Sprinkler requirement in residential building??

[Guest Paul Hodgson]

I have been advised that I need a sprinkler system in my home due to a attic conversion having a floor level above 7.5m from the ground floor. Due to the Building regulations being woolly, is their any way I can use extinguishers or fire protect the escape route.

3 years ago I was involved with a renovation of a 4 story building which had student accommadation in and the sprinkler system was omitted and extinguishers were used.

Please can anyone help, 

Regards

Paul

[Tom Sutton]

A dwelling house having a floor level above 7.5m from the ground floor you require a fully protected means of escape to the ground floor and an alternative means of escape from the top floor or you could consider installing a domestic sprinkler system to the whole of the house. The BCO may consider another type of automatic fire protection but fire extinguishers would never be accepted as a compensatory feature.  

Check out Approved Document B - Volume 1

Edited October 9, 2015 by Tom Sutton

[AnthonyB]

You need a friendly Approved Inspector for the Building Regs approval, that way non compliant projects with no suitable alternative provisions can get the OK. Sadly increasing numbers of student builds and conversions are being passed despite being non compliant, it will only come out in the wash when it all goes wrong.