Conservatory wall - have to have inner breeze blocks?

[paulfoel]

Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the other.

Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to building regs?

[Tim Watts]

No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have brick on the
inside.


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[Phil L]

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking.
You don't want the inner wall? - without it, you'll have a single brick
wall, which will go black very quickly, quite possibly green too, also, it
will be like an igloo in there for 7 months per year, even with double
glazing.

FWIW, buiding control aren't interested in conservatories, so you can have
whatever you like, but leaving out the block wall and *insulation* will
result in severe damp and condensation on this wall - permanently.

[dennis@home]

On 05/09/2013 16:39, Tim Watts wrote:
> On Thursday 05 September 2013 16:15 paulfoel wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>
>> Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the other.
>>
>> Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to
>> building regs?
>
> No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have brick on the
> inside.
>
>

They are not br exempt, you still have to obey the rules.
They may be planning exempt if you obey the rules.

You can have brick both sides, it probably costs more but may look better.

[Tim Watts]

On Thursday 05 September 2013 19:51 dennis@home wrote in uk.d-i-y:

> On 05/09/2013 16:39, Tim Watts wrote:
>> On Thursday 05 September 2013 16:15 paulfoel wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>>
>>> Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the
>>> other.
>>>
>>> Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to
>>> building regs?
>>
>> No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have brick on
>> the inside.
>>
>>
>
> They are not br exempt, you still have to obey the rules.

Yes they are. Either that or my BCO knows less that you about BR...

[SteveW]

On 05/09/2013 19:51, dennis@home wrote:
> On 05/09/2013 16:39, Tim Watts wrote:
>> On Thursday 05 September 2013 16:15 paulfoel wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>>
>>> Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the
>>> other.
>>>
>>> Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to
>>> building regs?
>>
>> No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have brick
>> on the
>> inside.
>>
>>
>
> They are not br exempt, you still have to obey the rules.

They are still covered by a few things: part P for new circuits, Part L
requiring independent control of heating or cooling, Part N requiring
safety glass in and within 300mm of a door or below 800mm. They are
however exempt from the majority of building regs, such as insulation
and sound transmission; foundations need not be to the requirements
specified in Part A (for instance the minimum of 0.75m on clay soils is
reasonable for a proper extension, but patently absurd for a dwarf wall,
with very light loading).

> They may be planning exempt if you obey the rules.

Unfortunately ours wasn't as we already had an extension using up our
permitted development rights.

SteveW

[paulfoel]

Right so there is a reason for the inner layer then.

[dennis@home]

On 05/09/2013 20:48, Tim Watts wrote:
> On Thursday 05 September 2013 19:51 dennis@home wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>
>> On 05/09/2013 16:39, Tim Watts wrote:
>>> On Thursday 05 September 2013 16:15 paulfoel wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>>>
>>>> Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the
>>>> other.
>>>>
>>>> Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to
>>>> building regs?
>>>
>>> No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have brick on
>>> the inside.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> They are not br exempt, you still have to obey the rules.
>
> Yes they are. Either that or my BCO knows less that you about BR...
>
>

They have to follow the rules set down and if they don't and the BCO
finds out you will soon discover that the building regs apply.
You don't have to apply for approval.

I suggest you find a better BCO.

[SteveW]

According to information provided on various councils' websites and
ultimately derived from the information provided by the relevant
government department:

"Conservatories attached to domestic dwellings are exempt from the
Building Regulations providing: the internal floor area does not exceed
30m², the roof is transparent or translucent (polycarbonate or similar
material which allows light to pass through), the conservatory is
constructed at ground floor level, the conservatory is separated from
the rest of the dwelling by a door and/or windows, and glass in critical
locations is safety glass. "Critical locations" means up to 1,500mm from
floor level in doors and side panels, and up to 800mm from floor level
in windows."

Clearly states that they are exempt.

I think this information is actually slightly out of date and the
roofing requirements have been relaxed.

It was proposed to bring conservatories further into the building regs
(in October 2010 IIRC), but this was dropped at the last minute.

SteveW

[John Rumm]

On 05/09/2013 23:10, dennis@home wrote:

> On 05/09/2013 20:48, Tim Watts wrote:
>> On Thursday 05 September 2013 19:51 dennis@home wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>>
>>> On 05/09/2013 16:39, Tim Watts wrote:
>>>> On Thursday 05 September 2013 16:15 paulfoel wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>>>>
>>>>> Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the
>>>>> other.
>>>>>
>>>>> Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this
>>>>> due to
>>>>> building regs?
>>>>
>>>> No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have
>>>> brick on
>>>> the inside.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> They are not br exempt, you still have to obey the rules.
>>
>> Yes they are. Either that or my BCO knows less that you about BR...
>>
>>
>
> They have to follow the rules set down

and if they do, then they are exempt for building regs...

> and if they don't and the BCO
> finds out you will soon discover that the building regs apply.
> You don't have to apply for approval.
>
> I suggest you find a better BCO.

Why? His advice seems correct.



--
Cheers,

John.

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|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
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[Tim Watts]

On Thursday 05 September 2013 23:10 dennis@home wrote in uk.d-i-y:

> I suggest you find a better BCO.

Let me see. Dennis vs my BCO. Tough one that...

[dennis@home]

What are they if not regulations?
There are more too..

try building it over a drain/sewer without proper foundations and then
tell the bco.

the government site states:-

Building regulations will generally apply if you want to build an
extension to your home.

