New internal Door into integral garage in a townhouse question

Jan 04, 2005 5 Replies
P

I have a question about adding a new door.



The situation is as follows....



It is a modern(3 years old) townhouse with the garage integrated. The garage at the moment only has access through the main garage door and I would like to add a door from the house into the garage because the washing machine is in there. I have heard that some of the other townhouses that are the same have done this already.



Is there any regulations regarding the addition of a door? I will be making the door secure for security reasons but what about fire? Do I need planning permission?



My other question I have is about what way the door should open. The garage adjoins the house in a hallway, my preference would be to have the door open into the garage because I won't be using the garage for a car, it is more practical giving more room to manouver in the hallway.... any ideas or suggestions? When I come to sell the house will it make a difference?



Cheers Paul


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P

You will need building regulations approval and AFAIK the door will have to be fireproof

Peter Crosland

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T

We bought this house with a retrofitted door into the attached garage. Apparently it is a Class 1 Firedoor (or some such words), opening into the garage, with self-closing chain thingy, and wire-reinforced glass window. Looks quite ugly from the inside.

As soon as the insurance spotted a door into a garage they required extra (lockable) security bolts on the inside of the garage door.

Our next door neighbours did a similar thing, but changed the garage door for a sliding patio door. That seemed to avoid having to have a fire door.

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T

There might be issues about relative floor levels as well. A visit to your local building control office and ask for advice might be the way forward. Cheers Tom

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R

The message from "Peter Crosland" contains these words:

ISTR that it is also a requirement that there has to be a step down into the garage so that when you have a sea of burning petrol in there it cannot just flood under the fire door and into the house.

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D

I seem to remember that as well.

Dave

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