and door openings, marking the positions


of radiators and sockets. Then draw an elevation view looking at each wall in turn as if standing in the room. Cutting out scale shapes of units and appliances and sticking them on your grid-plan can prove extremely useful in preventing expensive errors later.

Completion

When all the plumbing is complete and all the sinks are fully connected up, there are some key checks that should be carried out before making the final payment to your kitchen installer:

• All new units should be well fixed to the walls and floors and the doors and drawers should operate freely.

• Worktops should be of the correct thickness and neatly joined with a good seal or upstand where they meet the walls.

• Non-returnvalvesshouldbeinplacetothe various water supply pipes.

• Waste water should discharge satisfactorily.

• All new plumbing should be tested as fully watertight.

• Newpipeworkshouldbeconnectedup to appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines.

• All new electrical work must be fully complete and operational, with sockets and switches tightly secured and a test certificate provided.

• Any new boiler must be commissioned and tested.

• Any necessary Building Control Completion Certificate must be provided.


Kitchen Design tipsInternal room measurements must be accurate and in metric (usually mm). If possible your kitchen supplier should take their own measurements so they can’t blame you later if things don’t fit.

• Check design restrictions – note the position of boilers, doors, windows, supply pipes and waste pipes.

• Mark the position of hot and cold supply pipes and waste pipes.

• Electric sockets and switches must be well clear of hobs and sinks.

• Notetheinternalheightsofwindowledgesandtheavailable ceiling space.

• Cookers need a minimum 300mm clear worktop space either side and should not be located next to a sink or beneath a window.

• Wall units must not be fixed directly above a hob/oven or above a sink.

• Fridges or freezers shouldn’t be located next to a cooker.

• Door swing openings should be marked for all base and wall units on your plan.


Making improvements to the gardens and space surrounding a property can provide the finishing touches that complete a home renovation project. This is an area where the Building Regulations don’t usually apply (except for some larger outbuildings and things like oil and gas tanks). However planning consent is sometimes required.

oUtDooRs

FencesThe Permitted Development Rules normally allow you to erect fences, walls and gates without the need for planning consent (up to 1 metre high next to a road, or 2 metres high elsewhere). You are also normally allowed to demolish or alter existing fences, walls and gates without consent. But as always, there are exceptions, notably for Listed buildings and in Conservation Areas or where boundary restrictions have been imposed, so check first.

Planting hedges is also permissible unless they could block a driver’s view or are restricted by an existing planning condition, perhaps dating back to the time

the house was built. But trees and hedges may be protected under a preservation order (and are automatically protected in Conservation Areas) or there may be a legal restriction preventing them from being cleared and uprooted. Also some housing estates with open plan front gardens have restrictive covenants on the deeds that restrict new planting and fencing.

DrivesAdding a parking space to your property can be a major improvement. But there are a number of areas where this will need to comply in terms of planning.

Where you want to construct a new car access, such as a drop kerb to form a


driveway from the road, there are potential safety issues so consent will be required. Separate approval is required where a new driveway would cross a pavement or verge. Both the Planning and Highways Authorities may need to provide consent and in some cases specify how the works are to be undertaken. Even widening your existing driveway can require permission where a property faces a trunk or classified road.

You also need to apply for planning permission if the hard surface is not to be used for domestic purposes and, for example, is to be used for parking a commercial vehicle or storing goods for a business.

A more recent addition to planning law concerns paving over of front gardens. The ‘SUDS’ rules (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) are designed to reduce the risk of flooding and pollution of watercourses by reducing the amount of water running off driveways directly into urban drains.

Any new driveway larger than 5m2 being constructed, repaired or extended, must now comply with SUDS regulations. This means using a permeable paving system that lets rain soak into the subsoil where it can drain harmlessly away.

So planning permission is now required to lay traditional impermeable driveways that allow uncontrolled runoff of rainwater ontotheroads.planningpermissionisNotrequired if any of the following apply:

• The hard surface is constructed using a permeable material such as gravel, ‘grass-guard’, porous asphalt or permeable paving.

• The area of hard surface intended is less than 5 sq metres to the front garden (there are no restrictions elsewhere around the house).

• Provision is made for rainwater from traditional impermeable hard surfaces to drain into permeable soft

landscaping such as grass or border planting or into a specially constructed soakaway. As long as the surface water created by a driveway drains within the boundaries of the property (i.e. doesn’t run off onto a public highway) then planning permission is not required regardless of the materials used.

