planning law

spr100

hi im new to this site i joined up to see if anybody might have the answer to my question.
i am in the middle of buying a new 2 story apartment and there is a toilet downstairs it opens out onto the sitting room but i have been informed by someone that this is not allowed in plannig laws as a toilet can not open onto a living area would anybody please be able to help with this cheers.
Shane

sydthebeat

AFAIK its allowed. Bad design, but allowed.

This is the only reg i can currently find on it:

2.4 A room or other space containing a water
closet should be separated from a place used for the
preparation or cooking of food by means of -
(a) in the case of a building used solely as a
dwelling, a door, and
(b) in any other case, a properly ventilated passage
or lobby.

from:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1648,en.pdf

muffler

Thats it syd. Strange reg alright but a door is fine (providing its kept closed while the wc is being used )


spr100 - its a building regulation not planning.

Builderfromhell

I understand the next revised building regs. will not require a lobby betweena kitchen and a Bathroom/toilet

sydthebeat

Builderfromhell wrote: »

I understand the next revised building regs. will not require a lobby betweena kitchen and a Bathroom/toilet

the current regs dont require one... read above.

smashey

sydthebeat wrote: »

the current regs dont require one... read above.

I do though.

I did an extension recently and moved the toilet (from the client's design) so it wasn't opening directly to the new kitchen.

Yay, I rebelled against the building regs and won. :cool:

spr100

thaks for the info its just that i bought a new place and the toliet opens onto the sitting room the builder said he had to put one in on the ground floor for disabled people but it is bad design so as soon as the building is passed im taking it out what i find stupid is that the first floor of the apartment is on the second floor of the building above shops so a disabled person would still have to use staires to get into the apartment.

sydthebeat

if you alter the apartment so that it doesnt conform with the regs you will have problems at resale.

spr100

yeah i know but i will only need to take down a stud wall and take out the sink this will give me an extra 1 x1.5m of space in the sitting room and if i do resell it would not be a big job to put the stuff back in as now the plumbing work is in place. and on top of that who wants a toilet in there sitting room.

ircoha

spr100 wrote: »

yeah i know but i will only need to take down a stud wall and take out the sink this will give me an extra 1 x1.5m of space in the sitting room and if i do resell it would not be a big job to put the stuff back in as now the plumbing work is in place. and on top of that who wants a toilet in there sitting room.

It's ideal for the footie:p

Mellor

I find it quite strange that people hate the idea of a toilet in the sitting room, yet, they must have one in the bedroom.

I've been working on alot of small apartments lately, and I see the above as a plus feature. corridor space in appartments is a waste, it reduced the effective living space (yet maintains the gross floor area so the bloody thing costs the same). Corridor space also is very dark, meaning artifical lights during the day (leads to SAD).
Rooms from larger rooms (without corridors) can be far better living spaces, if done right. To use a very famous example, the appartment from friends, no corridors, bedrooms and toilet off the living space, and certainly a far better appartment than found in ireland.
Then again, the OPs case is probably a case of a toilet just being thrown in.

Oh, and regarding the need for a toilet when the appartment is first floor above shops. I'm assuming that there is no lift, so that means that the toilet is ambulant disable compliant, this makes it easier for a disabled person to reach the appartment. But it may not be easy, and to expect them to do it every time the WC is needed is unreasonable (you may only leave and return once a day, but will use the bathroom much more)