Building regs...Can I knock down my kitchen wall so that is open the staircase and front door?

[Briony32]

I woud like to make my downstairs layout less awkward. At the moment it feels like there are too many sharp turns and narrow walkways.
My kitchen is at the front of the house (1980s build). Do you think I could remove the kitchen/hallway wall so that when you come in the front door you walk straight into a large kitchen/dining room?
Are there some building regulations implications/fire hazards I need to think about? I think you need to have a exit route that is separate and closed off from the kitchen area but only if you have 3 storeys ie: loft conversion. Can anyone shed any light?
I've put some photos on my profile page.

Ok, was that a very daft question?! Anyone?

I don't know about building regulations but it is risky if your escape route in case of fire is through one of the highest risk locations (if not the highest - where are your washing machine and tumble dryer?).
Having said that it is really common here in Scandinavia to have that layout...

I don't know about your actual question either, but just one thing about stairs open to the kitchen - noise will really travel up to the bedrooms, as will kitchen cooking smells, unless you have amazing ventilation!

The only issue is structural. If the walls being removed are supporting you need to make a building regs app and new structural steelwork will have to be tacked or painted to give 30 mins fire protection. Also, you will need a heat detector in your kitchen as it will be open plan to the hall.

Thanks for the responses. Yes, I have been thinking about the smells and noise too. And the fire risk. Our washing machine and tumble dryer are going to be relocated to a downstairs utility room, but we'd still have all the usual kitchen stuff and noise - blender, fridge etc. It just seems like our hallway is too narrow and a waste of space. It would be ok it it was the living room I guess and swapping the living room and kitchen round would be a massive pita.
If anyone else has this layout please tell me how it works for you.
Does anyone else have a similar floorplan to mine too?

We have this layout - walk in the door into the kitchen/dining. Then doorway to the living room. In the kitchen the stairs to go up get started.

Advantages - living room gets a nice garden view & patio doors.
Kitchen table is the nerve center of the house.

Problems -
-Noise travels upstairs from the kitchen - but only when cooking (not when DW/WM are running)
-Smells travel upstairs (this is really difficult & almost impossible to avoid)
-had a mini fire in the kitchen once (candle fell over) & we panicked coz main door was there & patio keys also in the kitchen drawer.

• the front bedroom of the house is the go-to place incase of fire. It worries me that if there is a fire in the kitchen we'd have to be on top of it to be rescued!!

Overall - not a great design.sorry.

We have this layout - walk in the door into the kitchen/dining. Then doorway to the living room. In the kitchen the stairs to go up get started.

Advantages - living room gets a nice garden view & patio doors.
Kitchen table is the nerve center of the house.

Problems -
-Noise travels upstairs from the kitchen - but only when cooking (not when DW/WM are running)
-Smells travel upstairs (this is really difficult & almost impossible to avoid)
-had a mini fire in the kitchen once (candle fell over) & we panicked coz main door was there & patio keys also in the kitchen drawer.

• the front bedroom of the house is the go-to place incase of fire. It worries me that if there is a fire in the kitchen we'd have to be on top of it to be rescued!!

Overall - not a great design.sorry.

We have this layout - walk in the door into the kitchen/dining. Then doorway to the living room. In the kitchen the stairs to go up get started.

Advantages - living room gets a nice garden view & patio doors.
Kitchen table is the nerve center of the house.

Problems -
-Noise travels upstairs from the kitchen - but only when cooking (not when DW/WM are running)
-Smells travel upstairs (this is really difficult & almost impossible to avoid)
-had a mini fire in the kitchen once (candle fell over) & we panicked coz main door was there & patio keys also in the kitchen drawer.

• the front bedroom of the house is the go-to place incase of fire. It worries me that if there is a fire in the kitchen we'd have to be on top of it to be rescued!!

Overall - not a great design.sorry.

Sorry about the multiple posts..not sure what happened!

Thanks Artistic, that's really helpful. Going to get some quotes in. I think we'll probably just do a simple knock through from kitchen to living room at first, then we still have the option later.

What do you use the sitting room area for? Could you knock the wall between that room and hall down, and have an open staircase in the middle of it? You could use that as the dining room (noticed you don't currently have one).

And/or knock down the wall between the living room and the passage at the back, and make that room bigger. That could be a lounge/diner, or just a big lounge.

Just a thought...
Am I right in thinking that the hall to the back serves no purpose other than to access the back door? You have a back door in the sitting area anyway. Id be inclined to lose that hall and incorporate the space into the sitting area. Id leave the hall and bathroom as they are because ideally you dont want a bathroom opening off your kitchen. Id also knock double doors through from the kitchen to the living area. This way the kitchen would have a view of the garden but you would have the option of closing it off if needed. Patio doors would be nice instead of the single door from the living area.

I'm not really answering your actual question, so feel free to ignore :-)

Without knowing what walls are supporting walls, cutting the top left corner off the sitting room and putting the door at an angle would make the hall feel more spacious and less narrow.

Yes what burnish suggests.

Also, i think having the front door opening into the kitchen without a hall would put some people off if you ever plan to sell.

i would just remove the kitchen dining room wall leaving a corridor.
my mums open plan stairs are in the living room, and you can hear every conversation in the bedrooms.

if you enclose the hallway with access to kitchen then a new fire door into the main living area that may help you feel better about the fire risk element .

Yes what ScaryMare says - all conversations travel up to the bedrooms due to the kitchen being open plan. Privacy is an issue! ESP if talking on the phone & you speak a touch louder. Also disturbs those trying to sleep while someone else is trying to work & making calls. It is possible to close doors, but it's just that you have to - every time.