How do I ensure my open-plan home is signed off by building control quickly after a loft conversion?
So, your renovation is finished, or maybe you are trying to sell your house? You might not have much money left or be required to turn things around quickly. Homeowners frequently carry out renovation projects to improve the appearance and comfort of their homes. Unfortunately, contemporary floor plans frequently conflict with building regs for fire protection, favouring unattractive compartmentation. When you desire an open plan arrangement after a loft conversion, Automist is a more practical alternative to sprinklers for complying with building regulations.
As a rule of thumb, the more open the layout, and the higher the property from the ground floor, the more restrictions there are. However, compliance with the regulations can be straightforward to achieve with the correct guidance. We commissioned independent fire engineering research into the suitability of Automist to meet the building regulations requirements for open plan dwellings, which you can show your surveyor. This work evaluated the vast majority of three-storey house configurations in the UK. Building control will usually sign off a project if a fire engineer has fully assessed the property and the necessary fire protection measures are in place.
Start by sending a floor plan of your property to your local Automist installer, or ask for a site visit if preferred. They need a floor plan and the reason why you require a system to generate a quote and design proposal. Make sure you keep an open dialogue with building control. Why not set up a Building Passport to make it easy to hold and share all your building information? Automist is designed for retrofit and to minimise disruption to your home. Once the installation is complete, your installer will provide you with the final sign-off paperwork.
Download - Enabling open plan design in dwellings with three storeys
Read more - Is there any fire engineering research that supports the use of Automist?