Who knows current Building Regs?
 

Someone who knows please.. done all the googling I can.. can't find the answer... Even asking those who you'd think should know don't want to commit to putting it in writing!!

Do you need fire rated glass on a bathroom window?
(This is on a purpose built flat, in a building where the bathroom window faces into a communal passage way, which is open end exposed.. not closed in)

Fire regs inspection has said fire rated glass needed, but I can't find anywhere that gives info on what criteria meets the need for fire rated glass... On a bathroom!!!

Anyone got a link to what the criteria is?

Has building control told you you need fire rated glass?
I would ask a private building inspector and the council building inspector.
Ive had a few brushes with planning and building control.
Give us a little more info on how the situation came about.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.sco...6212553d06.jpg

I suspect it's to do with flammable insulation on the outside fabric of the tower building. Reason, panic over Grenfell tower inferno. Your case passage protection

30min fire resistance glass and frame. By all accounts fire rated glass is very expensive

From my experience in loft building but whole house is inspected at the end of build a bathroom is not habitable ie can't be slept in so doesn't need any fire regs.
I know from experience that every building inspector has there own views on these things.
when this happens we call the owner of private building inspector company and its normally sorted.
If its only a small piece of glass then could be only 100 quid.

Precisely why i said ask local and and a privateer 👍

£300 a SqM

it's a good Metre Square sash window..... old. so it would mean a whole new widow on most flats.

Bathrooms, I'm having the issue with and no one will commit.



The FRA was done by an independent who was instructed by the Building Management company... and I question their knowledge.

As said above the bathroom is not considered a habitable room so would not normally have fire doors, door closers etc, however its part of a partition between the flat and a communal area it should be a minimum 30mins fire rated.
in the past I've replaced with Georgian wired and is sufficient.

It's very vague on which windows..... I'm no 100% sure a bathroom is a room requiring it.
page 17
https://assets.publishing.service.go...amendments.pdf

No you dont,

the bathroom is off the small hallway...

here's a floor plan....
The window is actually over the bathroom sink... but it's not been drawn very well.... you'll see from the other photos how the flats are laid out and the communal open ended passageways .
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properti...hannel=RES_BUY

Or you could just board it over?
plasterboard, ply or mdf?

If this a one off job and not the whole block, just bite the bullet. I had several building reg amendments to undertake in my new build. It wasn't worth the dedication of thought of objection. I just got on with it.

Served me well later, was seen to be amenable and importantly compliant with regs

Whether a bathroom is classed as non habitable or not is probably irrelevant in this case if the window is in a corridor in the flat block. As said I would be inclined to bite the bullet. I’m guessing the front door is fire rated so any other aperture inside the block I would personally want to be fire rated too.

if the frame is in good order and made of wood, I would replace the glass with fire rated and have the frame painted in fire retardant paint, which can be certificated.

pink plasterboard (fire rated) not ply or mdf.

edit: just looked at the right move link. No you can’t board it over, it’s grade II listed.

most windows are in poor condition, so don't open due to sash cables snapping and having the windows just painted up.

New sash windows meeting the garde2 listing spec with double glased glass.... cost £2k a pop!! thats with the bottom as the opener and keeping the top fixed..... fitted..................... £2k.. before you add fire rated glass at £300 a square metre.

yeh listed buildings are a ball ache. My wife’s salon isn’t listed as most of the other shops on the high street where it is are, but it’s in a conservation area so the windows needed replacing when we took it on.
7k before we refurbed anything else!

Is this an investment or a project to live in for the foreseeable?

If you're in it to make a fast profit and missed the issue with the windows etc being of a certain style and rating. You are now faced with a reduced profit margin.

To live in-do it right, do it once, enjoy your good workmanship.