PatiosLaying a new patio does not generally require Planning consent. Other than the ‘SUDS’ rules for paving over front gardens to more than 5m2, there are no planning restrictions on the area of land around your house which you can cover with hard surfaces at, or near, ground level. However, significant works of embanking or terracing to support a hard surface might need a planning application.

Inevitably, if you live in a Listed building, you will need Listed building consent for any significant works (both internal or external) and in Conservation Areas there are restrictions on works to the front or visible from the road.

Building Regulations approval is also not normally required for laying patios. But you need to make sure that any works don’t make access to the dwelling less satisfactory than it was before, for example, by building steps where none previously existed. Also if you intend to provide any electrical lighting etc to the outside areas, then a Building Regulations application may be required for the electrical work (See ‘Electrics’).

DeckingTimber decking has been a popular addition to many a garden for some years. As with patios, it doesn’t normally require Planning consent – as long as it’s no more than 300mm above ground level (measured at its highest point) and doesn’t cover more than half the original garden.


In Building Regulations terms, decking is defined as ‘a raised platform attached directly to the property’. Only where decking is built above ground floor level or there’s a difference in level of more than 600mm between the platform deck and the lowest ground level, could a Building Regulations application be required. So for example a beer garden on stilts would need consent, but only if it connects directly with your house.

sheds, outbuildings and garden officesA simple way to add space is to erect a ready-made new structure in the garden. A new shed or perhaps a studio, gym or playroom can be an attractive proposition.

To comply with Permitted Development Rules, sheds and outbuildings must be single storey with a maximum height of 4 metres at the ridge if the roof is pitched, or

3 metres for flat roofs. Where located within 2 metres of a boundary the height limit is 2.5 metres.

You can’t build them to the front of the property and they must be used in association with the house (i.e. not run independently). Perhaps surprisingly, there are no size limits – other than the footprint mustn’t cover more than half the total area of the original garden (the garden means the whole plot excluding original house). But as always, check with the Planners first, as Permitted Development Rights may not apply for some properties.

Building Regulations won’t normally apply unless you

• useitforsleepingaccommodation

• itismorethan30m2

• itislessthan1mfromaboundaryandconstructed of combustible material.


Some areas of the country might have unacceptably high concentrations unless precautions are taken.

The level of radon protection required to your extension depends on the location of your property. This can be determined either by consulting your local Council Building Control Services office or by accessing the maps on the Building Research Establishment website. The maps indicate the highest radon potential within each 1-km grid and determines whether full or basic radon precautions are required or if radon protection is not needed at all. More accurate information is available from the Public Health England or the British Geological Survey.

Radon protective measures can be included relatively easily and cost-effectively within extensions to dwellings.

All extensions to dwellings which fall within a full or basic radon protection area will be required to incorporate an appropriate level of radon protection if a new ground floor is provided.

Full radon protectionThe damp proof membrane (minimum 1200g) acts as the radon barrier. It is important that the membrane extends through the cavity and is linked with a cavity tray. A subfloor sump is also required. Where the existing house has a solid floor the sump could be used to reduce the level of radon in both the extension and the existing building.

Basic radon protection Only the continuous damp proof membrane is required.

The detailing in both cases will depend on the type of construction used and the positioning of the damp proof membrane, your local surveyor will be able to give you further guidance.

Wherever possible the construction joint between the new floor and the existing house should be sealed. Where radon barriers have been incorporated in both the new floor and the existing floor, the aim should be to join the two barriers where they meet within the wall of the house. This is difficult to achieve in practice without

RADonRadon is a natural radioactive gas. You cannot see, smell, hear or feel it. It comes from minute amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils and the air in all buildings contains a degree of radon.

The gas can move through cracks and fissures in the subsoil and eventually to the atmosphere. Most of the radon will disperse harmlessly but some will pass from the ground and collect in spaces under or within buildings.


damaging the existing barrier and a simpler alternative is to cut a chase in the wall slightly above or below the existing barrier in which to tuck the new barrier.

If the existing house has a beam and block or suspended timber floor, care should be taken to ensure that the provision of subfloor ventilation is maintained.

It is recommended that you have your house measured for radon before plans are prepared. Ideally measurement should be over at least 3 months; Public Health England can provide detectors for this purpose. If your dwelling is found to exceed the current recommended action level, appropriate protection measures can be incorporated into your building project.

