Fire door regulations for homes and loft conversions

When do homes in England need fire doors?

Most ordinary one- and two-storey houses do not need fire doors inside. The rules usually come into play when you carry out building work or when the layout of the property makes escape harder.

Fire safety in new building work is covered by the Building Regulations, with the detailed guidance set out in Approved Document B. For homes, the situations we come across most are loft conversions, integral garages, flats and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Each is covered below.

Loft conversions that create a third storey

This is the most common reason homeowners need fire doors. When a loft conversion adds a storey with a floor more than 4.5 metres above ground level, the house normally needs a protected escape route. That usually means the stairway from the new loft room down to the front door has to be protected from fire.

In practice, every habitable room opening onto that stairway, on every floor, usually needs a fire-resisting door of at least FD20 standard. Most people fit FD30 doors. Bathrooms often don’t need them, but check this with building control rather than assume.

Building control may accept other approaches on some projects, such as sprinklers combined with fire separation. Agree the design before work starts, because changing doors after an inspection is costly. Interlinked smoke alarms are also normally needed as part of the work.

Fire doors in flats and HMOs

Flats

Flat entrance doors that open onto a shared corridor or stairway are normally FD30S, with a self-closer. Inside the flat, a protected entrance hall with fire doors may be needed, depending on the layout and the height of the floor. In blocks of flats, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also give the responsible person duties around fire doors, including regular checks in buildings over 11 metres tall.

HMOs

Houses in multiple occupation are covered by housing law as well as Building Regulations. Councils commonly expect FD30 doors with smoke seals and self-closers on bedrooms and kitchens that open onto the escape route, but the exact standard depends on the size and layout of the property. Landlords should check with the local council’s housing team. We fit fire doors for landlords and commercial clients across the North East.

Fitting a fire door correctly

A fire door is only as good as its installation. The certification applies to the door as tested, with the right parts, fitted the right way.

The parts of a fire door assembly

• A fire-rated door leaf and a compatible frame or lining
• Intumescent strips, and smoke seals on FD30S and FD60S doors
• Fire-rated hinges, usually three, plus a suitable latch
• A self-closer where one is needed
• Fire-rated glass and glazing beads in glazed doors
• Gaps of around 3 mm at the sides and top, with the bottom gap set by the manufacturer

Who can fit a fire door?

In a private house, the law does not say only a certified installer can fit a fire door. The fitter must be competent and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and test evidence. Our fire door fitting service uses doors and components certified by the manufacturer, fitted to those instructions.

Checking with building control

For loft conversions and garage conversions, building control will inspect the work and sign it off. Speak to them early, tell them what doors you plan to use and keep the paperwork that comes with the doors. Our guide to measuring internal doors helps if you are pricing up the work yourself.

Fire door questions we’re often asked