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Possibly devalued house by possibly reducing value with no permission from bank

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  • 19-02-2020 1:27am
    #1
    Fartbox
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    I bought a 4 bed new house 2 bath + downstairs toilet with a pitched roof, ie they didn’t get planning permission so they made it so you could velux window and covert the attic without planning yourself. It’s big enough for 2 bedrooms let alone one. It’s enormous.
    Knocked the box bedroom out to build an attic room with en-suite, and stairs on top of stairs. So I’ve now a 4 bed / 3 bath + downstairs toilet which is a lot bigger living space and a huge bright landing, but I cannot call it bedroom as is. I’m not sleeping it in and won’t be for a few years.
    I have to get fire doors for the 2nd floor, the head height is fine and I’ve a full length stairs which is wide enough 800. That’s fine:
    Now I’m reading about fire proof stairs on both stairs. How exactly does someone fireproof a stairs?
    I want to resign my mortgage with the existing company and reduce my rate: saving about 8% on it, which I want ASAP and need to save to finish the last bits.
    Only problem is they want to revalue the house, and it’s going to be valued more than I paid 3 years but not as much as market rates, so the rule book goes? But it looks so much nicer.
    Will they ask questions?
    How much will the extra room and en-suite add onto the value less a tiny bedroom?


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    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,621 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Have you consulted with an architect?


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    #3
    Fartbox
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭Fartbox


    ronoc wrote: »
    Have you consulted with an architect?

    No my partner is a builder and does conversions for a living but they aren’t ever classed as bedrooms. They usually don’t have the head height requirement


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    #4
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    Fartbox wrote: »
    No my partner is a builder and does conversions for a living but they aren’t ever classed as bedrooms. They usually don’t have the head height requirement

    Consult an engineer not an architect. If your partner doesn't know what fire proofing a stairs is and works in the building trade here that is shocking.

    Don't think it is right both stairs have to be fire proofed unless the regs have had some major change. It basically entails enclosing the stairs with a fire resistant wall with fire doors top and bottom.


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    #5
    Fartbox
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭Fartbox


    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    Consult an engineer not an architect. If your partner doesn't know what fire proofing a stairs is and works in the building trade here that is shocking.

    Don't think it is right both stairs have to be fire proofed unless the regs have had some major change. It basically entails enclosing the stairs with a fire resistant wall with fire doors top and bottom.

    He has never done an attic that needed to be fireproofed.
    I can’t find anything concrete online anyway.
    We done the head height and knew about the exit doors and fire doors.
    There is electric smoke alarms in every room in the house and the exit door is right at the bottom of the stairs.
    The stairs is conjoined as in they are on top of each other and there is one rail.
    The plaster in the attic is all fireproofed as well.
    I think it’s just the stairs we missed out on.
    Have you any info on fireproofing a stairs?


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    #6
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    Fartbox wrote: »
    He has never done an attic that needed to be fireproofed.
    I can’t find anything concrete online anyway.
    We done the head height and knew about the exit doors and fire doors.
    There is electric smoke alarms in every room in the house and the exit door is right at the bottom of the stairs.
    The stairs is conjoined as in they are on top of each other and there is one rail.
    The plaster in the attic is all fireproofed as well.
    I think it’s just the stairs we missed out on.
    Have you any info on fireproofing a stairs?

    You need to talk to an engineer. By joining the stairs you made the whole thing much more complicated. It may be best to separate them in the long run.


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    #7
    accensi0n
    Registered Users Posts: 2,745 ✭✭✭accensi0n


    The 800mm width requirement for the stairs, to classify the attic room as habitable, does anyone know if this applies regardless or if a bungalow attic conversion is exempt from it, where the stairs is from ground level?


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    #8
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,466 ✭✭✭Doop


    accensi0n wrote: »
    The 800mm width requirement for the stairs, to classify the attic room as habitable, does anyone know if this applies regardless or if a bungalow attic conversion is exempt from it, where the stairs is from ground level?

    You will find your answers here

    https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/building-standards/tgd-part-d-materials-and-workmanship/technical-guidance-documents


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    #9
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,466 ✭✭✭Doop


    Op you need professional advice from someone who can provide design input, guide you, and sign a cert of compliance to confirm the necessary fire rated construction has been achieved satisfactorily...

    Architect, Building Surveyor, Engineer


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    #10
    Ray Palmer
    Registered Users Posts: 8,360 ✭✭✭Ray Palmer


    Doop wrote: »
    Op you need professional advice from someone who can provide design input, guide you, and sign a cert of compliance to confirm the necessary fire rated construction has been achieved satisfactorily...

    Architect, Building Surveyor, Engineer

    Only an Engineer can do this. An architect would have to hire an engineer and a building surveyor is an engineer. People really overrated the knowledge of architects and what their profession is.


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    #11
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,295 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    Fartbox wrote: »
    No my partner is a builder and
    And doesn't know how to fire proof the stairs. So get an engineer.


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    #12
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,278 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    As you have increase the floor area of the property, you need planning permission.
    Ray Palmer wrote: »
    a building surveyor is an engineer.
    Nope. Different jobs, different training, different professional bodies. In residential properties, engineers are primarily interested in "Will it fall down?". Building surveyors will be interested in a much wider ranger of issues, e.g. insulation, damp, windows.


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