Useful contactsCentre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards Chilton, Didcot, oxon,ox110Rq www.ukradon.org

Building Research Establishment Garston, Watford,Wd259xx www.bre.co.uk/radon

British Geological Survey keyworth, Nottingham,NG125GG www.bgs.ac.uk/radon

Figure 1 Routes by which radon enters a dwelling

Key to ingress routes

1 Through cracks in solid floors

2 Through construction joints

3 Through cracks in walls below ground level

4 Through gaps in suspended floors

5 Through cracks in walls

6 Through gaps around service pipes

7 Through cavities in walls


Renovating a property sometimes involves re-instating an existing fireplace and perhaps installing a new appliance such as a woodburning stove. In most cases planning permission isn’t required, unless you want to construct a new chimney stack.

However, in Building Regulations terms, new chimneys are basically regarded as small extensions, so adding a new one will require consent. But the potential for life-threatening dangers from fire and toxic fumes means that even if you are installing a stove in an existing fireplace or lining a flue the work must comply with the Building Regulations (Part J deals with combustionappliances).Notethat,bylaw,theinstallation of heat producing gas appliances (e.g. gas fires) must only be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, who must notify Building Control.

ChimneysBecause chimney masonry is highly exposed to extreme heat and potentially corrosive flue gases it tends to require more frequent maintenance than the main walls lower down the property. Work should be carried out using suitable access equipment (see ‘Roofs’). There are several areas where periodic attention to chimneys may be required:

Re-pointingThe most common maintenance task with stacks is the need for at least partial re-pointing to the brick or stonework, or re-rendering.

CHIMneYs, FLUes & WooD BURneRs


FlaunchingThe flaunching is the mass of mortar at the base of the chimney pots that helps secure them in place. But after many years of exposure, flaunching can eventually crack and disintegrate.

Masonry repairsModern stacks incorporate a Damp Proof Course (DPC) in the lower courses to prevent any risk of water soaking down through the masonry below the roof level. But old stacks were built of relatively soft brick without a DPC. So damp can sometimes penetrate masonry just below the roofline which can suffer frost erosion and need localised repairs.

FlashingsMany leaks at roof level occur at junctions to stacks. Traditional lead flashings are the most effective method to prevent this. If your property has mortar fillets, they are best replaced with leadwork as the mortar is very prone to cracking.

Redundant stacksDisused chimneys should be capped to restrict the ingress of rain and also properly vented to prevent damp from condensation forming within old flues.

structural supportOld stacks are rarely perfectly vertical, so a small amount of leaning is not unusual. However where significant movement has occurred, the best advice is to consult a structural engineer. ‘Stay bars’ are the traditional way to secure tall or exposed chimneys, which today take the form of stainless steel tie rods and straps. Where severe distortion has occurred to a stack, the only option may be to rebuild at least the upper courses of brickwork.

Chimney potsWhere a pot is missing, or has cracked or badly spalled it will need to be replaced.

To protect flues from ingress of rain, a simple stainless steel ‘rain hat’ with an integral bird guard can be fitted.

FluesFlues are basically vertical exhaust pipes enclosed by the chimney breast and stack masonry. They are designed to safely transport smoke and combustion gases out to the external environment, based on the principle that warm air generated by fires naturally rises. Often multiple flues are accommodated within a single chimney with thin internal partitions.

Smoke containing combustion gases from fires is potentially dangerous to human health – both from breathing poisonous fumes and from the risk of fire. Leaks can sometimes go undetected, particularly within lofts or to adjoining houses. Also, if a flue becomes blocked – e.g. with a nest – a build-up of poisonous combustion gases will blow back, re-entering the room. It is even more dangerous where unlined flues are used for gas or oil-fired appliances that produce deadly, odourless carbon monoxide. So it’s essential to check the condition of flues before lighting fires.

Flues fail for 2 main reasons:• The acrid chemicals released in

combustion gases eventually eat away at mortar joints causing cracks or holes that can allow poisonous gases to escape into rooms, lofts or adjacent flues. To prevent such dangers, active flues must be lined with the correct type of flue liner.

• Over time, soot and tar can build up inside flues, eventually igniting causing chimney fires. The solution is to have chimneys swept regularly.


The airtightness of a flue can be tested using smoke pellets.

