Firedoors

[marph45]

We would like to convert our loft, would I need to replace all the house doors to fire doors?

All doors which lead onto the stair (to create a protected escape route down the stair) but generally not necessary for cupboards or bathroom doors.

Well, escape route yes, however, the rest of the doors are all Victorian, solid quality, replacing all the doors will certainly ruins the house, it also lead to extra costs...any alternative solution?

Yes have a look at Envirograf website. If the doors are a suitable thickness (NB. the important bit is the panel which is the thinnest - you can measure it by measuring the overall door width and then measuring into the recessed panel on each side to work it out) then you can upgrade them with Envirograf paint and veneer - however this costs a lot and you can probably get re-pro fire doors for less. You need to add intumescent seals and hinges too. Any door which doesn't lead on to the stair can be left.

I would absolutely speak to your building inspector first to see what the rules are in your specific area.
It seems to me, judging by a recent facebook thread, that no two authorities are the same. Same want fire doors everywhere ( including bloody cupboards , some are happy with doors painted with intumescent paint, some are happy with sprinkler systems and leaving doors as they are. Also heard from some people who said their inspectors signed off with just mains smoke detectors in each room but no fire doors ( and this was an open plan layout downstairs as well.
Our inspector has said we have to have detectors on each floor and every door needs to be changed to a fire door, including the cupboard into the loft storage area. Only the toilets and bathrooms don't need them. To say I'm pissed off with the inconsistency across the country is an understatement!!!

Our fire doors are going to cost us the best part of £2000. I will be offering our 1930s doors on our local facebook page as can't bear the thought of them being chopped up and chucked on the skip

I don't have loft conversion but our windows upstairs aren't big enough to get out of, cheap job by prev owner. We had to have mains wired smoke detectors and fire doors on rooms that come off entrance hallway which luckily is just the kitchen and living room.

My friend lived in a beautiful Victorian 3 storey house where the loft was already an original room from when the property was built.

They wanted to knock through a wall into the storage space next to the loft room and add an en-suite. Building regs came back and said they needed to install fire doors. They argued that is was already a room, they weren't converting it just adding an en-suite directly above the bathroom.

I think an agreement was reached in the end of them not having to replace the original Victorian doors but it does go to show that each situation is dealt with differently.

You don't have to use the council's building control you can employ one independently.