Since publication of the first edition in 1976, The Building Regulations: Explained and Illustrated has provided a detailed, authoritative, highly illustrated and accessible guide to the regulations that must be adhered to when constructing, altering or extending a building in England and Wales. This latest edition has been fully revised throughout. Much of the content has been completely rewritten to cover the substantial changes to the Regulations since publication of the 13th edition, to ensure it continues to provide the detailed guidance needed by all those concerned with building work, including architects, building control officers, Approved Inspectors, Competent Persons, building surveyors, engineers, contractors and students in the relevant disciplines.

The provision of an adequate means of escape from fire is fundamental to the design of new buildings and to the alteration, change of use or extension of existing buildings. It is essential that means of escape are considered at the earliest stage of a project as mistakes are very expensive to correct later in the design.

There is a great deal of legislation on means of escape design and control, but this is scattered throughout a large number of statutes, regulations and guidance documents. Many buildings need to be licensed and/or registered, as well as requiring certification and Building Regulation compliance.

This book provides an invaluable reference on the subject for architects, surveyors and building control officers. It:

?identifies the legislation which applies to any particular building use

?describes the general principles of designing means of escape, together with a ten step approach for a range of residential and non-residential buildings

?considers alternative design options based on fire safety engineering

?outlines fire safety management in premises in use as an aid to employers, who have a statutory duty to undertake fire risk assessments.

Written for small builders and tradesmen such as bricklayers and carpenters, as well as householders wanting to provide more space and enhanced living conditions without the substantial cost of moving house. While there are many books that deal with the construction aspects of extending a house, there are few sources that combine the planning, construction and regulatory aspects into one easily accessible source. Extending and Improving a Home meets that need. By focussing on specific building elements - foundations, walls, roofs, services, finishes etc - the book neatly provides a comprehensive, accessible guide to the areas of home improvement that cause most concern for householders and small builders.

Extending and Improving a Home will: Guide you through the maze of legislation that affects most building alterations and extensions; show how to go about getting a project realised in terms of design, choice of contractor and construction, successfully and to budget, and give sound technical solutions for all the elements of a project that also comply with Building Regulations.