There are a number of other issues that are sometimes encountered with flues and fireplaces:

Damp stainingDamp from rain pouring down un-capped chimney pots, or from condensing gases, can soak into loose internal masonry and bleed through chimney breast plasterwork causing ugly stains. Regular sweeping can help prevent this.

Disused fluesIn most old properties today, some of the original fireplaces will be disused and boarded up. But unless chimney pots have been capped off, rain can come trickling down redundant flues causing damp patches (also caused by moist air condensing inside disused flues). Redundant pots should therefore be capped off with a vented hood fitted to the pots, with a vent also fitted to the boarded up fireplace below to encourage a healthy through-flow of air.

structural alterationsIn some properties one or more chimney breasts have been removed to make more

space. Where the work has been done without Building Regulations consent, the remaining masonry above (leading up to the main stack) is often potentially dangerous as it is not fully supported. So unless a completion certificate was obtained for the work, it’s advisable to contact a structural engineer to verify whether it is safe.

Air supplyThe provision of a sufficient amount of oxygen both for occupants and the efficient combustion of fires and appliances is a key part of compliance with Building Regulations. In houses where draughts have been totally sealed up this may require additional air vents to be fitted to the main walls for open fires and gas appliances etc., for example, in the form of 230 x 230mm airbricks inserted in the wall.

smoky FiresThere are several reasons why smoke can fail to safely disperse from a fireplace. Some chimneys are inherently too cold to draw well, particularly those on outside walls. Smoke will disperse more efficiently where internal flue walls are smooth – i.e. with a flue liner. Smoky fires can also be down to blocked or damaged flues (hence the need for regular sweeping), a lack of


indoor air supply, or stacks that are too short or overshadowed by surrounding buildings.

Lining fluesIt’s essential that flues are lined, especially if you plan to install any gas, oil or solid fuel appliance in an existing fireplace because masonry flues are inadequate to cope with these more aggressive exhaust gases. Even where a flue is already lined, old steel liners eventually suffer from corrosion. So it is a requirement of the Building Regulations that when an appliance is changed the installers must check the condition of the flue to confirm that it’s clear of obstructions and is suitable for the appliance you plan to install. Flues should always be swept before fitting a stove or lining a chimney and, if necessary, a smoke test carried out to check for gas tightness. In addition, gas and oil appliances need special chimney-top terminals to prevent blockage from birds or debris and to help disperse gases.

It’s essential that the flue liner is of the right type for the fire or appliance served. Flexible stainless steel liners are most widely used type as they are comparatively easy to install. Building Regulations recommend a minimum diameter of 150mm. Flexible single skinned liners are used mainly for gas fires and for oil or gas-fired boilers, whereas hardier double skinned liners are required for burning solid fuels and for wood burning and multi fuel stoves. The downside with flexible liners is they need renewal every 10 to 15 years, depending on how regularly the fire is used.

Woodburning stovesWoodburning or multifuel stoves are far more effective at heating rooms than open fires and also boast impressive greencredentials.Notehoweverthatifyou live in a ‘smoke control area’, you’re not allowed to burn fuels such as wood or coal that emit smoke, either in stoves or fireplaces (although smokeless fuels

such as coke briquettes are permitted). Fortunately, some ‘cleanburning’ stoves approved by DEFRA are exempt. These produce low emissions when woodburning and some are also approved for use with coal.

Stoves can generate enormous heat within the flues and must never be used with flues that aren’t lined. Flue gas temperatures in modern high efficiency stoves can exceed 300 degrees and unlined stack brickwork can allow as much as 85 percent of this to pass through it. This intense heat can cause adjoining thatch or roof timbers to ignite. This is why it’s now a condition of installing new appliances that a suitably sturdy flue liner is fitted together with a register plate. Also, a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm must be provided in the room where the appliance is located (recommended positioning can be checked with Building Control). As an additional precaution in thatched properties temperature sensors linked to an alarm should be fitted. To maintain sufficient air supply to the room, additional air vents may be required to the main walls. Prior to commissioning the new stove, the installers should test the flue.

Wise precautionsTo live in peace with your fireplace it’s a good idea to follow this advice:

• Nevergotobedandleaveanopen fire unguarded.

• Have the chimney swept annually.

• Check the condition of chimney stacks annually using binoculars.

• Check annually for smoke leakage inside the loft while the fire is lit.

• Fit a smoke alarm and CO detector in the loft.


