I'm thinking of having a conservatory put in at the back of my ground floor flat. This will cover three air bricks + one for next doors flat. The builder who has quoted for it, says that window vents will provide enough air flow. Is he right, will vents be sufficient? If not any suggestions for improving it if the conservatory is fitted. The area I live in is very damp under floor & I don't have a damp proof course, hence my concern.
Thanks in anticipation.
No it won't. And indeed the BCO won't pass it anyway as the conservatory ventilation is for the conservatory, not the underfloor. You will need to arrange alternative vents, possibly using fans.
When the concrete base was laid for our conservatory, the builder ran upvc gutter downpipe from the old airbricks under the floor to join new ones on the outside wall of the conservatory. Two pipes per air vent.
I agree it probably won't be satisfactory regarding ventilation but unless there has been a change to building regs requirements and conservatories the BCO may not need to get involved. When we built our extension and I was talking to the BCO during one of his visits he observed that he wouldn't be interested in the conservatory which was put up some time after the rest of the job as it didn't need building regs approval (although it "did" need planning consent which it had as it was in the planning application for the whole job) The most likely solution will be to extend the air vents via underfloor ducts to the new outside wall and knock out the existing air bricks in the old wall so there is a clear passage for aircirculation
If a timber floor isn't ventilated it can fail within a very few years, *especially* in damp conditions.
Usually conservatories don't need planning permission but they usually always need building control - at least to check you have used the correct glass if not for issues such as foundations or whatever.
"The extension of a building by the addition at ground level of: a conservatory ... where the floor area of that extension does not exceed 30m2, provided as is the case of a conservatory or porch which is wholly or partly glazed, the glazing satisfies the requirements of Part N of the Building Regulations and where the existing property remains separated from such an extension."
But
" Electrical installations carried out in connection with some exempt building work are subject to Part P of the Building Regulations. It is therefore advisable to ensure that all electrical work carried out is undertaken by a competent person registered with an electrical self-certification scheme authorised by the Secretary of State. If the electrical installation work is not carried out under a self-certification scheme the person responsible for the work may be required to make a Building Regulation application."
Info courtesy of Hull City Council (number 1 on Google).
Thanks everyone. Don't think I'll be using that builder!
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