On 29/09/2010 21:14, Hugo Nebula wrote:
[Default] On Tue, 28 Sep 2010 21:05:59 +0100, a certain chimpanzee,
Gareth , randomly hit the keyboard and wrote:

Do bedroom windows have to have an opening at least 600mm wide?

Yes or no.

The reason I ask is that I had a couple of people round to give me
quotes for some replacement windows. The first bloke, an experienced
chap from a local firm, said I couldn't do what I wanted because the
regs state that bedroom windows need to have an opening of at least
600mm for an escape route. The second chap, a young bloke with shiny
suit from a large national firm, didn't seem to know anything about this
rule.

Assuming the 1st bloke is correct, other than the increased risk of
burning to death, what would be the downside if ignoring the regs?

What is it you want to do?

Replace two back bedroom windows, which are currently single glazed
wooden framed with double glazed UPVC.

The window in the small bedroom is currently divided in half vertically
with one half opening and one half fixed. I want to have the same
arrangement but double glazed with UPVC frames.

What is the current layout of your building (flat, maisonette,
bungalow, two- or three-storey house, etc.)? What level of protection
is there to the current escape route? If there are stairs, do they
come into an open-plan room, or into a separate hall?

Fairly ordinary two storey house. Stairs down to a hall.

With any building work to an existing building (apart from some
changes of use), the regulation is that the building work should
either comply with the relevant requirements or (if it does not
currently comply with those requirements) should be no worse than
before the work started.

How strict is the "no worse" bit? If I have the same arrangement as I
do currently but with uPVC instead of wood it will be slightly worse
because the uPVC frames are slightly thicker.


In other words, if the new window is to a first floor habitable room
and replacing one that has an opening of at least 0.33m^2 and with a
minimum opening width or height of 450mm with the bottom of the
opening between 900mm-1100mm above the floor, then the replacement
should be at least those dimensions.

[This is assuming that the main escape route isn't protected with fire
doors and leading directly to a final exit (or two routes separated by
fire reisting construction), or there is an alternative route to
another stair, or another suitably sized opening in the same room.]

If the above criteria are met (i.e., the work makes the building no
worse than before the work started), then you haven't "ignored the
regs", you've complied with them.

I would suggest the surveyor (rather than the salesman) will have a
better idea of the requirements. One assumes that the replacement
windows will be installed by someone registered with the FENSA
self-certification scheme. I don't know how closely these are policed
by their governing body, but if the company deliberately installs
windows that don't meet the requirements for means of escape, they run
a risk of having their licence pulled (albeit probably a miniscule
risk). If they aren't 'FENSA registered', then the work should be
notified to the local authority, who may query whether the means of
escape is any worse than before. If you need to but don't notify the
local authority, this may be picked up when you sell the house.

Practically, rather than legally, is it worth not having a window that
you can't escape through if a fire has blocked your escape route? If
you need but don't want that escape route, you should make very sure
that you and all occupants of your house are aware of a fire before
it's too late. Get some smoke detectors if you haven't already got
them.

Thanks for your reply.