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Minimum building size house conversion

renewablejohn
edited November 2013 in Building Regulations and Standards
It appears our local council have dictated a minimum conversion size for a 1 bed flat of 55m2 plus a min ceiling height of 2.4 mtr. Is this typical throughout the country and how do old cottages cope with low ceilings.

Comments

  • Peter_in_Hungary
    Posted By: renewablejohnIt appears our local council have dictated a minimum conversion size for a 1 bed flat of 55m2 plus a min ceiling height of 2.4 mtr. Is this typical throughout the country and how do old cottages cope with low ceilings.
    Quite easily - old cottages exist as dwellings, so no problem (retrospective regs are generally not allowed). If you wanted to convert a barn with a low ceiling (non dwelling property) to a new dwelling with a low ceiling it would get refused.
    Over here you need a certain %age of ceiling height over 2.7mtr. (the exact amount escapes me for the moment)
  • DarylP
    IIRC minimum ceiling heights have been removed from Building Regs, EXCEPT at stairs?
    So why are the 'Council' insisting on a min. ceiling height?

    Good luck:smile:
  • renewablejohn
    Posted By: DarylPIIRC minimum ceiling heights have been removed from Building Regs, EXCEPT at stairs?
    So why are the 'Council' insisting on a min. ceiling height?

    Good luck:smile:
    Do you have a date when it was removed from building regs
  • DarylP
    Hmm not sure, 2008? I know lots of Archs still think it is there, but have subsequently found it not.
    I don't think it is in AD L1A/B, but a call to your local BCO might be worth it.
    Sorry I could not be more helpful..
    Cheers:smile:
  • atomicbisf
    My ceilings are 8 feet (very close to 2.45 m, but definitely built in imperial) and while certainly not high seem significantly higher than some newer houses (say 1970s - 90s) I have seen. I'm not sure if this is a trick of the room proportions or not.
  • renewablejohn
    Anybody know what the RICS recommended area is for a 1 bed apartment I am sure its far less then 55m2 especially some of the rabbit hutches I have seen in London.
  • PaulJ
    RIBA recommend a min of 50m2 for new build. 55m2 in unusually large for 1 bed.
  • ferdinand2000
    edited November 2013
    Which Council is it?

    Some have policies designed to discourage conversion of small houses into flats. Some seem to ban kitchen-diners, unless there is a 'separate living room'.

    Localism principles may tend to support their right to decide so converters could be on a sticky wicket.

    Parker-Morris was 30sqm for a one bed iirc.

    How many parking spaces do they require per 1 bed flat, and how much 'storage' and 'outside' (not including dustbin) space ?

    F
  • CWatters
    edited November 2013
    Do you have a date when it was removed from building regs
    I'm not sure there ever was a min height in the Building Regs (except over stairs).

    Edit: I'll try and check that. Meanwhile I found..

    http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/existing-homes/extending/20-things-you-need-know-extending-your-home
    Minimum Ceiling Heights Although the legal minimum ceiling height has now been removed from the Building Regulations, there is still a practical minimum height and this is especially worth thinking about in attic and cellar conversions. All rooms should normally have a floor to ceiling height of at least 2.1m throughout (standard ceiling height is 2.4m). In rooms with sloping ceilings, at least 50% of the floor area should normally have a floor to ceiling height of at least 2.1m.
    Page 15 here refers to 2.0 meters over landings. Landings include a small area of hallway at the top and bottom of stairs. The 1.8m rule for headroom over stairs is only really permitted in certain places such as loft conversions.

    http://www.southampton.gov.uk/Images/Loft Conversions and the Building Regulations 2000 (inc%20L1a%20Rev)_tcm46-161536.pdf

    Elsewhere there are posts from pre 2004 that say there is no general minimum in the Building Regs.
  • CWatters
    Found this from 1994. It suggests minimum room areas and heights (2.14m) for HMO...

    http://www.cieh.org/uploadedFiles/Core/Policy/Publications_and_information_services/Policy_publications/Publications/Amenity_Standards_for_HMOs_1994.pdf
  • Nick Parsons
    It's a long time since I was in Housing Management, but IIRC we had 35m2 for a 1-bed 1-person (1B1P) and 45 for a 1B2P.
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