Building regs query - external balustrade

7 years ago

Hi, we are in the process of sorting a balustrade for the steps / landing area outside of our front door. We had a chat with building regs guy today who said to avoid horizontal bars on the balustrade as it can be climbed like a ladder. I've looked this up online & it seems to indicate that this is the case 'in a building which may be used by children under five years of age during normal use'. We don't have any children of that age at home so I'm confused by what to do. Obv we can talk to building regs again to clarify but wondered if anyone here has any experience of this please? Thanks in advance.

Comments (7)

PRO
MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.
7 years ago
Hi, I have recently built a set of steps internally going from a kitchen down into a sun room area a drop of around 600 mm the ballustrading was how you have described you would like yours.
This was built at the clients request and she has since had the building inspector round and he was not happy with the design because like you said it can be used as a ladder! My client also does not have any children 5 or under living or visiting her property.

The conclusion from the building inspector was that she would have to cover the ballustrading to stop it being used as a ladder and so has been agreed that she will put Perspex or similar to keep the light flowing through so that she can get the work signed off. What the inspector is saying is that although she will not have children under 5 at her property if she ever sell,up and moves on then potentially a buyer with a child under 5 could move in so I guess they are trying to future proof everything.

In the existing part of her house she has this design already which is why she wanted the horizontal ballustrading to match.

Hope this helps.
tamp75
Original Author
7 years ago
Hi, thank you, that's really helpful & exactly the type of position we don't want to find ourselves in! Spoke to building control again this morning & they still gave a bit of a vague answer although the person I spoke to said he wouldn't have horizontal bars in his house for balustrading. Prob will go vertical which I don't really like but also don't really want the upkeep of glass outside. Already have it on our stairs inside & it shows every Mark! Thanks again.
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PRO
MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.
7 years ago
I have seen some stainless steel versions with almost wire look horizontal balustrades, but I guess it depends on the look you want.
tamp75
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks, that's the look I originally wanted but I guess they'd say that the wire has to be strong enough to prevent falls so could also possibly be climbed by a young child. Guess I'll have to go with the vertical infill. Safety is the key issue just annoying I can't have the style I like!
PRO
MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.
7 years ago
Ok the ones I have looked at all say check with building control but they do show pictures on roof tops against the edge , raised decking, down the sides of external steps so I guess you could choose a design and run it past building control to see what they come up with.
tamp75
Original Author
7 years ago
Yes there are loads of photos with horizontal bars in all sorts of locations - some commercial, some residential, some at the top of big staircases or big drops on balconies so how they got building regs passed I don't know. We've checked with 2 building control people & unfortunately both advise against it. One even tried 'so you don't have children under 5, but can you guarantee that you won't ever have children under 5 visiting?' and 'how would you feel if a friend's child climbed them & got hurt?' which kind of hits home the point. Thanks for your time looking into it though, I really appreciate your help.
PRO
MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.
7 years ago
No problem at all.

Building regs query - external balustrade

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Building regs query - external balustrade

Comments (7)

MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.

tamp75Original Author

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MBH Carpentry and Joinery Ltd.

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