Help! Have to prove fire resistance to Building Control

[Speck1]

I own a shop with flats above. Have applied for retrospective building regs and the building control officer is asking me to rip out bathrooms and kitchens which back onto each other and upgrade the 30 min plasterboard which the tiles are set on to 60 mins. I just haven’t got the money to do this and I’d have to remove the tenants whilst I did this. I’ve tried looking at fire retardant clear coatings which she won’t accept because they’ve been tested on plastic and fire glass and not ceramic or porcelain which is far superior anyway. But then I realised by phone round that tiles at Class A so shouldn’t need that anyway. Potentially then there could be 30 mins plus tile plus 60 min coating but she’s still not having it. She’s now said I have to provide test data evidence for porcelain tiles. Where do I go for that? I’ve just the tile association and sent a message but no reply. I’m at my wits end. Please can someone help or advise? Many thanks.

 

[Chellvic]

What about getting a private building control rather than a local authority one. Might be less lenient

 

[Speck1]

What about getting a private building control rather than a local authority one. Might be less lenient

It’s retrospective so it has to be local authority

 

[Ajax123]

Get a qualified fire surveyor to look at it and write a report based on existing. Building control are paranoid about fire post grenfel.

I wouldn’t criticise this attitude as it’s better safe than sorry but they often try to portray themselves as all knowing but are often really not very knowledgeable.

As an example I supply anhydrite for screeds. I am often asked for a fire test certificate for anhydrite screed. Anhydrite screed is entirely non combustible and therefore exempt from testing. That doesn’t stop them asking 🤣🤣