However, conservatories are normally exempt from building regulations when:

They are built at ground level and are less than 30 square metres in
floor area.
The conservatory is separated from the house by external quality walls,
doors or windows.
There should be an independent heating system with separate temperature
and on/off controls.
Glazing and any fixed electrical installations comply with the
applicable building regulations requirements (see below).


Notice it says *normally exempt* and lists other building regs it has to
comply with.

I still say you have to comply, you don't have to have the building work
inspected, to me that is not exempt as the bco will deal with it if its
non compliant.

[dennis@home]

On 06/09/2013 08:01, Tim Watts wrote:
> On Thursday 05 September 2013 23:10 dennis@home wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>
>> I suggest you find a better BCO.
>
> Let me see. Dennis vs my BCO. Tough one that...
>

You go and build something that is exempt and doesn't comply with the
regs and I will tell the bco and you will then find out who is correct.
It won't be you.

[Tim Watts]

Funny you shoudl say that.

I raised 2 queries with my BCO over a conservatory:

1) Will covering a bedroom window be of concern to you? (There is another
window not covered for ventilation).

2) I am building a foundation over a drain, twice. Do you require an
inspection.

(I have an open BNA for other work).

The response was: "A conservatory of your type is exempt from LBA
notifications, even if it impinges on the existing building. No I do not
need to inspect."

So there you go...

Needless to say, I made sure to the best of my ability that the builder
followed Part H guidance re the drains.

<snip>

> I still say you have to comply, you don't have to have the building work
> inspected, to me that is not exempt as the bco will deal with it if its
> non compliant.

Except it's all a bit moot without a formal need to inspect.

[Tim Watts]

I know what he'll say.

[dennis@home]

So why are you arguing when you are agreeing with what I said.
Why do you keep arguing when you say exactly the same thing as I say anyway?

>
> Needless to say, I made sure to the best of my ability that the builder
> followed Part H guidance re the drains.
>
> <snip>
>
>> I still say you have to comply, you don't have to have the building work
>> inspected, to me that is not exempt as the bco will deal with it if its
>> non compliant.
>
> Except it's all a bit moot without a formal need to inspect.
>

Its not moot if something goes wrong.
Then you will find out what happens if you didn't comply with the regs.

[Arfa Daily]

"Tim Watts" <tw+u...@dionic.net> wrote in message
news:cp3nfa-...@squidward.local.dionic.net...

> On Thursday 05 September 2013 19:51 dennis@home wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>
>> On 05/09/2013 16:39, Tim Watts wrote:
>>> On Thursday 05 September 2013 16:15 paulfoel wrote in uk.d-i-y:
>>>
>>>> Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the
>>>> other.
>>>>
>>>> Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to
>>>> building regs?
>>>
>>> No. Conservatories are BR exempt. You most certainly *can* have brick on
>>> the inside.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> They are not br exempt, you still have to obey the rules.
>
> Yes they are. Either that or my BCO knows less that you about BR...
>
>
> --
> Tim Watts

I don't know if it varies from authority to authority, but where I am, it is
exempt if under 30 m2. Mine was just a tad over that, and was thus subject
to BCO inspections, must to the chagrin of the builder, who had quoted it on
the basis that it wasn't ... A conservatory may also be subject to planning
if you have used up all of your 'free' area expansion quota, which again, I
already had with my extension. My dwarf walls are certainly two layers of
regular brick though.

It is detailed about the 30 m2 etc here

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/conservatories/

Arfa

[Arfa Daily]

"paulfoel" <BertieB...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:77df72e2-69d9-4ce5...@googlegroups.com...

Yes, but it doesn't have to be made from blocks. I think that is what the OP
was asking ? My inner wall is brick. I don't think it would have looked very
nice in blockwork ...

Arfa

[Arfa Daily]

"Arfa Daily" <arfa....@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:PgvWt.100268$5k2....@fx03.am4...

That should have read "much to the chagrin ..."

Arfa

[Hugo Nebula]

[Default] On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 08:24:11 +0100, a certain chimpanzee,
"dennis@home" <den...@killspam.kicks-ass.net>, randomly hit the

keyboard and wrote:

>You go and build something that is exempt and doesn't comply with the
>regs and I will tell the bco and you will then find out who is correct.
>It won't be you.

The "regs" are the Building Regulations 2010 (as amended) and are a
Statutory Instrument. Within those regulations is regulation 9 which
states (by reference to various schedules and other regulations) when
these regulations do not apply. This is different from the functional
'requirements' (i.e., Parts A-P), and the associated 'guidance' (e.g.,
Approved Documents, etc.).

Something can built that doesn't meet the guidance (e.g., building
over a drain) but still be exempt from the 'regulations'.
--
Hugo Nebula
"If no-one on the internet wants a piece of this,
just how far from the pack have I strayed"?

[Hugo Nebula]

[Default] On Thu, 5 Sep 2013 08:15:37 -0700 (PDT), a certain
chimpanzee, paulfoel <BertieB...@gmail.com>, randomly hit the

keyboard and wrote:

>Got builer building a conservatory. Glass three sides and wall the other.
>
>Wall is brick then breeze blocks inside. Do we have to have this due to building regs?

If it's exempt from the building regulations, then no.