Porches

All upvc manufacturing is fully certified to the requirements of ISO 9002, BS 7412 and BS 7950 (formerly pas-011) and all glass and glazing is in accordance with the requirements of building regulations parts B, F, L1 & N & BS 6206.

All measurements are in millimetres, mm. To convert to inches divide by 25.40.


Standard Specifications for Porches

Disclaimer

Please note that the following information is intended only to provide initial guidance for homeowners intending to add a porch to their property.

Additionally, links are provided to enable contact to be made with the statutory authorities controlling building regulations & planning permission.

The following information has been reviewed and is correct as at 02/01/2002 & is based upon the law as it pertains to england & wales. Similar but different regulations & statutes apply in the channel islands, eire, northern ireland and scotland.

In all cases your first point of contact should be with your local authority.

Subject to the following, the construction of a porch is exempt from the building regulations. However, this is currently under review, with consultation papers issued by the deputy prime ministers office on 31/08/01 & 21/12/01. Full details may be found at:

http://www.safety.odpm.gov.uk/bregs/consult/sched2/01.htm

Additionally, although under the strict interpretation of the regulations your porch construction may be exempt, there are other considerations which must be taken into account. These are well detailed on the knowsley council website at:

http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/planning/services/advice/common_devs/front_exten.html

You must also check your property deeds for any restrictive covenants; a not uncommon one is that there must not be '…any construction forward of the original main building line' and another is that there must not be '…any construction within (a specified) distance of the public highway or thoroughfare' or '…within (a specified) distance of the land boundary of the property'

It is recommended that you always check with your local authority building control department before undertaking work of this type because the responsibility for compliance lies with you, the householder, not with the contractor!

To contact your local authority www.local-government.net and towards the bottom of the home page use the directory search facility.


Building Regulations Exempt


All porches are exempt from the building regulations provided that:

• They are built at ground level
• They are single storey
• They have a floor area of less than 30 square metres
• The glazing complies with part n of the regulations, i.e. Protection against impact

However, the owner/builder must also ensure that the erection of the porch does not cause any danger to health and safety and must also ensure that the positioning does not affect the fire safety precautions of the existing house by jeopardising an escape window.


Standard building works

An existing porch can be replaced and, subject to survey, the existing base and roof can be retained and just the doors and windows replaced.

Where there is no existing porch, or due to redesign or unsoundness of the existing porch, building works will be required.

All building works will comply with good building practise in terms of the materials & construction methods used and, specifically:

• Footings will be excavated to a minimum depth of 450mm, or more if required by local ground conditions ·
• Any existing exposed pipes or drains will be protected by way of concrete lintels or steel mesh ·
• A minimum thickness of 150mm of concrete will be poured to provide the foundation & floated to ensure a level building surface ·
• The inner skin of the cavity wall will be built up to floor level and, within the porch area, hardcore will be laid to a minimum depth of 100mm & compacted to form the slab base ·
• A screed of sand (blinding) will be laid & on top of this a damp proof membrane, overlapping the inner cavity wall skin ·
• 100mm of concrete will be laid to finish the slab & bring it up to floor level & floated to provide a suitable finish for tiling ·
• The outer skin of the cavity wall will built up to floor level & protected with a damp proof membrane

• Dwarf walls
• Dwarf walls with cavity trays - exposed location &/or porous existing house wall
• Suspended floor inc. Air brick - sloping site or steps down from house
• Full height glazing
• Drainage provision
• Breeze block, brick or stone walls
• Screed or self levelling compound
  • For carpeted finish. Nb this cannot be
  • Laid before the base has dried out
    
    
• Internal plastering
• External rendering, pebbledash, etc
• Steps down to garden
• Steps up to garden - retaining walls to garden may be required
• Power points
• Lighting points

• Traditional timber construction with tiled or slate finish complete with all necessary guttering, down-pipes, etc
• Flat pre-formed glass reinforced plastic (grp) roof with integral drainage gully, lighting conduit & insulation
• Pitched tile or slate effect grp
  

In line with the Company's policy of continuous product development and improvement, the Company reserves the right to alterations to any of the specifications contained herein without notice unreservedly.