Keeping old door as fire door?

[Guest IreneSilj]

Hi there,

I'm currently working on a project in West London where we are adding an additional story to a house by converting the loft space into habitable space.

This off course means also changing all doors to 30min fire doors. On the ground floor however there is a beautiful original timber door (currently external door, but with kitche side return extension it is going to be internal) that my clients would love to keep. It it about 70% timber and 30% glass. Is there any way of upgrading this door to be 30min fire proof?

Many many thanks,

[Tom Sutton]

Check out http://www.firesafe.org.uk/fire-doors/ there is a section on upgrading fire doors but it all depends if the building control officer will accept them.

[Guest AllanMar]

Dear sir, I live in a in a block of six flats that is owned by the council I bought mine and now I own it. The front doors to the flats are being fitted with new fire doors and cost a £1000 each.they want me to have one of these doors but I like my old hardwood solid mahogany panelled door which I hung myself is there any way I can make this door into a 30min firecheck door.

[Tom Sutton]

A fire resisting front fire door is required to protect you and your family, also to protect all your neighbours in the event of a fire in your flat. As a result the council appears to be fixing certificated fire door sets which are the only way to be certain the fire doors will perform to the necessary standard. There are products on the market that claim to update standard door to a fire resisting door and some companies will provide a certificates, but not all enforcing authorities will accept them. (search on the internet for “ updating fire doors”) You need to talk to the council to see if they will accept them; if not, then the legal position is not very clear because the flats are not subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 but the common areas are, so is the front door part of the common area or the flat?

[Guest Matt]

Hi, wondering if you could give me some advice please?! i'm currently working in an old manor house which is being made into a bed and breakfast. All doors to the individual bedrooms need to meet fire regulations and ive been told I can keep the existing doors on although they are not fire doors?! is that true? is so what work is required to make them safe? The current doors are very old,6 panel, 35mm thick, painted pine doors.
thankyou,
Matt

[Tom Sutton]

It is true and you should be checking the Do you have paying guests which provides the guidance for B&B. It all depends on the finding of the fire risk assessment and the building control inspector. Standard doors can be upgraded to 30 FD just check the web and search with “standard doors upgraded to fire doors” I found a number using intumescent paint, varnish and board and providing certificates.

What is important is the doors should be substantial, well fittings and in good order.

[Guest ColinRo]

I'm involved with a conversion of disused garages into a community space. We need 30 min fire doors to a ventilation plant room. We have some heavy 44mm former flat front doors, solid timber frame with wired glass panels. They would be the right size if cut to approx half current height (maintaining 44mm x _44mm timber to all four sides; mid-rail as bottom rail). Referring to your website, I think we can face the plant room side of the door leaves with a non-combustible board, and along with applying intumescent strips and Fire Door Keep Locked signs, achieve 30 mins resistance. Is this correct or is there anything else we would need to do, and is any sign-off required?
Look forward to your response.
Colin

[Tom Sutton]

If you are fitting a new fire door it should be a certified fire door set (door and frame) with written documentation proof that it meets the standard, if it was an existing door it may be acceptable to upgrade. In yours case it is a new installation and you should fit a new bespoke fire door with written documentation to prove to the building control officer (BCO) it meets the standard. However it is up to the BCO to decide what is acceptable because he/she will have to sign it off when completed.

Another point to consider is when the work is complete and signed off it will be subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and fire risk assessment will be required, monitored by the fire and rescue service, so I would consider seriously a new bespoke fire door.

[Guest Mark C]

I am the leaseholder of a small flat in a purpose built block containing 8 flats over two floors.  There are two lobbies which in each case provide access to four flats.

The property was built in 1985 and has a solid timber part glazed front door as part of the original build which leads to the common lobby which is shared with three other households.   I assume this fire door complied with building regulations which were current at the time although it did not include a self closing device.  To the best of my knowledge no alterations have been made to the door.

The freeholders managing agents now say the door and frame do not comply with current regulations as regards fire integrity and will have to be replaced at my expense and that remedial works will not be sufficient.   

Whilst in principle this may be a good idea I will struggle to finance these works as a pensioner whose only income is the state pension.

Legally, do I have to do as they say?

[Neil ashdown]

Engage a competent person to advise in terms of compliance with the 'Regulatory Reform (Fire safety) Order 2005'.