Minimum opening width for Building regs compliance
 

Hello,

I am in the latter stages of having an extension built (ok I'll be doing
some of the decorating myself so this post is nominally on topic!) and the
builders have just knocked through. The opening - it's not really a doorway
because there is no door on it but I don't know the proper technical term -
is about 600mm wide.

Now it is fine for us to use at this width, and we are exempt from Part M of
the regs (as far as I can make out) because it is an extension to an
existing dwelling and we haven't removed a WC (we've added one though. I bet
this shafts us somehow!), but I would like to know if there is a minimum
"non-door containing doorway" or "opening without a door" width for
extensions to existing dwellings. If there isn't the all well and good, but
if there is and it's more than 600mm then the builders and I will have to
have words!

Thanks for any help you great people in uk.diy land can give.

Dean.
--
====================================
Swap nospam for bluerose to reply personally.

Dean Lawrence wrote:


I am in the latter stages of having an extension built (ok I'll be doing
some of the decorating myself so this post is nominally on topic!) and the
builders have just knocked through. The opening - it's not really a doorway
because there is no door on it but I don't know the proper technical term -
is about 600mm wide.

Can you get any furniture through that gap?

On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 21:56:52 -0000, a particular chimpanzee named
"Dean Lawrence" randomly hit the
keyboard and produced:

Now it is fine for us to use at this width, and we are exempt from Part M of
the regs (as far as I can make out) because it is an extension to an
existing dwelling and we haven't removed a WC (we've added one though. I bet
this shafts us somehow!), but I would like to know if there is a minimum
"non-door containing doorway" or "opening without a door" width for
extensions to existing dwellings.

Indeed, the requirements of Part M don't apply to the work you're
carrying out, so there is no minimum clear opening width for doors or
openings (unless you've got a night club in your extension).

If you do change the WC at any time in the future, you would need to
make sure that you made it no worse than before the work is carried
out (so, yes, you have shafted yourself to some extent).
--
Hugo Nebula
'What you have to ask yourself is, "if no-one on the internet wants
a piece of this, just how far from the pack have you strayed?"'

Dean Lawrence wrote:
Hello,

I am in the latter stages of having an extension built (ok I'll be doing
some of the decorating myself so this post is nominally on topic!) and the
builders have just knocked through. The opening - it's not really a doorway
because there is no door on it but I don't know the proper technical term -
is about 600mm wide.

Now it is fine for us to use at this width, and we are exempt from Part M of
the regs (as far as I can make out) because it is an extension to an
existing dwelling and we haven't removed a WC (we've added one though. I bet
this shafts us somehow!), but I would like to know if there is a minimum
"non-door containing doorway" or "opening without a door" width for
extensions to existing dwellings. If there isn't the all well and good, but
if there is and it's more than 600mm then the builders and I will have to
have words!

Thanks for any help you great people in uk.diy land can give.

Dean.
--

Didn't you need to get all your drawings approved by Building control before
starting any of this work?

My understanding is that you give all your plans to building control before
starting the work, and they will then comment on these things and give
approval before you are allowed to start.

Again as I understand it if you add a WC then that WC must comply with part
M regarding door opening and space in front of the loo.

I'd contact BC now before you get too far and are completely shafted by them
over any dimensions, Builder are good at building (hopefully) not
necessarily designing and meeting the regs.

cheers

David

We have full plans approval which shows a 700 mm opening, however as with
all these things, when the opening was full exposed it ended up being 100mm
less, which the builders assure me is within tolerances.

I just wondered if anyone on this NG knew the answer. If the worse comes to
the worse with the toilet then I'll just have the toilet taken out (we'll
still have 2 anyway).

Dean.

"David M" wrote in message
...
Dean Lawrence wrote:
Hello,

I am in the latter stages of having an extension built (ok I'll be doing
some of the decorating myself so this post is nominally on topic!) and
the
builders have just knocked through. The opening - it's not really a
doorway
because there is no door on it but I don't know the proper technical
term -
is about 600mm wide.

Now it is fine for us to use at this width, and we are exempt from Part
M of
the regs (as far as I can make out) because it is an extension to an
existing dwelling and we haven't removed a WC (we've added one though. I
bet
this shafts us somehow!), but I would like to know if there is a minimum
"non-door containing doorway" or "opening without a door" width for
extensions to existing dwellings. If there isn't the all well and good,
but
if there is and it's more than 600mm then the builders and I will have
to
have words!

Thanks for any help you great people in uk.diy land can give.

Dean.
--

Didn't you need to get all your drawings approved by Building control
before
starting any of this work?

My understanding is that you give all your plans to building control
before
starting the work, and they will then comment on these things and give
approval before you are allowed to start.

Again as I understand it if you add a WC then that WC must comply with
part
M regarding door opening and space in front of the loo.

I'd contact BC now before you get too far and are completely shafted by
them
over any dimensions, Builder are good at building (hopefully) not
necessarily designing and meeting the regs.

cheers

David

"Dean Lawrence" wrote
| We have full plans approval which shows a 700 mm opening, however as
| with all these things, when the opening was full exposed it ended up
| being 100mm less, which the builders assure me is within tolerances.

Tolerances? +/- 15% is tolerance???? Or in old money, they've lost 4".

If 700mm is what is on your approved plans then the builders should be
building 700mm. Otherwise what you are building is not approved. You can ask
Building Control to agree an amendment, or you can tell the builders to
widen the door.

Owain

"Dean Lawrence" wrote
| We have full plans approval which shows a 700 mm opening, however as
| with all these things, when the opening was full exposed it ended up
| being 100mm less, which the builders assure me is within tolerances.

If they can't get a door opening accurate to better than 100mm, what chance
do you have of the ceiling being flat, windows being true, etc.