Fire Rating inspection hatches.

[southcoastboile]

After the customer agreed the price we fitted some inspection hatches. After the engineer I sent had cut the holes and fitted them she came in and started screaming about how they needed to be fire rated. She refused to pay and demanded they are replaced with metal ones. Initially I said we would return with metal ones and replace them free of charge even though they were around £90 more. We went to look at them and they need baton round the edge so there was a lot more work involved. I said we could fit at the original cost plus the added price of the hatches to make up for the additional labour time. She refused to pay anymore and started saying the work was shoddy etc and that she told me originally that they needed to be fire proof. I never heard her say that and I hand on heart don't think she did. Anyway........she then took pictures and I agreed the finish around the edge could be better and that I would be happy to fill in around the edge or we could fit the metal hatches at an additional cost. She then got onto gas safe (I had already spoken to them by this point and the guy told me that the hatches had to be fire rated if it was in a communal area but not in a flat even if another flat is above it). They told her that they recommend a builder/contractor does the work while the gas engineer overseas the work.Also asked me what BS number was the hatch I fitted etc etc. She now has Gas Safe going there and has told me she will call trading standards and write a bad review on Check A Trade. I said as a gesture of good will we will not charge for the work or the hatches before she did all of this as well!! ............Anyway does anyone know the exact regs regarding fire proofing of the hatches? I looked on GS website and it looks like they only have to be fire proof if the ceiling is which can be determined by a surveyor? BTW you can probably tell my enter bar has stopped working

 

[Mrs Tara Plumbi]

Sorry not time to check right now but I think I read about this in one of the versions of TB008
but it could be somewhere else...
version 2 is here: dec 2010 [DLMURL]https://engineers.User PlumbersForums.net Instead - Copy the content, don't link to it.co.uk/doc/FluesInVoids/TB%20008Ed%202%20-%20Room-sealed%20fanned%20draught%20chimney%20systems%20in%20voids-revised.pdf[/DLMURL]
edition 3 is here: april 2013:
[DLMURL]https://engineers.User PlumbersForums.net Instead - Copy the content, don't link to it.co.uk/doc/FluesInVoids/TB%20008Ed%203%20-%20Existing%20concealed%20room-sealed%20fanned-draught%20boiler%20chimney%20-%20flue%20systems%20-%201%20April%202013.pdf[/DLMURL]

 

[lame plumber]

dont worry about checkatrade comments, they are normally written by the tradesmen or their mates or just moaners🙂 so a waste of time anyhow

 

[Millsy 82]

I always thought it wasnt gas safe that stated they had to be fire rated but it was building control due to the fire rating of buildings. What is the point of putting a fire rated hatch on a boxing that has no need to be fire rated.

If its a block of flats I always fit fire rated to be careful as better safe than sorry but houses I assess the job and take it from there.

 

[Millsy 82]

dont worry about checkatrade comments, they are normally written by the tradesmen or their mates or just moaners🙂 so a waste of time anyhow

If you get a few jobs through it though it could make a difference.

 

[REDSAW]

rip out the hatches and just plant some 12mm plasterboard over the hole, thats fire rated..

sorted.

 

[southcoastboile]

Thanks for the help. Yeah one of those jobs I wish I never even looked at and horrible customers. Check A Trade feedback is a massive deal for me.

 

[Reg Man]

Check out document Part B building regs. It tells you what is required. Available free on communities and local gov web site.