Wheelchair accessible WC

shadowKiller

I've bought a partial build house that has plans for a toilet next to utility room. This toilet is there to meet the wheelchair accessible wc regs I've been told.

The house is kinda built in a split level, where part of the house is a higher than the rest and in the plans there are steps between ( hope that makes sense). So the kitchen/living room/utility and WC are on the lower floor, while there are bedrooms and main bathroom are on slighty higher floor (2 steps).

What I'd like to do is drop the WC from utility as tight for space in that room but to do that I'd have to make the main WC accessible which is fair enough.

Be interested to know if I make both levels of the house wheelchair accessible from 2 separate entrances outside, would that meet regs.

I've kinda parsed the regs below and I suspect this isn't allowed but the language is quite confusing, be interested to hear people opinion.

http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/FileDownLoad,1655,en.pdf

Poor Uncle Tom

shadowKiller wrote: »

I've bought a partial build house that has plans for a toilet next to utility room. This toilet is there to meet the wheelchair accessible wc regs I've been told.

The house is kinda built in a split level, where part of the house is a higher than the rest and in the plans there are steps between ( hope that makes sense). So the kitchen/living room/utility and WC are on the lower floor, while there are bedrooms and main bathroom are on slighty higher floor (2 steps).

What I'd like to do is drop the WC from utility as tight for space in that room but to do that I'd have to make the main WC accessible which is fair enough.

Be interested to know if I make both levels of the house wheelchair accessible from 2 separate entrances outside, would that meet regs.

I've kinda parsed the regs below and I suspect this isn't allowed but the language is quite confusing, be interested to hear people opinion.

What you are proposing is not entirely within the spirit of the regulations, as you would have to effectively leave the house at main access level to get to a WC, eventhough, you would be re-entering the house at a different level. You could always apply for a dispensation certificate from the BCO in relation to this. As part of your application you would need to put your reasoning for this to the BCO.

Personally I wouldn't be happy about it, but you never know, they may grant you a cert.

Alternatively, the floor plan may present other design options which would achieve full compliance, it would be worth looking at this before doing anything else.

shadowKiller

Thanks PUT for replying. I'll look into the dispensation cert as unfortunately the current layout doesn't offer any other place for a wheelchair accessible WC on the lower floor.