On Saturday, October 20, 2012 4:42:00 PM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 20/10/2012 01:49, wrote:
On Friday, October 19, 2012 3:53:36 PM UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 19/10/2012 13:38, wrote:


Also building regs are not retrospective. So if a floor was designed as
a floor, and was compliant with the standards of the time, you would be
able to use as the basis of your room in the roof, it even if the
standards applying had changed since it was built.

There's no way a BCO will accept a loft conversion in a 1924 house on its original 3" loft floor joists.

I doubt a loft with 3" joists would not have been deemed acceptable as a
proper floor for a habitable space - even in 1924.
However, my point was, that if you upgrade something now to the current
standards of a floor in a habitable room, then there would be no need to
upgrade it further if one later made the space habitable - even if the
standards for a floor have changed by then.

3x3 was the smallest standard habitable flooring joist size in Victorian houses. It was much used for short spans, such as across corridors & landings.

IIRC the 1924 BR didn't specify joist sizes, so 3x3 would still be compliant for habitation then. It could be used in loft floors above corridors, where the span was short.

I challenge you to find any BCO that would accept that in a loft conversion today.


NT