Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
Reply |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
#1
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
Does anyone know of a simple, reliable, easy-to-understand list of building regs requirements applicable to an old house converted into two flats? I'm hoping I can avoid reading hundreds of pages of Building Regulations. The original conversion was done somewhere around 1991-3, but I need to bring one of the flats up to scratch in order to sell it easily. I'm mostly concerned about bringing up to a standard that a first-time-buyer's lender will deem acceptable. But in case I have to apply for retrospective building regs approval, I'll need it to meet the relevant standard for that too. Thank you, Hank |
#2
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 14:04:37 +0000 Hank wrote :
The original conversion was done somewhere around 1991-3, but I need to bring one of the flats up to scratch in order to sell it easily. I'm mostly concerned about bringing up to a standard that a first-time-buyer's lender will deem acceptable. But in case I have to apply for retrospective building regs approval, I'll need it to meet the relevant standard for that too. Building Regulations are not retrospective. Most older conversions wouldn't begin to satisfy current regulations wrt thermal and sound insulation and fire safety. But they still get sold and bought. The crucial thing is whether there are any defects that would get a mortgage surveyor excited. -- Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk |
#3
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to2 flats?
Tony Bryer wrote:
On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 14:04:37 +0000 Hank wrote : The original conversion was done somewhere around 1991-3, but I need to bring one of the flats up to scratch in order to sell it easily. I'm mostly concerned about bringing up to a standard that a first-time-buyer's lender will deem acceptable. But in case I have to apply for retrospective building regs approval, I'll need it to meet the relevant standard for that too. Building Regulations are not retrospective. Most older conversions wouldn't begin to satisfy current regulations wrt thermal and sound insulation and fire safety. But they still get sold and bought. The crucial thing is whether there are any defects that would get a mortgage surveyor excited. Not retrospective, however IME what can and does cause a problem if is there's a Change of Use, which is the case here, surely? That means that modern regs will apply - obviously only insofar as it's possible in an old property; however I suspect it will be very much down to the interpretation of the individual BCO as to how much he will insist upon and what he will let you get away with. Therefore pretty much impossible to provide a checklist of what you need to do. David |
#4
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:29:32 GMT, Lobster
wrote: Not retrospective, however IME what can and does cause a problem if is there's a Change of Use, which is the case here, surely? That means that modern regs will apply - obviously only insofar as it's possible in an old property; however I suspect it will be very much down to the interpretation of the individual BCO as to how much he will insist upon and what he will let you get away with. Therefore pretty much impossible to provide a checklist of what you need to do. Thanks for the input. If you are right, and if I understand the situation correctly, then one option would be to be to apply for retrospective building regs approval. It will certainly fail in one or more respects, but the visiting BCO agent will give me a list of what I must do in the way of improvements, in order to get the certificate. Is that how it works? Or should I forget the retrospective building regs approval idea and just bring the place up to more-or-less 1992 fireproofing and soundproofing regs and hope the buyer's lender's surveyor will consider it acceptable. I also need to insure the property against fire so the fireproofing improvements would presumably make the place more insurable too. Hank |
#5
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to2 flats?
Hank wrote:
On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 23:29:32 GMT, Lobster wrote: Not retrospective, however IME what can and does cause a problem if is there's a Change of Use, which is the case here, surely? That means that modern regs will apply - obviously only insofar as it's possible in an old property; however I suspect it will be very much down to the interpretation of the individual BCO as to how much he will insist upon and what he will let you get away with. Therefore pretty much impossible to provide a checklist of what you need to do. Thanks for the input. If you are right, Sorry just ignore me... what I was saying would be the scenario if you were carrying out the conversion now, not 15 years ago. Is this not one of those situations where your solicitor just tells you to buy a 100 GBP insurance policy to cover any eventuality arising from lack of Building Regs approval, but otherwise you do nothing? I'm sure others can and will comment. David |
#6
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 11:03:26 GMT, Lobster
wrote: Thanks for the input. If you are right, Sorry just ignore me... what I was saying would be the scenario if you were carrying out the conversion now, not 15 years ago. Is this not one of those situations where your solicitor just tells you to buy a 100 GBP insurance policy to cover any eventuality arising from lack of Building Regs approval, but otherwise you do nothing? I'm sure others can and will comment. Thanks.. I have heard of these policies, and I would like to know more - e.g., whether mortgage lenders consider them satisfactory mitigation of building-regs non-compliance. One solicitor suggested that a flat that doesn't comply with building regs would be considered a high risk for lending purposes. Whether buildning-regs indemnity insurance would mitigate that risk from the POV of a typical mortgage lender, I don't know. I also want the flats to be insurable. I'm wondering if non-compliance with building regs could pose a problem in this respect. I don't know, but I could imagine that a company insuring against fire damage to a flat & contents might have some clause in the small print saying that the poilcy would be void if it was found that the flat didn't meet such-and-such building regs re fire-proofing. Hank |
#7
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:35:18 GMT, Tony Bryer
wrote: The crucial thing is whether there are any defects that would get a mortgage surveyor excited. Defects other than non-compliance with building regs, do you mean? Can you be more explicit? Thanks.. Hank |
#8
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
"Hank" wrote in message ... On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:35:18 GMT, Tony Bryer wrote: The crucial thing is whether there are any defects that would get a mortgage surveyor excited. Defects other than non-compliance with building regs, do you mean? Can you be more explicit? No, defects such as a wall subsidsing. As Tony said. The regs now focus heavily upon sound (between flats) and thermal (to ouside) insulation. Your flat almost certainly doesn't come close to the new regs and the work to fit retrospectively is massive. OTOH if you wanted to comply with a requirement to fit self closers to doors, it is going to be do-able but no-one other the BCO will notice if you don't (I wish that I could remove mine!) tim |
#9
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
On Sat, 3 Mar 2007 12:58:00 -0000, "tim....."
wrote: Your flat almost certainly doesn't come close to the new regs and the work to fit retrospectively is massive. As the conversion was sone in 1993 (I think), I think it might only need to be brought up to 1992 regulations, but I may be wrong. Seems like I might be wise to take out buiding regs indemnity insurance, so that if I am ordered to upgrade the specs by BCO, I will be covered for the costs. Hank |
#10
Posted to uk.d-i-y
|
|||
|
|||
Easy list of building regs applicable to houses converted to 2 flats?
On Sat, 03 Mar 2007 15:59:37 +0000 Hank wrote :
As the conversion was sone in 1993 (I think), I think it might only need to be brought up to 1992 regulations, but I may be wrong. Seems like I might be wise to take out buiding regs indemnity insurance, so that if I am ordered to upgrade the specs by BCO, I will be covered for the costs. If the conversion was done then, Building Control have no power to require anything except under related powers regarding dangerous structures, public health issues (drainage) and the like. -- Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
When did regs get tighter re insulation between flats? | UK diy | |||
How come rental houses in the suburbs with a few apartments in them usually always cost much way less than if these houses were just a one-family houses? | Home Repair | |||
building regs | UK diy | |||
building codes of a room converted into a sauna? | Woodworking | |||
Building own home wish list | Home Repair |