Liberty Doors Oak External Unfinished 1 Light Clear Double Glazed Stable Door

Are you looking to upgrade your front door or change the internal doors within your home?

Or maybe you're renovating a commercial property and looking to install a whole new set of doors before you open it to the public?

Whether you're a builder, an architect or a homeowner, consulting the Government's Building Regulations surrounding doors could be in your best interests before you plan the renovation of any property.

At Leader Online, we know a thing or two about doors so in this guide, we've pulled together the Building Regulations you need to consider surrounding your property's doors. Alongside extra measures to consider surrounding security and requirements to meet when transforming a listed building, read on for peace of mind before you begin your project.

What are Building Regulations?

Building Regulations are requirements outlined by Parliament regarding building work. They ensure that any building work meets a safe and approved standard, whether carried out on a commercial or residential property.

The scope of projects that the Building Regulations cover ranges from small projects to self-builds, extensions, loft conversions and commercial property renovations. The regulations are divided into sections, known as 'parts', and relate to areas like noise pollution, ease of access and health and safety.

Not to be confused with planning permission, which deals with the appearance of buildings, highway access, land and general environmental impact, if your project requires planning permission, you are advised to wait until this has been granted before you apply for a Building Regulations approval.

If you require planning permission, your local council will need to be consulted; you can contact your local council to find out which authority deals with granting planning permissions in your area.

With Building Regulations, Building Control Officers deal with these applications. As long as the standards laid out in the Building Regulations are met, approval of the work should be relatively straightforward.

What are the Building Regulations surrounding doors in the UK?

There are five separate parts to the Government's Building Regulations which relate to doors. These regulations apply to internal and external doors and deal with several issues, such as health and safety, ease of access and conservation of power in new builds.

It is worth noting that different building types and uses have different requirements that must be met, so it's always worth consulting each Building Regulations part relating to your project in detail before making any changes or decisions.

Here is a summary of the main parts and points concerning door regulations. Whilst this list isn't exhaustive, it does sum up the key points regarding the installation and maintenance of internal and external doors in the UK to ensure legal compliance as detailed in the Government's building regulations;

Part B - Fire safety

The Part B Fire Safety regulations require doors to meet certain fire resistance standards depending on their location and what the building is used for.

Fire doors have to be made of materials which can be a resistant barrier to fire for usually up to 30 or 60 minutes (or 240 minutes in some buildings), need to be self-closing and need to be positioned and used in a way that occupants could safely escape in the event of a fire.

A correctly installed fire door should maintain the fabric of a building under fire conditions, slowing down and compartmentalising the spread of smoke and fire. Most of these regulations involve using fire doors and ensuring a safe escape.

Part E - Resistance to sound

Part E, Resistance To Sound Regulations, covers sound control and reduction requirements. This regulation is more valid in apartments or flats and details requirements around noise reduction and sound control for doors used in entrances. Doors and doorways should be constructed to minimise sound passage between spaces and correctly fitted with acoustic seals to keep sound to a minimum.

Part L - Energy Efficiency

Part L surrounds the conservation of fuel and power in new builds and ensures that doors and building elements are designed to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, promoting energy efficiency.

For a door to comply with part L regulations, it must be correctly fitted with no gaps, be of the correct thickness, and have a thermal efficiency U-value of 1.8W/(㎡K).

What are U-values?

U-values, measured in watts per square metre per Kelvin, are a measurement of how well a building component, in this case, a door, transfers heat, how much heat passes through a material when there's a difference in temperature from the inside to the outside and how much this contributes to a building's carbon footprint.

U-values calculate the rate of energy transferred through one square metre of any structure divided by the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of the structure.

Lower U-values mean the component is better insulated and, therefore, would contribute to a reduction in energy costs and a building's carbon footprint.

Always choose external doors that meet the thermal efficiency U-value of 1.8W/(㎡K) when installing them within your property.

Part M - Access To And Use Of Buildings

Part M, Access To And Use Of Building Regulations, mostly refers to accessibility requirements for disabled persons (note: the definition of a disabled person needs to meet that outlined in the Equality Act 2010), ensuring mobility and access into and around any building.

Doorways must be a minimum width to allow wheelchair access and have appropriate handles, locks and opening mechanisms.

• Alongside doors, approaches to doorways also have to meet certain standards in order for them to be compatible with regulations. Under part M, there are many more regulations concerning commercial properties and public buildings than private renovations. Still, these building regulations must be adhered to, irrespective of property.

Part Q - Security In Dwellings

The Security In Dwellings regulation focuses on the security of doors and windows in new residential builds, ensuring that entry points are fully resistant to unauthorised access from intruders and reducing burglary risks.

Doorsets must be secure under this regulation, and all external doors must meet certain security standards;

• Manufactured to a design that has been tested to resist a physical attack.
• Fitted with robust locks, hinges and glazing that prevent easy break-ins.
• PAS 24 Compliant; door sets must be tested to prove they can withstand burglary attempts that meet this standard.
• Installation is crucial here, as even the strongest doors can fail this test if poorly fitted. There should be no weak points around the door, and frames must be fitted securely.