MInInG

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There are areas within Britain that have historically been heavily mined. Specialist investigations are required to assess the risks associated with building on land that is affected by a history of mining.

For new buildings and areas of concern, initially a desk study is required to assess the risk to the development. A desk study is carried out by a suitably qualified person who will investigate the possible risks associated with mining using maps and archive records. This report will then provide recommendations and a conclusion. The recommendations will normally say either that there is minimal

risk from mining activity or that further investigations are necessary.

If further investigations are required this will involve site investigations. Depending on the nature of the ground the investigations can range from the inspection of the foundation trenches to a full trench survey of the site. The investigations can reveal the following problems:

• Filled Ground – In areas that have been mined it is usual for mine waste to be used to fill over natural ground. These areas are not obvious as they may have been filled many years before. This is a common problem and can usually be


overcome. Suitable load bearing strata can usually be found but at greater depths. This may impact on the amount of concrete used to fill the foundations and thus increase the cost of the substructure. Trial holes taken at an early stage can assist in planning and costing the scheme.

• shafts – These are vertical features found frequently in mined areas. Most are in known locations and are noted on the desk study, however, others can be discovered during the site investigations. Shafts are normally capped under the guidance of a structural engineer. The structural caps can usually be built over, however, guidance will be required from the structural engineer.

• Adits – These are horizontal features found infrequently. Adits will require

investigations by a suitably qualified mining engineer to ascertain the extent and nature of the feature. They will then advise on the best possible course of action.

• trial holes – These are features where shafts and adits have been started but never completed. Trial holes are frequent in these areas and usually easily dealt with. The holes can usually be excavated and backfilled with concrete once a suitable base is located.

• Contaminated land – The filled material is usually excavated mining waste. This material can be contaminated with arsenic band sulphates.

If high levels of sulphates are found they can affect the concrete mix that is required.


How can Building Control assist with selling your home?During the conveyance process your solicitors will normally require you to fill out a fixtures and fittings document. Within this document you are required to identify any building work that has been carried out that required a Building Regulations application. If alterations and extensions to buildings have been carried out without Building Regulations approval, these will come to light during the purchasers’ solicitor sales investigations, if the relevant completion certificates are not in place then this could delay the sale of your property.

I have Building Regulations approval but I do not have a completion certificate.If an outstanding Building Regulations application is in place, but a completion certificate has not been issued, then it is important to arrange for one of our Building Control team to carry out the completion inspection at the earliest opportunity,

so that upon satisfactory inspection of all relevant aspects of construction a completion certificate can be issued ready for the solicitors.

Work has been carried out but I wasn’t aware I needed a Building Regulations application.This guide has been published to avoid this happening however if you find yourself in this situation it will be necessary to apply for a Regularisation Certificate. This is a retrospective Building Regulation application that can be used for any work carried out after 1985. In most cases the work will have been finished, this means that certain elements of the work may need to be opened up in order to establish compliance with the Building Regulations.

Contact Building ControlIf you have any questions or would like to arrange for us to visit your property to carry out an inspection please contact us using the details contained in the contacts page.

seLLInG YoUR PRoPeRtYWhen buying and selling a house it can be a stressful and daunting process. In order to assist you in ensuring that some of the problems commonly encountered when selling a house are dealt with at an early stage with the help of Building Control it may be possible to reduce the chance of delay or the risk of losing that important sale.


And FinAlly – HOw tO SAvE MOnEy

As you progress with any project you will undoubtedly become aware (if you are not already) that building work is generally expensive, causes disruption, mess and dust and usually takes longer than expected. These may all be good reasons for using the opportunity to consider undertaking some additional energy saving measures at the same time. After all, the cost of installing loft insulation is likely to be insignificant compared to everything else happening, but will quickly result in savings in heating costs as well as improving the comfort of your home. There are many other possibilities with short payback periods, so

why not look at the Energy Saving Trust for some good ideas?

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/improving-my-home-0

ConclusionThis guide has endeavoured to provide useful information about a range of typical domestic projects and we hope that you have found it useful.

If you need any further information about a project that you are considering please contact us and we will be happy to provide further advice. Telephone 01226 772678

Building Control Services Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

PO Box 634 Barnsley S70 9GG

tel: 01226 772678 Email: [email protected]

https:// www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/planning-and-buildings/buildingcontrol

guide to extending renovating your home · planning permission. the guide is divided into chapters...

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