If you're looking for the most secure door solutions, read our guide on ' How To Choose A Door Lock'.

Listed buildings

Renovating a listed building can bring a whole new set of challenges, which must be considered even when considering replacing any property's existing doors.

In conservation areas, planning permission is required for replacing internal and external doors and any significant alterations to the front of the house or the area most visible from the road, also known as the 'principal elevation'.

Building Regulations would apply for structural alterations, such as widening the access to install double doors.

Part B, regarding fire safety, Part L, surrounding U-Values and energy efficiency and Part M are all worth consulting should you wish to alter the doors of a listed building you may have acquired.

Older buildings often have different specifications regarding the height and width of internal doors and frames. However, it is often better to renovate the property's existing doors than to try and fit new ones that meet the property's specifications.

Why are building regulations for doors important?

As highlighted in each part of the building regulations, there are many reasons why regulations regarding doors are so important.

The most important reason is legal compliance and safety. By fitting unsafe doors, using improper materials and not following Government legislation, particularly in public or commercial buildings, you could jeopardise the safety of any person who regularly uses or has access to that building.

Disregarding the legislation could be costly, put people at risk, and result in liability for accidents or damages. It's important to properly consult and comply with each regulation to meet the standards and avoid compromising the safety of others.

Alongside this, regulations surrounding accessibility ensure that properties are accessible for all, so you must meet these regulations to ensure fair and proper access.

Finally, if door regulations aren't met as laid out in the Government's legislation, this could impact your property's insurance and be detrimental to its value.

What is the best way to ensure compliance?

Before undertaking any modifications in your home, always consult the building regulations documents, and if you're hiring someone to do the work for you, always use a certified installer. To support these changes, you must also have proper documentation, such as certificates and testing reports.

When installing doors, once fitted, regularly inspect and maintain them to ensure that they are performing to the highest standards and meeting the energy efficiency, fire safety and noise cancellation requirements (if applicable) laid out in the terms of the regulations.

What is the British standard size for doors?

Not all internal doors in the UK are the same size. Government regulations do not specify that a door has to be a specific size. Still, there are some building regulations, particularly regarding accessibility, where size, particularly the width of a door frame, will be considered.

Under Part M of the UK's building regulations, internal doors must have a clear opening width of 750 mm (minimum) when approached from a corridor or 900 mm (as a minimum) when approached head-on.

Alongside this, an additional 25 mm clear opening width must be available when the approach to the door isn't head-on from a corridor of 1050 mm. Or, from a 900 mm corridor, a door width must have a clear opening of 800mm when the approach isn't head-on.

These requirements apply not only to accessible or adapted buildings and homes but to all visitable dwellings such as your home and include all internal doors to bedrooms, bathrooms and the kitchen.

Regarding height, there is no minimum door height requirement under building regulations.

When considering the thickness of your internal doors, if your property requires a fire door, it's important to bear in mind that this will generally be made thicker than a standard internal door (usually by around 4 mm) to keep out smoke and flames in the event of a fire in the home. Where most standard internal doors are around 35-40 mm thick, an FD30-rated fire door usually measures 44-54 mm thick.

Unsure which internal doors will work best in your home? Contact us; our friendly team will gladly assist you with your enquiries.

Building Regulations For Doors: The Takeaways

It’s important to adhere to the Building Regulations outlined by the Government before making any modifications to your personal or commercial property to meet legal compliance and safety standards.

Regarding internal and external doors, there are five key parts to consider:

• Part B - Fire Safety
• Part E - Resistance To Sound (important for entranceways to flats and apartments)
• Part L - Energy Efficiency
• Part M - Access To And Use Of Buildings
• Part Q - Security In Dwellings

Listed buildings may require extra planning permission and consideration to maintain the building’s structural integrity and principal elevation. In the case of listed buildings, renovating the existing doors may be an easier solution.

Adhering to Building Regulations is essential to ensure the safety of others and to obtain insurance for your property whilst maintaining its value.

The safest way to ensure compliance is to use certified installers and always retain certificates and up-to-date paperwork when any building regulations have been approved. It’s also advisable to regularly inspect and maintain your internal and external doors to ensure these regulations are upheld.

Whilst there is no set standard size for UK internal and external doors, certain regulations surrounding fire safety and accessibility require doorways and approaches to be an accessible width for all. Regulations also require all fire doors to be of a thickness where they are able to safely seal away harmful fire and smoke to allow for an easy escape should an accident occur.

Discover the best internal and external doors at Leader

For high-quality internal and external doors that meet your home's or commercial property's standards, look no further than Leader Online. From safe and efficient fire doors to bespoke made-to-measure doors, we’ve got everything you need to ensure your home fully complies with door-related regulations. Shop with confidence at Leader Online!

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